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Ministry of Agriculture Fisheries and Food

Answer

Mr. Luff: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of (a) milk sampling, (b) blood testing, (c) throat swabs, (d) faeces testing and (e) visual inspection as methods of diagnosing foot and mouth disease; and if he will make a statement. [158509] Ms Quin: Live virus and viral antigen can be found in milk, blood, throat and faeces of infected animals. Specific antibody can be found in the blood and saliva of animals recovered from foot and mouth disease. Recovered sheep and cattle, and vaccinated sheep and cattle which have had contact with live foot and mouth disease virus continue to carry the virus in the pharyngeal region for up to three years in cattle and nine months in sheep; this virus can be recovered using a probang sampling technique which collects saliva and cellular material from the pharynx. Tests for foot and mouth disease virus antigen and antibody are outlined in the OIE Manual of Standards for Diagnostic Tests and Vaccines (2000). These are the tests used at the IAH laboratory in Pirbright. However, Pirbright scientists are constantly investigating new and more sensitive methods of diagnosis, such as polymerase chain reaction and the use of monoclonal antibodies.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

158509; 368 c471W;368 c471-2W

Session

2000-01

Subjects

Diagnosis Disease control Foot and mouth disease Standards Institute for Animal Health

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk