SBV tests on German farmers negative
Tests performed by the prestigious Robert Koch Institute upon blood samples drawn from a group of sixty sheep farmers from the North Rhine-Westphalia Region of Germany have found no trace of antibodies created as a response to the Schmallenberg Virus (SBV), the presence of which would indicate a zoonotic infection. Results from PCR tests also came back negative.
The Institute has stressed that, despite in excess of two confirmed thousand cases thus far across Europe and the passage of several months, there is ‘no indication that infections or disease in humans from contact with SBV could occur’. The survey sample were selected because they were most likely to have 'intensive contact with the new virus’, and would therefore be the mostly likely to be infected if such an eventuality was possible.
The Institute has therefore concluded that 'Based on the study results and the genetic characteristics of the new virus, the risk of infection in humans can be assessed as extremely low', but did acknowledge that 'Extremely rare infection events, however, cannot be detected by such a study.'
Defra has published guidance for the vet sector ahead of a proposed UK-EU Sanitary and Phytosanitary agreement.
