Vaccine lab link to foot and mouth
EDDIE BARNES AND MURDO MACLEOD
 
A GOVERNMENT laboratory based two miles from where foot and mouth disease was discovered in a herd of cows is being investigated as the possible source of the outbreak.

Fears were yesterday raised that there is a possibility the disease may somehow have been transferred from vaccines at the Institute for Animal Health in Surrey.

The revelation emerged 24 hours after foot and mouth was discovered in a herd of cows near the village of Normandy, Surrey.

It came as:

• Scottish ministers said they may consider a plan to break away from the UK ban on meat exports imposed by the UK government;

• Vets in London revealed that other farms were being checked for possible infection;

• Tourist chiefs and officials said that Scotland remained "open for business".

The institute in Surrey houses material used to make vaccines for outbreaks of foot and mouth. To do so, strict regulations are laid out to keep the disease secure.

Chief veterinary officer for England and Wales, Dr Debby Reynolds, announced that it was coming under scrutiny.

The country's leading bacteriologist, Professor Hugh Pennington, said last night that the institute must now be seen as a possible cause of the source of the outbreak. Pennington said: "There are lots of other possible explanations, but this is the one which will be looked at. These escapes do happen from time to time.

"That lab has a very, very good record of not having any escapes. It's a first-class lab. When I was rung up to be told there was an outbreak in Surrey, the first thing I did was look up the map and it turned out it was closer that I thought."

A spokesman for Defra, the Department for Rural Affairs, confirmed that the Institute for Animal Health in the village of Pirbright was among the places being examined as a source.

"One of the first actions we took was to ask Pirbright to review and assess their biosecurity arrangements. We are seeking to involve independent experts in this work," he said.

Farmers and rural businesses right across Britain were on tenterhooks last night, fearing that further outbreaks of the disease would be announced.

In 2001, a nationwide outbreak led to the slaughter of between 6.5 million and 10 million animals, ruined many farmers and rural businesses and is estimated to have cost the country up to £8.5bn.

Britain's voluntary ban on all meat exports will now last for a minimum of three months, cutting off the £1m-a-month Scotch beef export market.

But ministers in Edinburgh say they are looking at whether Scotland can be withdrawn from the ban, if the outbreak remains in the south. Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs Richard Lochhead said: "There is the ability for regionalisation".

Meanwhile, Britain's chief vets said they were considering whether mass vaccination may be required some time this week.

In 2001, officials decided against vaccinating animals, a move which led to the mass cullings. However, with new laws in place, they are now legally obliged to consider vaccinations.Charles Milne, Scotland's chief veterinary officer, said: "We have already activated vaccine teams, so they will be in place within five days, should vaccination be the central policy."

Vaccinations would be controversial as they would extend the EU ban on exports to six months.

But farming leaders last night said they would be content to work with whatever solution the vets thought best.

James Withers, deputy chief executive of the National Farmers Union in Scotland, said:

"Our message is crystal clear - vigilance is key. Farmers are in and around their stock and that is enough to check on the symptoms of the disease. Farmers have it in their power to restrict the opportunities for disease."

Prime Minister Gordon Brown said authorities were doing "everything in our power" to avoid a repeat of the catastrophe six years ago.

He returned from holiday yesterday to chair a meeting of Cobra, the government's emergency committee.

Afterwards, he held discussions with First Minister Alex Salmond about the implications for Scotland.

Ministers stressed once again that the disease had no implications for human health.

After a 3km protection zone was thrown around the affected farm in Surrey, authorities turned their focus on a desperate hunt to quickly find the source of the disease.
 

The spread of the disease in 2001 was largely blamed on the slow response to first reports which allowed infected animals to come into contact with other animals from all parts of the country.

The hope last night was that the outbreak would be contained to the one farm. But Reynolds said officials were investigating other possible outbreaks of the disease.

She said a small number of potential cases had been reported in the wake of the discovery on the farm near Guildford, Surrey.

A spokesman for the Scottish Executive said it was not aware that any cases had yet been reported north of the Border.

Conservative leader David Cameron, who postponed a planned holiday in Brittany in order to keep abreast of the developing situation, said: "We must do everything possible to make sure this is not a further blow to farming."
He added: "The other great lesson from 2001 is that it was not just farmers that suffered but also shops, holiday cottages, pubs and hotels.
 

"Farmers and rural communities should know that the whole country is on their side."

Donald Biggar, chairman of Quality Meat Scotland, said: "We are holding our breath to see what emerges in the next 48 hours. Everyone is just hoping and wishing that it won't be a repeat of 2001, which was disastrous. Whatever happens this will have a major impact and be a disruption to trade. We are going to lose our exports instantly and it will take a while to recover them.

"It's come at a time when our beef exports were building up nicely. We've only been back in the European market for 15 months having got the BSE business out of the way."

Executive minister Lochhead added: "Foot and mouth disease is clearly a serious disease of livestock and sadly its shadow is now looming over Scotland and our rural life once again. The key objective of the Scottish government is to ensure that any such disruption is kept to an absolute minimum."

http://news.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=1224802007