Animal Health

Moving virus lab not just risky — costly, too Report: Foot-and-mouth outbreak could top $4 billion at potential locationsThe Associated Pressupdated 3:58 p.m. ET, Fri., June. 20, 2008WASHINGTON - An outbreak of one of the most contagious animal diseases from any of five locations the White House is considering for a new high-security research laboratory would be more devastating to the U.S. economy than from the isolated island laboratory where such research is now conducted, says a new...Read Full Story

Just when I was struggling for something to write about it appears that foot and mouth disease (FMD) is back in the UK. The latest outbreak was confirmed at a Surrey farm this evening. DEFRA has been very quick to implement a 3 km protection zone and 10 km surveillance zone around the farm in question.The outbreak is sure to bring back memories of the 2001 outbreak in the north of England. Back then it was dubious hygiene in a pig finishing unit at Hedon on the Wall in Northumberland. The...Read Full Story

Just when I was struggling for something to write about it appears that foot and mouth disease (FMD) is back in the UK. The latest outbreak was confirmed at a Surrey farm this evening. DEFRA has been very quick to implement a 3 km protection zone and 10 km surveillance zone around the farm in question.The outbreak is sure to bring back memories of the 2001 outbreak in the north of England. Back then it was dubious hygiene in a pig finishing unit at Hedon on the Wall in Northumberland. The...Read Full Story

A sheep looking a bit under the weather.Drooling is a sign of bluetongue.Breaking news this evening that the first ever UK case of Bluetongue disease has been detected at a farm near Ipswich in Suffolk. The disease, caused by a virus transmitted by midges, naturally infects wild and domestic ruminants such as sheep, goats, cattle and deer. Sheep are most severely affected by bluetongue and cattle, although infected more frequently than sheep, quite often don't display any clinical signs. The...Read Full Story

AP - The government acknowledged that an outbreak of one of the most contagious animal diseases from any of five locations being considered for a new high-security laboratory ? an event it considered highly unlikely ? would be more devastating to the U.S. economy than an outbreak from the isolated island lab where such research is now conducted.Read Full Story