European experts aid UK over pig crisis

British pigs: falling victim to swine fever for the first time in 14 years

In this story: Search for disease widens Europe's swine fever problem Europe's swine fever problem RELATED STORIES, SITES

By Gaven Morris, CNN.com writer

LONDON -- Britain is consulting European veterinary experts as the swine fever crisis in the country's pig industry worsens.

The meeting between British officials and representatives of the European Commission (EC), the Netherlands and Germany on Wednesday follows the European Union's (EU) decision to ban all British exports of live pigs.

Up to 12,000 pigs have been slaughtered since the discovery last week of the first outbreak of the highly infectious disease in England in 14 years.

The meeting in Brussels was expected to last all day.

"It's mostly an exchange of views with the Dutch and German officials who have a lot of experience in dealing with swine fever, for example setting up crisis centres," EC spokeswoman Andrea Dahmen said.

The virus has now been found in pigs on five properties in southwestern England, but the UK Agriculture Ministry said on Wednesday that tests were being conducted on eight more farms identified as having links with the source of the disease.

The origin of the disease has been traced to a breeding unit which supplied seven pig nurseries in the region, but officials still do not know how the disease found its way into Britain.

"Epidemiologists are investigating where the virus came from but it's far too early to tell and they may never find the source," a spokeswoman for the agriculture ministry said.

David Burch, of the British pig veterinary society, said the virus could have entered Britain in a live pig or through imports of pig semen, but it could even have been transported in pork products.

"The organism can survive in meat so uncooked meat, like sausages or salami can transmit the disease. It is possible that a salami sandwich could be to blame," he said.

Burch added that consumers should not be worried about any pork products as humans are not affected by the virus.

"There are absolutely no public health consequences," he said.

The UK had eradicated swine fever after its last outbreak in 1986 and a spokeswoman for the local industry said farmers were, "tremendously worried" about the new outbreak.

Next Tuesday, the EU's Standard Veterinary Committee (SVC) will meet to decide the medium-term fate of British pig exports. The current ban lasts until August 31.

Britain's Agriculture Ministry has accepted the restrictions, which only apply to affected areas in southeastern Britain.

Two other European countries had recorded cases of the destructive disease this year.

In January, more than 150,000 pigs were destroyed in two outbreaks in Germany and Italy had reported three cases.

During the 1990s, the pig industries in Belgium and the Netherlands were devastated by the swine fever.

In 1997, more than 400 farms were hit and millions of pigs slaughtered in the Netherlands in an epidemic that took more than a year to bring under control.

For Britain, news of the disease has dealt a bitter blow to the country's meat industry which is still trying to recover from the mad cow or BSE crisis.

A three-and-a-half-year ban on British beef exports was lifted only last year.

The pig industry has also been plagued by oversupply which has caused market prices to plunge.

Two other European countries had recorded cases of the destructive disease this year.

In January, more than 150,000 pigs were destroyed in two outbreaks in Germany and Italy had reported three cases.

During the 1990s, the pig industries in Belgium and the Netherlands were devastated by the swine fever.

In 1997, more than 400 farms were hit and millions of pigs slaughtered in the Netherlands in an epidemic that took more than a year to bring under control.

For Britain, news of the disease has dealt a bitter blow to the country's meat industry which is still trying to recover from the mad cow or BSE crisis.

A three-and-a-half-year ban on British beef exports was lifted only last year.

The pig industry has also been plagued by oversupply which has caused market prices to plunge.

Reuters contributed to this report.

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MAFF UK; Homepage
European Union: official web site
The Pig Veterinary Society
British National Pig Association
Pig World

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