Vet confirms Pirbright is under investigation

CHIEF veterinary officer Debby Reynolds has confirmed that the biosecurity arrangements at the Pirbright Laboratory are being investigated as a possible source of the foot-and-mouth disease outbreak.

At a Defra briefing at 3.15pm today (Saturday), Mrs Reynolds said it was too early to favour any hypothesis of where the disease might have come from over another. But she said: “Pirbright has been asked to review its biosecurity arrangements.”

The Institute of Animal Health Pirbright Laboratory, which carries out research into exotic diseases, including foot-and-mouth disease, is approximately five miles away from the Surrey farm which is the site of the outbreak.

She said the National Emergency Epidemiology Group were working hard to identify the possible origin of the outbreak and where it might have spread. She said all possibilities, legal and illegal movements, lab-based sources and deliberate release were being investigated but at this early stage it was too soon to draw any conclusions.

Questioned about the possible introduction of a vaccination policy, Mrs Reynolds said it was being considered and had been since day one.

She said the Government did not hold stocks of vaccine but that it did have an antigen bank. They were currently working to identify the strain and would then see if they had an antigen to match it. Assuming that antigen was available it would take several days to create a suitable vaccine.

Mrs Reynolds also revealed that other possible outbreaks of the disease were being investigated but as yet there were no more confirmed cases.