Was the candidate able to correctly identify (by questioning, if necessary) the symptoms of the following disease and which animals they affect:

  • Foot and Mouth

FMD is a disease that affects all cloven-footed animals, such as cattle, sheep, pigs and deer. It is caused by a picornavirus and spreads very quickly if not controlled. It is present in many countries of the world and outbreaks also periodically occur in disease-free areas. After being free of the disease for many years, this country had an outbreak in 2001, resulting in the slaughter of many animals and an outbreak in 2007. The disease causes fever followed by the development of blisters mainly in the mouth and on the feet. In pigs the clinical signs are identical to those of Swine Vesicular Disease (SVD). Any suspicion of this notifiable disease must be notified to the Government.

  • Swine Fever

Classical swine fever (CSF) is a very contagious disease of pigs. It is caused by a pestivirus.It was eradicated from GB in 1966. However since then there have been several outbreaks of the disease which were controlled by the slaughter of many pigs. The initial source of CSF virus appears to be from pigs eating infected pork or pork products derived from imports. Infected pigs may show little evidence of disease or can develop a fever and lose their appetite. Other possible signs include discolouration of the skin, diarrhoea, constipation, coughing and nervous signs. A large number of pigs may die. The disease is very similar in appearance to African swine fever. Any suspicion of this notifiable disease must be notified to the Government. This is a different disease to Swine influenza.

  • Swine Vesicular

Swine Vesicular Disease (SVD) is a disease of pigs caused by an enterovirus The UK has been free of the disease since 1982 but it is still present in other parts of Europe. The clinical signs of SVD, that is fever followed by severe lameness caused by blisters on the feet, are indistinguishable from those of Foot and Mouth Disease. Affected pigs rarely die. Any suspicion of this notifiable disease must be notified to the Government. This is a different disease to Swine influenza.

  • Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy

BSE is a fatal brain disease of cattle. The infectious agent is thought to be a protein called a prion. It is believed that in the past animals became infected by eating animal feed containing the infectious agent. Signs of the disease are not usually seen until the cow is at least 4 or 5 years old. They tend to develop slowly and may include a strange high stepping gait, trembling, nervousness or aggression and loss of weight. The disease in people, Variant Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease (vCJD), may be linked with eating meat products from BSE infected animals. BSE was first diagnosed in the UK in 1986 and has since appeared in many other countries including Europe, North America and Japan. Good progress is being made towards its eradication in the UK. Any suspicion of this notifiable disease must be notified to the Government.

  • Sheep Scab

Sheep scab is a skin disease of sheep caused by a mite called Psoroptes ovis. It is present in several sheep producing countries, including the UK. It causes severe itching in affected sheep if left untreated. Scaly lesions develop on the woolly parts of the body and sheep often bite themselves and rub against objects to relieve the irritation causing loss of wool. Untreated sheep may lose weight. Sheep scab is a notifiable disease in Northern Ireland.

  • Scrapie

Scrapie is a fatal brain disease of sheep and occasionally goats. The agent causing the infection is thought to be a protein called a prion. The way in which the disease is contracted and spread is not fully understood. The disease occurs in the UK and many other countries. Australia and New Zealand are free of scrapie. There are many clinical signs, which develop gradually months or years after the animal has become infected. These include skin irritation, excitability, hind limb weakness and loss of condition. The weight of evidence available shows that the agent does not affect people. Any suspicion of this notifiable disease must be notified to the Government.

  • Anthrax

A bacterium known as Bacillus anthracis causes anthrax. The bacterium is present in the UK and can survive as a spore for long periods in the soil, although disease in animals is rare. All species of animals can be affected (including people), with cattle as the farm animals most frequently affected. In cattle and sheep the period of illness is often so short that animals may be found dead. When infected, pigs and horses will also usually die, though less quickly. However some animals may recover completely, having shown few signs of disease. In man, infection may cause a boil-like lesion on the skin that can be treated with antibiotics. Any suspicion of this notifiable disease, particularly sudden unexplained deaths, must be notified to the Government.

  • Enzootic Leukosis

EBL is a contagious disease in cattle. It is caused by a retrovirus. It can be passed from mother to calf and also between cattle. The disease was first confirmed in GB in 1978 and eradicated in 1996. It is not transmissible to humans. Clinical signs are usually apparent in cattle aged between 4 and 8 years and rarely seen in animals younger than 2 years old. Affected animals lose their appetite and condition, are dull, weak and anaemic. Many tumours form in the organs of the body and some may be visible or felt lying under the skin. Affected animals will eventually die. Any suspicion of this notifiable disease must be notified to the Government.

  • Newcastle’s Disease

Newcastle disease is a highly contagious disease of birds caused by a paramyxo virus. Many species of birds, including commercial, wild and pet birds, can be affected.. The disease is a worldwide problem and sporadic outbreaks frequently occur. The last outbreak in chickens and turkeys in the UK was in 1997. It has occurred in pheasants in 2005 and in partridges in 2006. Affected birds may show a range of signs from mild illness to severe disease with dullness, loss of appetite, coughing, sneezing, diarrhoea and nervous signs. The numbers of birds dying can be high, particularly where young birds have been infected. Any suspicion of this notifiable disease must be notified to the Government.

  • Avian Influenza

Avian influenza is a highly contagious disease affecting many species of birds, including commercial, wild and pet birds. It may also pose a threat to people and other animals in certain circumstances. It is caused by a Type A influenza virus. There are two types of the virus. One type ( high pathogenicity avian influenza-HPAI) can cause severe disease and the other (low pathogenicity avian influenza-LPAI) generally causes only mild disease or no disease at all. There is concern that the virus may change (or mutate) to cause the severe disease in people, birds and other animals. Influenza A viruses occur worldwide and serious outbreaks of disease have been reported in many countries. The last outbreak of avian influenza in the UK was in June 2008. Some birds, especially waterfowl, can be infected without showing any signs of disease. Other affected birds may die suddenly or show a range of clinical signs including a drop in egg production, swollen heads, dullness and a loss of appetite. Any suspicion of this notifiable disease must be notified to the Government.

  • Rabies

Rabies is a fatal disease of the nervous system that can affect all mammals including man. It is caused by a rhabdovirus. It is possible to contract the disease by being bitten, licked or scratched by an infected animal. The disease was eradicated from the UK in 1922, but it is still present in many other countries.. Clinical signs include paralysis and aggression always leading to a painful death. Bats in Northern Europe are commonly infected by a rabies-like virus called European Bat Lyssavirus (EBL). On rare occasions it is known to infect other animals and people. Since 1977, 4 human deaths in Europe have been caused by EBL as a result of bites from bats. Examinations of bats in GB have found a very small number of them to be infected, with a higher number of Daubenton’s bats showing evidence of exposure to the virus. Investigations and testing for EBL are continuing. EBL rabies does not affect the UK’s rabies-free status. Any suspicion of this notifiable disease must be notified to the Government.