theguardianuk--2019-02-07--Equine flu crisis biggest shutdown since foot and mouth hits horse racing

Equine flu crisis: biggest shutdown since foot and mouth hits horse racing

All race meetings in Britain have been cancelled until next Wednesday at the earliest while the sport’s governing body awaits test results from more than 100 stables that could have been exposed to equine influenza.  Donald McCain’s yard in Cheshire, where three cases of equine influenza in vaccinated horses were confirmed on Wednesday evening, sent a single runner to meetings in Ayr and Ludlow earlier that day, potentially exposing many more horses to the disease.  The cancellations, ordered by the British Horseracing Authority, will cost the industry tens of millions of pounds and is the biggest loss of fixtures for reasons other than freezing weather since the foot and mouth outbreak of 2001 when even the Cheltenham Festival was lost. It leaves trainers on tenterhooks with next month’s renewal of the most important meeting of the year on the horizon.  All four meetings scheduled in Britain on Thursday were abandoned following news of the positive tests, and in all at least 23 meetings will be lost as a result of the outbreak. These include the Betfair Hurdle card at Newbury on Saturday, one of the most valuable meetings of the National Hunt season.  Equine influenza is endemic in Britain’s horse population, but vaccination against the disease is mandatory for thoroughbreds and most other breeds that are used competitively, such as eventers. As a result, outbreaks are extremely rare, but the fact that all three of the horses affected at McCain’s stable had been vaccinated prompted immediate concern that a new strain of the disease could spread rapidly through the racing industry.  Equine influenza causes similar symptoms in horses to those suffered by humans; including fever, nasal discharge and a harsh, dry cough. It is rarely fatal, though it can lead to complications including pneumonia and some horses can take several weeks, or even months, to recover fully from an infection.  As a result, an epidemic has the potential to cause massive disruption to a country’s racing programme or even shut it down altogether. An outbreak in New South Wales in 2007 resulted in the closure of Sydney’s racetracks from late August until early December, although this was in an unvaccinated racehorse population.  McCain also sent a runner to Wolverhampton’s meeting on Monday evening and all horses in the stables that competed on the card will be tested for equine influenza, along with all runners at the meetings at Ludlow and Ayr on Wednesday. This includes several from stables in Ireland, including five from the yard of Gordon Elliott, one of Ireland’s most successful trainers. Those five horses were diverted to an isolation stable 20 miles from Elliott’s County Meath base when they returned home after competing at Ayr.  Since the incubation period for equine influenza can be up to 72 hours, samples will be taken on Friday from horses that raced at Ayr and Ludlow and sent to the Animal Health Trust in Newmarket for analysis. The BHA said on Thursday evening that its veterinary team “has been in contact with more than 50 trainers and veterinarians to allow it to make an informed assessment of the risk of equine influenza spreading”.  The BHA added: “While no further positive tests have been received, at least three more days are required before it will be possible to make a decision about whether it is safe to resume racing. The disease can take up to three days before symptoms are visible, meaning it will take until Sunday at the earliest before the BHA can gather all the information required.  “This approach will allow samples to be collected and assessed by the Animal Health Trust in order that a fully informed decision can be made on Monday. This may then allow declarations to take place on Tuesday in time for racing on Wednesday.”  McCain, who saddled Ballabriggs to win the Grand National in 2011 and has more than 100 horses in his stable, said “the BHA were contacted immediately” once the positive result for equine influenza had been confirmed and that he is “liaising closely with them about biosecurity and management of all the horses at Bankhouse”.  McCain said: “We are scrupulous about observing the health status of horses in our care and taking the necessary steps to treat any condition that may affect them. It follows we would never race any horses that we could have known were infected.  “Over the last two months, all potential runners have been scoped and their blood checked within 36 hours of their races to ensure that only healthy horses compete for the yard.  “When new horses arrive at our yard we try as much as possible to keep them separate, but at this stage cannot know if the infection came from recent arrivals or from horses returning from racing. We have three confirmed cases and this morning have taken blood and swabs from all the others for testing.”  ITV Racing, which had been due to cover both Newbury’s valuable meeting and significant races at Warwick this weekend, said it will instead show five races from Naas in Ireland. Ireland’s Horseracing Regulatory Board said racing will continue in the country “at present” but that runners from Britain will not be permitted to run in Ireland until further notice.


theguardianuk--2019-02-07--Horse races cancelled across Britain after equine flu outbreak

British horse racing was plunged into a sudden crisis on Wednesday night as it emerged that three horses in an active yard, believed to be that of Donald McCain, have tested positive for equine influenza, despite having been vaccinated against it.  All four scheduled meetings in Britain on Thursday were summarily cancelled as the British Horseracing Authority moved hastily to try to contain the outbreak. It is not immediately clear when racing will be able to resume.  Alarmingly, the BHA confirmed that the affected stable had runners at Ayr and Ludlow on Wednesday, where they were in close proximity to dozens of other horses from many racing stables. McCain is the only trainer who had runners at both meetings, suggesting that his stable, in Cheshire, is the one referred to by the BHA. Other trainers who had runners at Ayr or Ludlow include Paul Nicholls, Nicky Henderson and Gordon Elliott, who sent runners to Ayr from his base in Ireland.  “It’s extremely worrying,” said Peter Scudamore, partner to Lucinda Russell, who had runners at Ayr. “I’ve never known anything like this in all my time in racing.”  An outbreak of the highly contagious respiratory disease caused turmoil in Australian racing in 2007, when all horse movements were banned nationwide for 72 hours, a ban that continued in some areas for longer. Sydney’s spring racing carnival was cancelled and it was months before the outbreak was contained and normal horse-related activities resumed.  Equine influenza is not usually fatal to healthy adult horses but is dangerous for young foals, mares in foal or horses who were already ill. BHA advice is that it can be transmitted by air “over reasonable distances”, or be passed from horse to horse by people who come into contact with them.  The BHA issued a statement shortly after 11pm, saying it had acted with the unanimous support of its industry veterinary committee, following confirmation of the positive tests by the Animal Health Trust.  “The fact that the cases have been identified in vaccinated horses presents a cause for significant concern over welfare,” it said.  “The full extent of potential exposure is unknown and we are working quickly to understand as much as we can to assist our decision making.”  A further statement is expected on Thursday.  The ruling body said it had been in touch with trainers who had runners at Ayr and Ludlow “to ensure appropriate quarantine and biosecurity measures are put in place and horse movements restricted to avoid possible further spread of the disease”.  Explaining the gravity of the situation, the BHA described equine flu as “the most potentially damaging of the respiratory viruses that occur in UK equines. Disease symptoms in non–immune animals include high fever, coughing and nasal discharge.  “The outbreak at the infected yard follows the identification of a number of equine influenza cases across Europe and the UK, including several in vaccinated horses. Following the recent outbreaks, guidance was sent to trainers to inform them that all horses which have not had a vaccination against equine influenza within the last six months should receive a booster vaccination, and that trainers should be extra-vigilant with biosecurity.”


theindependent--2019-02-07--Horse racing today cancelled after outbreak of equine flu

Race meetings at all British racecourses have been cancelled on Thursday due to an outbreak of equine flu.  The British Horseracing Authority (BHA) made the decision on Wednesday evening after the Animal Health Trust confirmed three positives tests from vaccinated horses in an active racing yard.  The horses from the infected yard had raced earlier in the day at Ayr and Ludlow, potentially exposing other horses across the country and in Ireland to the disease.  The BHA said in a statement that the identification of the virus in vaccinated horses presented a "cause for significant concern".  It added: "The action to cancel racing has been viewed as necessary in order to restrict, as far as possible, the risk of further spread of the disease.  "The BHA has worked quickly to identify which yards could have potentially been exposed today and identify the further actions required.  "The BHA is presently communicating with yards potentially exposed to ensure appropriate quarantine and biosecurity measures are put in place and horse movements restricted to avoid possible further spread of the disease.  "The full extent of potential exposure is unknown and we are working quickly to understand as much as we can to assist our decision-making."  The action to cancel Thursday's races was taken with unanimous support of the BHA's industry veterinary committee and will affect meetings at Huntingdon, Doncaster, Ffos Las and Chelmsford.  Equine influenza is a highly infectious disease of horses, mules and donkeys. Symptoms in non-immune animals include high fever, coughing and nasal discharge.  Keep up to date with all the latest news with expert comment and analysis from our award-winning writers


theindependent--2019-02-07--Horse racing wonapost return until Wednesday at the earliest BHA announces

Horse racing won't return until Wednesday at the earliest, BHA announces

The British Horseracing Authority (BHA) has said racing will not resume in Britain until Wednesday 13 February at the earliest after an outbreak of equine flu was confirmed.  A statement from BHA read: "The BHA’s veterinary team has today been in contact with more than 50 trainers and veterinarians to allow it to make an informed assessment of the risk of equine influenza spreading.  "Whilst no further positive tests have been received, at least three more days are required before it will be possible to make a decision about whether it is safe to resume racing.  "The disease can take up to three days before symptoms are visible, meaning it will take until Sunday at the earliest before the BHA can gather all the information required. This approach will allow samples to be collected and assessed by the Animal Health Trust in order that a fully informed decision can be made on Monday.  "This may then allow declarations to take place on Tuesday in time for racing on Wednesday, with 24 hour declarations for all fixtures on this day, should racing be able to resume. Declarations for Thursday would revert to the usual procedures."  The BHA made the decision to cancel all Thursday's cards on Wednesday night after the Animal Health Trust confirmed three positive tests from vaccinated horses in an active racing yard.  In an initial statement, the BHA reported horses from the infected yard raced on Wednesday at Ayr and Ludlow, adding identification of the virus in vaccinated animals presented a "cause for significant concern".  Donald McCain's yard was the only one represented at both tracks.  Thursday's cancellations come less than five weeks before the start of this year's Cheltenham Festival - the annual highlight of the National Hunt calendar - while Wolverhampton, due to host an all-weather Flat card on Saturday, has announced the course will not do so.  Inevitably, until the situation becomes clearer, for thousands of racing followers - and of course those directly involved in the industry - there will be uncomfortable echoes of the foot-and-mouth crises of 1967 and 2001.  On each occasion, the racing calendar was affected for two months - and in 2001, the Cheltenham Festival was abandoned.  In the immediate future on this occasion, a packed weekend of Cheltenham trials and other big races is scheduled at Newbury, Warwick, Musselburgh and in Ireland.  The governing body's statement added: "The BHA is presently communicating with yards potentially exposed to ensure appropriate quarantine and biosecurity measures are put in place and horse movements restricted to avoid possible further spread of the disease.  "The full extent of potential exposure is unknown, and we are working quickly to understand as much as we can to assist our decision-making."  The action to cancel Thursday's races was taken with unanimous support of the BHA's industry veterinary committee - affecting meetings at Huntingdon, Doncaster, Ffos Las and Chelmsford.  Wolverhampton then issued an update via Twitter, announcing this weekend's card will not take place.  It read: "Following today's announcement by the BHA Saturday's meeting is cancelled - we will be working with BHA and Animal Health Trust to make sure that our racecourses take every measure to maintain high levels of biosecurity."  Racing was, however, set to go ahead in Ireland at Thurles on Thursday.  An update on the track's official Twitter account read: "Racing goes ahead as planned here today. First race off at 1:15."  Equine influenza is a highly infectious disease of horses, mules and donkeys. Symptoms in non-immune animals include high fever, coughing and nasal discharge.    Keep up to date with all the latest news with expert comment and analysis from our award-winning writers


thesun--2019-02-07--Cheltenham Festival officially under threat as all racing cancelled for six days due to mutant hor

Cheltenham Festival officially under threat as all racing cancelled for six days due to ‘mutant’ horse flu outbreak

CHELTENHAM FESTIVAL is officially under threat after all British horse racing was cancelled until February 13 at the earliest due to an outbreak of 'mutant' horse flu.  British Horseracing Authority chief Nick Rust told the BBC that at this stage he cannot "definitively" say that jump racing's showpiece event - due to be held from Tuesday, March 12 to March 15 - will go ahead.  The BHA immediately cancelled all four meetings on Thursday  following three confirmed cases in horses which had been vaccinated.  Announcing the latest round of postponements, the BHA explained they needed time to check on the status of quarantined animals with over 100 yards affected.  The organisation released a statement, which read: "Whilst no further positive tests have been received, at least three more days are required before it will be possible to make a decision about whether it is safe to resume racing.  "The disease can take up to three days before symptoms are visible, meaning it will take until Sunday at the earliest before the BHA can gather all the information required.  "We are grateful to trainers and veterinarians for the rapid flow of information and feedback  we have received today.  "Because of this, we have been able to make an informed decision earlier than we expected and before we have any test results back from horses from the affected yards that travelled to the three meetings.  "Trainers support a precautionary approach and we thank them for the collaborative manner in which they have worked with us to address this unfolding situation."  This week's outbreak is the first time the disease has forced the abandonment of a race meeting in Britain since 1981 - although the Foot and Mouth crisis hit Cheltenham in 2001, costing the industry £150million.  The racecourse released a statement this afternoon, insisting: "We are working with the BHA on this matter and hope that the early actions of the BHA will ensure that this outbreak of Equine Influenza can be contained.  "We look forward to racing resuming as soon as possible, and hope that this will be well in advance of The Festival in five weeks’ time."  Eight-time champion jockey Peter Scudamore, partner of Lucinda Russell, who had runners at Ayr, added: “It’s extremely worrying.  “I’ve never known anything like this in all my time in racing.”  In 2007, an equine flu outbreak in Australia took six months to lock down and devastated the racing industry with over 200 meetings affected.  Action at Chelmsford, Doncaster, Ffos Las and Huntingdon were the Thursday cancellations and 'Super Saturday' at Newbury - which was set to include last year's Gold Cup winner Native River - is a major loss.  Bettingexpert.com estimates the Thursday cancellations alone could end up costing £20m.  Racing continues in Ireland but British horses are banned from competing.  Over 100 yards have been placed in lockdown by the BHA, with the likes of Paul Nicholls, Nicky Henderson and Jonjo O'Neill all affected.  The organisation said: "Trainers whose horses may have come into contact with affected horses will be contacted on Thursday and will need to quarantine all horses in the yard.  "This means that these horses must have no contact with any other equines until restrictions are lifted.  "This is likely to be until samples have been taken from horses and negative test results received."  AP McCoy has opened up on the potential impact of the outbreak - recalling the Foot and Mouth nightmare 18 years ago.  The 20-time Champion Jockey told Thursday’s Alan Brazil Sports Breakfast: “I can remember it well in 2001 when we lost it to Foot and Mouth.  “Losing something as huge as the Cheltenham Festival has a huge impact on the sport.  “But hopefully it won’t go on that long, hopefully they would have got hold of this pretty quick and get it sorted out as soon as possible.”  Cheltenham is due to take place on March 12, with the Grand National on April 6, and talkSPORT’s racing correspondent Lee McKenzie admits a cancellation is a possibility.  The nightmare scenario could lead to over £200million in loses, plus a £15million hit for the local Gloucestershire economy.  McKenzie said: “Luckily the Cheltenham Festival is still five weeks away, so there is a bit of time to get something into the place and, who knows, it may blow over rather quickly.  “But at the moment you have to say that there is a possibility that could be the case.  “I remember back in 2001 when there was an incident of foot and mouth and the horse racing with severely affected by that and that did indeed end up with the postponement of the Cheltenham Festival. This is something different, though."  Because equine flu is so infectious, all precautions must be taken to stop the disease spreading.  The three horses that tested positive for the flu on Wednesday came from a yard that had runners at Ludlow and Ayr, putting more horses at risk.  It is run by Donald McCain Jr, son of Red Rum's trainer Ginger.  It read: “I have been aware of the recent news about equine influenza outbreaks in France and Ireland, and over the last couple of days, I have been concerned about the health status of a small number of horses in the yard.  "Their welfare is at the front of our minds so at my request our veterinary surgeon examined them regularly and we have followed his advice on testing & treatment.  "It was by following this protocol the positive results for equine flu came to light Wednesday evening"  McCain was to have had two runners yesterday: Raise A Spark, who was fourth at Ayr, and Dry Lightening, who was pulled up at Ludlow.  Trainer Gordon Elliott had five runners at Ayr yesterday.  He told the Racing Post: "We didn't take them back to the yard.  "They are in isolation in a yard 10 or 15 miles away from our own that has no racehorses in it.  "The authorities have to take every precaution, which is understandable.  "We've been told it's a million-to one chance that it will impact our runners, but we're not going to take any chances. We'll leave them in quarantine as long as we have to.  "If the three horses from the affected yard that were racing on Wednesday test negative, well then it will be a big sigh of relief for everyone.  "If they come back positive, well then anyone else who brought horses back to their yard, more so English trainers as they might not have got the notification on time, then it's a concern."  Unlike the case in Australia, the horses had been vaccinated but the virus that causes the flu can mutate and make the precaution ineffective.  Brant Dunshea, the BHA's chief regulatory officer, told Sky Sports Racing: "It's highly contagious and an infected horse can shed virus on to a human on their skin, clothing or equipment and  it can be transmitted that way but it doesn't affect humans. "We're still trying to understand what particular strain of equine influenza this is. "The fact it has appeared in a vaccinated population does cause us some concern so we're working quickly to understand what's happening. It's not a racing issue it's a horse health issue." The disease can affect the upper and lower respiratory tract of horses and is similar to human flu. It can be transmitted between species but does not affect people. Once the virus has been inhaled it can cause a very sore throat and nasty cough. It is not usually fatal for horses, although foals are at risk of death if they are infected. A Bettingexpert.com spokesperson said: “Equine welfare is the absolute priority for the industry and is a non-negotiable aspect of the sport.  "Any disruption to race meetings – of any size – is always going to be financially damaging however and should the Cheltenham Festival get cancelled this year, it could be the most costly racing postponement of all time not just for bookies but businesses big and small in the area too.”


thetelegraph--2019-02-06--British Horseracing Authority cancels all UK races after outbreak of equine flu

All four of Thursday’s race meetings have been cancelled because of an outbreak of equine flu.  The British Horseracing Authority (BHA), with unanimous support of its industry veterinary committee, took the dramatic decision last Wednesday night after being informed by the Animal Health Trust of three confirmed influenza positives from vaccinated horses in an active racing yard.  Horses from the infected yard raced on Wednesday at Ayr and Ludlow, potentially exposing a significant number of horses from yards across the country and in Ireland. The fact that the cases have been identified in vaccinated horses presents was, said the BHA, “a cause for significant concern over welfare and the potential spread of the disease and the action to cancel racing has been viewed as necessary in order to restrict, as far as possible, the risk of further spread of the disease”.  The BHA said the full extent of the problem was not yet known but it has worked quickly to identify which yards could have potentially been exposed. The BHA is communicating with yards potentially exposed to ensure appropriate quarantine and biosecurity measures are put in place and horse movements restricted.  Meanwhile, leading Australian trainer Darren Weir, 48, who won the 2015 Melbourne Cup with the Michelle  Payne-ridden Prince Of Penzance, has been disqualified for four years after electing not to contest charges of possession of devices used to  deliver electric shocks to horses. The Racing Appeals and Disciplinary Board found him guilty of three charges of possessing an electric or electronic apparatus capable of affecting the performance of a horse, and one charge of conduct prejudicial to the image, interests or welfare of racing. The disqualification will come into effect immediately.


thetelegraph--2019-02-07--Horse owners urged to get their animals tested for flu as experts say outbreak worst for racing sin

Horse owners urged to get their animals tested for flu, as experts say outbreak worst for racing since foot and mouth

Horse owners have been urged to get their animals vaccinated against equine flu as soon as possible after an outbreak caused British racing to be cancelled until at least Wednesday.  Race industry insiders told The Telegraph that this is the worst outbreak of horse disease since foot and mouth, with racing yards on lockdown after three confirmed cases.  It is thought that more horses at race yards are likely to be infected with the disease, which takes 48 hours to incubate, and three days for tests to come back.  Veterinarians worked around the clock on Thursday testing thoroughbreds for equine influenza - but results will not come back until Sunday evening at the earliest.  A source added that the outbreak is likely to cause a much more serious issue for non-racing horses, which are mostly not vaccinated and do not have the same protections against the disease.  The Animal Health Trust has already identified seven cases in domestically-owned horses in a month in Yorkshire, Essex, Suffolk, Cheshire, Derbyshire and Lincolnshire.  The British Equestrian Foundation has warned all horse and pony owners to check their animals for signs of the illness and keep all infected animals in quarantine.  A spokesperson said: "It is crucial for all horse and pony owners to be vigilant and follow recommended guidelines on how to detect and prevent the spread of this infectious disease.


sottnet--2019-07-19--Plant viruses may be essential for maintaining biodiversity and helping plants adapt to their enviro

Plant viruses may be essential for maintaining biodiversity and helping plants adapt to their environment

The community of viruses is staggeringly vast. Occupying every conceivable biological niche, from searing undersea vents to frigid tundra, these enigmatic invaders, hovering between inert matter and life, circumnavigate the globe in the hundreds of trillions. They are the most abundant life forms on earth.Viruses are justly feared as ingenious pathogens, causing diseases in everything they invade, including virtually all bacteria, fungi, plants and animals. Recent advances in the field of virology, however, suggest thatWe now know that humans contain roughly 100,000 pieces of viral DNA elements, which make up around 8 percent of our genome. Speculation on the role of these ancient viral fragments ranges from protection against disease to increasing the risk of cancer or other serious illnesses, though researchers acknowledge they have barely scratched the surface of this enigmaA new review article appearing in the journal Nature Reviews Microbiology highlights the evolution and ecology of plant viruses. Arvind Varsani, a researcher at ASU's Biodesign Institute joins an international team to explore many details of viral dynamics. They describe the subtle interplay between three components of the viral infection process, the virus itself, the plant cell hosts infected by the virus and the vectors that act as go-betweens — an intricate system evolving over some 450 million years. All three elements are embedded within wider relations of the surrounding ecosystem.," Varsani says. ". We have a section where we review mutualism and symbiosis and also how some of the symbiotic relationships are being uncoupled."In 1892, Dmitry Ivanovsky, a Russian botanist, conducted a simple experiment that would have momentous implications for science and medicine. He collected sap from a diseased tobacco plant, fed the substance through very fine pores and showed that this filtered fluid could infect a healthy tobacco plant. The filtering ensured that whatever the disease-causing entity was, it was tinier than a bacterium. A Dutch plant specialist and microbiologist Martinus Beijerinck dubbed the mysterious pathogenic substance a virus, though its true form — invisible to light microscopy — only appeared in 1931, with the invention of the electron microscope. A rod-shaped plant invader, known as tobacco mosaic virus, had revealed itself — the first virus on record. Since this time, thousands of distinct species have been identified, yet they represent a tiny fraction of the viral universe, most of which remains unexplored."The way I look at viruses now is from a philosophical angle," Varsani says. "They are a dynamic entity and they have multiple lifestyles, ranging from basic, where the virus is fully reliant on the host for replication, to some cases where it's only partly reliant on the host." Because some viruses can evolve so rapidly, trading and acquiring new genetic elements, their genomes can become chimeric or even fragmented, making their proper classification a serious challenge for the field of virology.From the standpoint of ecology, plant viruses are particularly important for a number of reasons. Plants make up over 80 percent of the biomass on earth, exerting a greater impact on the planet's diverse ecosystems than viruses infecting other kingdoms of life. Plant viruses have obvious importance for food crops and ornamental plants, and a range of viruses are responsible for an estimated $60 billion in crop losses worldwide each year.To capture the astonishing richness of the planet's viral universe, researchers have gone beyond early methods of pinpointing individual virus particles and analyzing them. Techniques of metaviromics are used to probe environments for the full panoply of viruses they contain. The method, which relies on piecing together multiple DNA or RNA genomes from environmental samples, has been recently used to identify vast numbers of previously undocumented viruses. In the case of plant viruses, these viral fragments are often extracted from the insect vectors that ferry the viruses from plant to plant.Metaviromic sequencing is a particularly powerful technique for investigating viral communities. Unlike cellular life, which has a single, common origin,. While common protein motifs have been observed in viral capsids, these are likely the result of convergent evolution or horizontal gene transfer, rather than inherited elements.The strategy of metaviromics is particularly useful for teasing out mutualistic relationships between plants, vectors and viruses and their changing relationships over time. As so much research since the inception of virology has been focused on viruses as disease-causing agents in humans and plants, the nature and degree of mutualistic interactions between viruses, vectors and hosts is most likely underrepresented.The authors speculate that virusesby limiting the growth of genetically homogeneous plants, including crops. New studies of viral ecology seek to understand the extent and importance of both pathogenic and mutualistic interactions. An all-important link in the chain of infection is the behavior of particular insect vectors and their modes of viral transmission, though numerous other factors come into play, including nutrients, water resources, heat and cold stress, and adverse soil conditions.Vectors play an outsized role in the world of plant viruses.It is believed that the mode of viral transmission plays a role in the virus' effect on its host. If the virus is transmitted via seeds or pollen, the virus should limit its harmful effect on the reproductive success of the host plant, perhaps even conveying an adaptive advantage over uninfected plants.The viral passage from parent to daughter plant is known as vertical transmission. By contrast, horizontal viral transmission occurs when insect vectors transit the virus from plant to plant. Such vector-borne assaults can be more merciless to the infected plant and only need ensure their continued spread to a suitable number of healthy plants for the virus to be successful.Many kinds of vectors can transmit plant viruses, including arachnids, fungi, nematodes, and some protists, though more than 70 percent of known plant viruses are transmitted by insects, most from the biological order Hemiptera, which includes cicadas, aphids, planthoppers, leafhoppers and shield bugs.Insects of this kind can make use of mouthparts constructed for piercing and extracting sap or plant cell material. Insect transmission of plant viruses can occur through excretion of virus particles in saliva following feeding on an infected plant. Alternately, the plant virus can become permanently incorporated into the insect's salivary glands, allowing the vector to transmit the virus to new plants throughout the insect's lifetime.Intriguingly, a number of insect-transmitted plant viruses may have evolved mechanisms to influence vector behavior, making infected plants more attractive to sap-feeding insects or ensuring that infected plants produce chemicals that promote insect behaviors that help facilitate transmission.Plant viruses display considerable ingenuity in their strategies, which are highly dependent on their given environment. Some are generalists, invading multiple species, while other viruses are specialists that favour a narrow range of plant hosts. This selectivity may develop with time, through a process known as adaptive radiation. This typically occurs when a virus faces a heterogeneous habitat and becomes adaptively specialized to exploit particular ecological resources while becoming maladapted to exploit others. Such specialization acts to limit competition between different viral lineages or species. Alternatively, generalist viruses infect multiple plant hosts but must compete for these resources with other viruses. This situation tends to result in a viral population of low diversity dominated by the most acutely adapted viral genotypes.While researchers agree that viruses lack a single common ancestor,. Three common hypotheses compete for dominance as an explanatory framework, though they are not mutually exclusive. Perhaps viruses evolved from free-living cells, as the devolution or regressive hypothesis states. They could also have originated from RNA and DNA molecules that somehow escaped from living cells. Alternatively, viruses may have once existed as self-replicating entities that evolved alongside cells, eventually losing their independent status.Ongoing metaviromic research of viral diversity is helping to uncover foundational relationships among viruses and pinpoint common origins among many plant, fungal and arthropod viruses. Of particular concern for the future are the ways in which human-caused disruptions to ecosystems across the planet, which are occurring at rates unprecedented in earth's history, are reforming virus, vector and host relationships.The effects of these disruptions may be to foster emergent viruses with heightened abilities to cause disease in their hosts. As ecological communities become more tightly interwoven through changes in human land use, existing interaction networks that have acted over evolutionary time to stabilize host relations with native vectors and viruses can suddenly shift. Any lethal entity entering this kind of disrupted ecosystem is much likelier to rapidly spread through the population and aggressively sweep through different organisms. The future health and sustainability of both human and plant populations will benefit from an improved understanding of the many subtle interrelationships governing the most ubiquitous viruses — those colonizing plants.


sputnik--2019-08-15--Measles-Like Virus Leads to Dolphin Deaths Along Tuscany Coast

The Tuscan regional authority confirmed Tuesday that dolphin autopsies conducted by researchers at the University of Siena and the Experimental Zooprophylactic Institute of Lazio and Tuscany found the dolphins were infected by the virus cetacean morbillivirus (CeMV).  According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, three genetically distinct strains of the virus have been characterized: dolphin morbillivirus (DMV), pilot whale morbillivirus (PWMV) and porpoise morbillivirus (PMV).  Symptoms of the infection include pneumonia, damage to the immune system and encephalitis, otherwise known as inflammation of the brain. The disease can be contracted through the “inhalation of aerosolized particles containing the virus,” a 2014 briefing by Access Science states. Marine animals can also be infected directly through contact with other infected animals.  “The virus can enter a dolphin through its eyes, mouth, urogenital tract, or skin wounds, in addition to the respiratory tract. The lungs and brain of infected dolphins are the major organs of the body that are affected. Infected dolphins appear thin and display numerous skin lesions. They are stressed by breathing difficulties, which are often related to pneumonia, and act abnormally. Moreover, these dolphins become prone to other illnesses because the morbillivirus infection weakens their immune systems,” according to accessscience.com.  "We are powerless in the face of this virus," Federica Fratoni, environment commissioner for the Tuscany region, said in a Tuesday statement.  "But we could do a lot about another problem highlighted by the analysis of tissues and organs taken during the autopsies," she added, also noting that high levels of chemical compounds such as dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane, commonly known as DDT, and polychlorinated biphenyl (PCBs), were also found during the dolphin autopsies. Such chemicals are used in insecticides and are present in the Mediterranean Sea, according to Tuscan regional authorities.  "These products can have an immunosuppressive effect and therefore may have contributed to the spread of the disease and its effects," Fratoni explained.


theindependent--2019-11-09--'Potentially devastating': Melting Arctic sea ice causing deadly virus to spread in marine

'Potentially devastating': Melting Arctic sea ice causing deadly virus to spread in marine mammals, scientists find

Climate change could be to blame for spikes in a deadly virus among otters, seals and sea lions around the Arctic, a new study has suggested.  Phocine distemper virus (PDV) has been common in the northern Atlantic ocean for decades but as a result of melting Arctic sea ice it has now appeared among marine mammals in the northern Pacific ocean too.  The 15-year study which tracked the animals via satellite found PDV, which can kill some species, was most common in years when so much Arctic ice melted it became possible for mammals to move freely from the Atlantic to Pacific regions.  Steadily rising global temperatures due to climate change have meant more and more sea ice is melting around the Arctic, opening up sea lanes which for thousands of years have been impassable.  Between 1979 and 2018, Arctic sea ice declined on average 12.8 per cent each decade, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).  “These sea ice changes in September are likely unprecedented for at least 1,000 years,” the IPCC said in a report published in September.  The scientists said a severe spike in PDV in 2003 and 2004 among marine mammals in the northern Pacific was connected to a record ice melt in August 2002.  Testing showed about 30 per cent of Stellar sea lions in the northern Pacific Ocean were infected with the disease, which had previously been mostly confined to Atlantic populations.  PDV did not peak again in the Pacific until 2009, which was also just one year after widespread melting in 2008 which created open water passage routes.  “The loss of sea ice is leading marine wildlife to seek and forage in new habitats and removing that physical barrier, allowing for new pathways for them to move,” one of the study’s authors Dr Tracey Goldstein, from the University of California, Davis, told the BBC.  “As animals move and come in contact with other species, they carry opportunities to introduce and transmit new infectious disease, with potentially devastating impacts.”  Symptoms of PDV include laboured breathing, fevers and attacks on the nervous system. It was first identified in the late 1980s after unprecedented epidemics swept through populations of seals and sea lions, beginning with landlocked seals in Lake Baikal in Siberia.  This first outbreak killed about 18,000 harbour seals in the North and Baltic Seas. Another epidemic in 2002 in the North Sea is believed to have wiped out more than half of the seal population in the region.


thesun--2019-01-06--Britains entire rabbit population is at risk from a virus which can kill within 24 hours

Britain’s entire rabbit population is at risk from a virus which can kill within 24 hours

BRITAIN’S entire pet rabbit population is at risk from a deadly virus which can kill without warning in hours.  The disease – new to the UK and spreading rapidly – is being blamed for a huge decline in the number of wild rabbits.  But experts warn the estimated one million bunnies kept as pets are now at risk from RVHD2, the latest strain of Rabbit Viral Haemorrhagic disease which came here from Europe.  It is fatal, has few obvious symptoms and once an animal is infected there is no cure.  Dr Diana Bell, a rabbit disease expert at the University of East Anglia, said: “Rabbits may be at an all-time low. When did you last see a roadkill rabbit? You don’t any more — they simply aren’t around like they used to be.”  Vets are advising rabbit owners to get their pets vaccinated as soon as possible as the disease spreads to all parts of the UK.  Infected pets will die within 24 hours despite showing few symptoms, according to experts.  Ian Clarke, a vet from Worcester, added: “This disease is very dangerous, and owners should be alerted on the outbreak.  “Rabbits can catch RVHD2 and be dead within 24 hours — there is no cure and that is why a vaccine is essential.  “The disease is new and spreading across the country. Symptoms can include low appetite, lethargy, spasms and sudden death.  “We are aware no vaccine is 100 per cent effective, but it is certainly a lot safer than not having it done.  “Pet owners should be aware of this fatal disease and I would recommend them taking their pet to a vet immediately.  "A rabbit can be vaccinated 30 days after being born.”  Research from the veterinary charity, the People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals, showed 49 per cent of rabbits across the country have received a primary course of vaccinations when young, meaning almost half a million rabbits could be at risk from a variety of potentially fatal diseases.  Dr Richard Saunders, one of the UK’s leading rabbit experts, said: “Rabbit Viral Haemorrhagic disease 1 and 2 kill a high proportion of the rabbits infected, often so quickly that there is no warning before finding them dead.  “These diseases can be prevented by vaccination and it is absolutely vital to do this even if there haven’t been any outbreaks of these diseases in your area yet.  "These diseases can spread rapidly and by the time there is an outbreak in your area and your rabbits aren’t vaccinated it may be too late.”  GOT a story? RING The Sun on 0207 782 4104 or WHATSAPP on 07423720250 or EMAIL exclusive@the-sun.co.uk


thedailyrecord--2019-06-25--Callous puppy farmers sold sickly and diseased dogs which died within days

Two members of a "callous" puppy farming gang have been jailed for selling dogs they fraudulently claimed were bred in a family environment, when they were actually "sickly and diseased", with some dying within days of being sold.  Norwich Crown Court heard that the puppies were advertised for sale as being healthy, socialised and treated for worms and fleas.  But when police raided one of their premises in 2017 they found dogs in cages, some in "pitch-dark sheds with no access to light" and others "in a caravan at temperatures of up to 30C", prosecutor Hazel Stevens said.  "They were being bred in a commercial environment, not in a family home as advertised," she added.  Michael Rushmer, 27, of Thurlton, Norfolk, his sister Zoe Rushmer, 26, of no fixed address, and her partner Jacob Murphy, 27, of Norton Subcourse, all admitted conspiracy to commit fraud by false representation between June 1, 2016 and June 18, 2018.  Michael Rushmer admitted continuing the offending while on bail for the offence, pleading guilty to a further count of conspiracy to commit fraud by false representation between July 15, 2018, and March 16, 2019.  Michael Rushmer and Murphy were both jailed for three years and six months.  Zoe Rushmer was given a two-year prison sentence suspended for two years and ordered to complete 250 hours of unpaid work.  Judge Andrew Shaw told the mother-of-four: "It's your children and only your children that have spared you from going to prison."  All three defendants were also disqualified from "owning, keeping or otherwise dealing with dogs for life", and they cannot appeal against this ruling for at least 10 years.  He said the fraud, which began "at least as early as 2015", "strikes at the very heart of this nation's love for its pets, dogs in particular".  "A family's decision to buy a puppy is not one that is ever taken lightly," he said, adding that "to sell people sickly and diseased dogs, so poorly that many do not survive, is about as callous and meanspirited a fraud as I have come across for some time".  He described Murphy as the "ringleader", Michael Rushmer as "his deputy if not his equal" and Zoe Rushmer as "the legitimate face of your brother's and partner's criminal enterprise" who "even lent her own children to the affair as part of her efforts to lend a veneer of respectability" to what they were doing.  Ms Stevens said that the dogs had an average price of £675 and the gang made £300,000 from the fraud, though they claimed it was nearer £150,000.  She said: "When visiting, buyers were often met by a female and there were often children present, giving the impression of a family they (the puppies) were supposed to be part of."  Statements were taken from 31 purchasers who described how their puppies "looked lifeless and ill", and some died within days of getting home after they were diagnosed with parvovirus, a highly contagious disease.  One buyer was told by the sellers that their puppy died "due to their negligence" and were refused help with their £2,000 vet bill, Ms Stevens said.  "These defendants exploited the emotional vulnerability of potential purchasers, especially those who attended with children to see the potential new member of their family," she said.  She added: "This fraudulent activity succeeds as the people who want to buy these small-type breeds, or cross-breeds, want to do something for their family, and because once they see the dog they want to rescue it or buy it.  "Once they've fallen in love with the puppy, regardless of the circumstances nine times out of 10 they buy the puppy, even if they think something is going on."  She described it as a "sophisticated offence" which required "significant planning", with defendants using false names and addresses and multiple SIM cards so different phone numbers could be used in adverts.  Barrister Andrew Oliver said in mitigation that Michael Rushmer took over the business from his late father, started to use cocaine and made the "foolish decision" to buy dogs from travellers, which introduced parvovirus to the farm.  Zoe Rushmer was remorseful and Jacob Murphy was trying to fund his drug habit, the court heard.  Michael Rushmer also admitted 10 animal welfare offences, and operating a pet shop and breeding establishment without a licence.  Zoe Rushmer admitted four animal welfare offences and Murphy admitted three.  Jean Boyes, 67, also admitted conspiracy to commit fraud by false representation between June 1, 2016 and June 18, 2018, but the court heard her role was limited to taking a litter of seven puppies to be inoculated on a single occasion.  Boyes, whose given address is The Street, Bramerton, but the court heard was now living in a car, was given a two-year conditional discharge.  RSPCA inspector Amy Pellegrini, lead investigator, described the farm as a "puppy factory".  She added: "The way the adverts were worded suggested to prospective purchasers that these were litters of home-bred puppies in good health and were well-socialised.  "The reality, sadly, was far from it and the sellers were running a commercial, unlicensed puppy farm on an industrial scale."


theindependent--2019-04-03--How British farmers were left aposstaring into the abyssapos after the foot-and-mouth export ban

How British farmers were left 'staring into the abyss' after the foot-and-mouth export ban

British exports of meat, livestock and milk were banned by the government and the European Union yesterday as the first outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease for 20 years plunged the farming industry into yet another crisis.  The blanket prohibition, similar in scale to the BSE export ban, could have catastrophic consequences for British farmers, who export nearly £600m worth of beef, lamb and pork annually, both alive and as meat.  The ban, which took effect immediately and will be reviewed at the end of the month by the European Commission’s standing veterinary committee, led the president of the National Farmers’ Union, Ben Gill, to declare: “It is like staring into the abyss. On top of all the problems we have had to surmount in the last few years, the impact is unthinkable.”  The effects of the ban will clearly depend on the source of the outbreak being quickly found and closely contained, by slaughter of all potentially affected animals. Nick Brown, the agriculture minister, said extra resources were being deployed to act swiftly and firmly against the outbreak, spotted on Monday at an abattoir and neighbouring farm in Essex.  “We are faced with what is potentially a very serious situation,” Mr Brown said. “We have to bear down on the source and check every single movement in and out of the area where this has been identified, and to slaughter the infected animals and destroy the carcasses.” The next two days would be crucial for judging the seriousness of the outbreak he said.  All farmers who had no choice but to slaughter livestock affected by the disease would be compensated at the full market value for each animal, Mr Brown said.  He admitted, however, that he was unable to predict how long the ban on exports would be in place. “I cannot promise that these measures will not be prolonged,” he said. “But we have to do whatever we have to do. It’s an EU ban but we’ve been party to the discussions.”  Where did it come from? Read part two here  Mr Gill said British farmers would do whatever it took to stop the disease from turning into the disastrously widespread outbreak of 1967, in which nearly half a million animals had to be destroyed.  “It is in the interests of the whole of the British livestock industry that the spread of this disease is halted – there is simply no alternative,” Mr Gill said. “The sooner the outbreak is controlled, the sooner any restrictions can be lifted and that has to be our main priority now.”  The export ban was imposed in Brussels at the end of a day in which scientists from the Ministry of Agriculture had made strenuous efforts to trace the origin of the outbreak at the Cheale Meats abattoir in Little Warley, near Brentwood, and the adjoining farm, both owned by Mr Paul Cheale.  The disease, which does not threaten human health but is debilitating in all cloven-hoofed livestock, was found in a group of pigs which had been sent to the abattoir for slaughter from two farms in Buckinghamshire and the Isle of Wight.  All three farms, as well as two more suppliers of the abattoir in Stroud, Gloucestershire, and Selby, North Yorkshire, were quarantined, placed under investigation and ringed by five-mile zones in which animal movement was prohibited.  The government’s chief veterinary officer, Jim Scudamore, said that suppliers to the Essex premises were from all over the UK, including Northern Ireland, the north of England and Scotland, although there were no foreign animals involved.  Officials were trying to trace “a lot of vehicle movements, a lot of animal movements and a lot of movements by people”, he said. “We are going to have to visit a lot of farms.  Although foot-and-mouth can be passed from farm to farm through the air, government scientists were looking at the more likely possibility that animals had caught the disease from one of the transporters used to make deliveries to the Essex abattoir.  Mr Gill said: “I simply cannot stress how important it is that every farmer in Britain with livestock is vigilant to the symptoms of this disease” We must work together to ensure that this outbreak does not become like the nightmare outbreak of the 1960s.” The incubation period for foot-and-mouth is three to 14 days, he said, although the particular strain of virus identified seemed to be showing symptoms a lot faster.  The Food Standards Agency said foot-and-mouth posed no threat to food safety and that the export ban was aimed at stamping out the spread of foot-and-mouth.  This article first appeared in The Independent on 22 February 2001

Michael McCarthy, Nigel Morris, Stephen Castle


thesun--2019-12-10--Bird flu outbreak at Suffolk farm as 27,000 chickens to be slaughtered

THOUSANDS of chickens are set to be slaughtered after a bird flu outbreak was detected at a farm in Suffolk.  All 27,000 birds at the commercial farm will be culled after a number were found to have the H5 strain of avian flu, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said on Tuesday.  The strain has been identified as "low pathogenic avian flu".  Public Health England has said the risk to public health is very low and the Food Standards Agency has said food safety is not at risk.  A one-kilometre exclusion zone has been set up around the farm to limit the risk of the disease spreading.  Chief Veterinary Officer Christine Middlemiss said: "Bird keepers should remain alert for any signs of disease, report suspected disease immediately and ensure they are maintaining good biosecurity on their premises.  "We are urgently looking for any evidence of disease spread associated with this strain to control and eliminate it."  The virus, which is also known as avian flu, is a type of influenza that mainly affects birds but can sometimes pose a threat to humans. While there are many different strains of bird flu, only two of them have caused serious concerns for humans over the past few decades. This does not include H5N6, which has hit the UK. Different strains of bird flu can spread to people when they have direct contact with the infection. This can occur when humans touch dead or alive contaminated birds, their droppings or secretions from their eyes. The NHS explains that “close and prolonged contact with an infected bird is generally required for the infection to spread to humans.” Last year, The World Health Organisation confirmed that 840 people had been infected by the H6N1 virus worldwide by May 2015 and 447 of the cases were fatal. Despite these alarming statistics, as it stands, there have been no reported cases of bird flu in humans in the UK. Symptoms of bird flu include high temperature, aching muscles, headache, respiratory problems, diarrhoea and vomiting, abdominal pain, chest pain and nose and gum bleeding.  Dr Gavin Dabrera, public health consultant at Public Health England, added: "Avian flu (often called bird flu) is primarily a disease of birds and the risk to the general public's health is very low.  "As a precaution, we are offering public health advice and antivirals to those who had contact with the affected birds, as is standard practice."  A detailed investigation is under way to determine the most likely source of the outbreak.  We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online news team? Email us at tips@the-sun.co.uk or call 0207 782 4368 . We pay for videos too. Click here to upload yours


theindependent--2019-04-03--Where did foot-and-mouth disease come from

Where did foot-and-mouth disease come from?

Paul Cheale, a pig breeder and abattoir owner, woke up to a farmer’s worst nightmare yesterday when he found his Essex property at the centre of Britain’s first outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease for 20 years.  His Cheale Meats Abattoir at Little Warley, near Brentwood, was doubly surrounded – by the yellow-and-black isolation tape of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, and by TV crews and journalists wanting to know what had happened.  Mr Cheale looked shaken and could not keep the tremor out of his voice when he emerged to give his version of events. “We are devastated,” he said. “It is a real tragedy – the farming industry has been through BSE and swine fever and now we are faced with this.”  The disease was found on Monday in pigs which had been awaiting slaughter at his abattoir, after being brought from farms in Buckinghamshire and the Isle of Wight. It has also been found on neighbouring Old England farm, which Mr Cheale owns.  The area is at the edge of Greater London, on the featureless south Essex flatlands, but the abattoir takes animals from all over the country.  “On Monday we slaughtered 722 pigs, as is normal,” Mr Cheale said. “But we have a vet here all the time, and it was noticed that some animals were not quite right. We stopped the slaughter because we suspected it was swine vesicular disease – the symptoms are exactly the same as foot-and-mouth.  “Now as far as we know it’s definitely foot-and-mouth, and all of the stock and all of the meat will be destroyed. Yesterday we slaughtered the remainder of the animals – 284 pigs and two cattle.”  The stench of infected farms was only the beginning ... read part three  He now faces an intensive cleaning operation, involving the sterilisation of his premises, before he can even think about operating again, and yesterday he was trying to work out what it will mean to him financially – as this morning the whole UK farming industry will be doing.  “It’s obviously going to be expensive – it’s going to cost tens of thousands of pounds,” he said. “We are talking about hundreds of tons of meat being destroyed.  “We do get compensation, but we don’t get compensation for loss of production. The key question is – where did it all come from? It obviously came from an animal somewhere, but we don’t know where.”  Exclusion zones and checks are now operating around the two farms which supplied Cheale Meats. “So far there have been no confirmed cases of the disease here,” said Andrew Fidler, joint owner of Faringford Farm on the Isle of Wight. “The vets have been here looking at the animals, checking them out.  “We sent a load of pigs to this abattoir along with another farm on Friday. They were kept over the weekend and slaughtered on Monday when it was discovered that they were infected. It seems likely that our pigs were infected by pigs that had already been at the abattoir.  “The last few days have been OK apart from the fact that we cannot leave the farm. The kids are on holiday so they are not worried. The important thing is that it is sorted out.”  The anxiety the outbreak has provoked in Essex was evident with a neighbouring farmer, Scott Norris, who has 1,000 young pigs in a rearing unit just over a mile away – well within the five-mile no movement zone that has been established around the abattoir.  “We’ve not seen any problems as yet, and if it’s able to be nipped in the bud and doesn’t spread, it will all be over very quickly,” Mr Norris said. “But it will be of great concern if it spreads … We have had such a poor economic time with problems here and imports coming into our traditional markets, and disease problems have simply added to it.”  The pig industry is worried because it suffered more severely than any other sector in the financial crisis that hit British agriculture between 1998 and 2000. Global overproduction sent pig prices tumbling just when British pig producers faced higher costs because of new, stringent animal welfare legislation which has not yet been brought in by EU competitors.  It is believed that most British pig farmers made a loss in 1999. Then last year the industry was hit by an outbreak of classical swine fever in East Anglia, which, although contained, is estimated by the National Pig Association (NPA) to have cost it between £80m and £100m. “The new outbreak is hugely worrying for the pig industry,” said Ann Petersson, the NPA policy director. “We are still trying to pick ourselves up after the swine fever outbreak.”  This article first appeared in The Independent on 22 February 2001


thevaccinereaction--2019-10-16--USDA Pressured to Create Foot-and-Mouth Disease Vaccine Bank

Representatives from the National Pork Producers Council, the National Milk Producers Federation, the National Corn Growers Association and Iowa State University have urged the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to quickly establish a foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) vaccine bank.1  FMD is a contagious viral disease. The virus causes illness in cows, pigs, sheep, goats, deer, and other animals with divided hooves. It does not affect horses, dogs or cats. FMD is not a public health or food safety threat.2  These groups have expressed concerns that the USDA does not have enough vaccines available to avoid adverse economic consequences should an outbreak occur in the future. It has been 90 years since the United States has had an FMD outbreak.3  Researchers at University of Iowa have estimated that an outbreak would result in $128 billion in losses for the beef and pork sectors, $44 billion to corn farmers, $25 billion to soybean farmers and job losses of more than 1.5 million over ten years.4  The groups said they recognize that the USDA has taken some measures to create a vaccine bank; however, the groups are calling for the USDA to use funding included in the 2018 Farm Bill to purchase the volume of vaccines required to effectively contain and eliminate an FMD outbreak.1  James Roth, MD, a professor in the department of Veterinary Microbiology and Preventative Medicine at Iowa State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine, said:  The U.S. vaccine bank is our best insurance policy to respond to an FMD outbreak in the United States. As with most insurance policies, we hope to never use it, but it’s paramount that we have fast access to enough vaccine if we ever need it. The funding provided in the 2018 Farm Bill provides a good start toward building up a more robust FMD vaccine stockpile to help protect American agriculture.”1  According to the National Hog Farmer, even when the U.S develops a vaccine bank, pre-vaccinating livestock prior to any outbreak is not an option. Dr. Roth explains that if a country declares itself free internationally of FMD but have vaccinated for it, then as outlined in international animal health rules, there would still be many hoops to jump through to export product. He says that, “Countries that would import your product want to see a lot of data to prove that that virus is not circulating in a low level, so you have to do very extensive diagnostic testing to prove that even though you’re vaccinating, there is no virus infecting the herds.”3  Dr. Roth adds that there is an even more pragmatic argument against pre-vaccinating. It is not logistically or financially practical: “There’s 23 different strains. We’d have to use 23 different vaccines to cover all possible strains in the world.”3


birminghammail--2019-03-15--Furious calls to BAN racing as three Cheltenham Festival 2019 horses tragically die

There are furious calls to BAN horse racing after three horses died at Cheltenham Festival 2019.  The three horses have tragically died at the four-day racing extravaganza, with two dying today, Gold Cup Day.  Invitation Only became the second horse to die after a fall in the big race today (March 15).  Invitation Only's death followed a fatal injury to pre-race favourite Sir Erec in the final race of Gold Cup day.  The horse was being ridden by Mark Walsh in the Triumph Hurdle when it appeared to suffer a broken leg after going over a jump and was put down as a result of fatal injuries.  Former champion jockey Sir AP McCoy paid tribute to the horse after the incident, telling ITV Racing: "I'm absolutely heartbroken for Sir Erec. That is the toughest thing about this sport."  Chris Luffingham, Director of Campaigns at the League Against Cruel Sports, said: "Cheltenham Festival 2019 has proven a disaster with Invitation Only becoming the third horse killed on the racecourse this week – and the 91 horse to die at Cheltenham Racecourse since 2008.  "This comes after the British Horseracing Authority implemented so-called safety improvements to the lethal course.  "“Hundreds of horses are seriously injured and killed on British racecourses each year – and for nothing more than a flutter.  "If footballers were shot following injuries on the pitch, there would be an exodus of people from the sport – so why not the same when horses are needlessly killed at the hands of the racing industry?  “We’re also calling for a ban on national hunt racing because of the terrible injuries sustained by horses and for everyone who cares about animal welfare to simply stay away from racecourses across Britain.”


eveningstandard--2019-02-07--Equine flu outbreak 2019 Horse racing cancellations could cost stakeholders millions if it lasts lo

Equine flu outbreak 2019: Horse racing cancellations could cost stakeholders millions if it lasts longer than a week

The cost of the Equine flu outbreak for horse racing stakeholders could run into "tens of millions" if it extends beyond next Wednesday.  All horse racing in Britain will be postponed until Wednesday February 13 at the earliest after the outbreak in a huge blow for the sport.  Racing across the country was abandoned on Thursday morning after three horses at Donald McCain’s yard in Cheshire tested positive for the virus.  Racing in Ireland continued but British horses were banned from competing.  A spokesman for Betfair has warned the impact of cancellations could be very costly for stakeholders. He said if the cancellations extend beyond Wednesday, the costs could run into tens of millions.  The spokesman for the betting website said: “‘While the projected hiatus of racing until Wednesday will have a detrimental effect on the industry, it would not be profound but a prolonged period of cancellations would obviously have a negative impact on all stakeholders, the cost of which could run into the tens of millions’’  The BHA says it will take a decision next Monday as to whether racing can resume on Wednesday.  This decision, however, will mean this weekend’s Betfair Super Saturday meet at Newbury, which includes two Grade 2 races and the £155,000 Betafir Hurdle, will not take place.  Thursday's fixtures at Huntingdon, Doncaster, Ffos and Chelsford City have also all been cancelled.  There are fears the eagerly anticipated Cheltenham Festival, which is due to take place on March 12, could be cancelled because of the outbreak.  The racing event, one of the most looked forward to events of the year, is due to take place across four days and attracts scores of visitors.  The British Horseracing Authority said: "This precautionary approach is intended to ensure we put the health of the horse population and control of the virus first, and avoid any unnecessary risk that might come from returning to racing too quickly.  "We appreciate the impact that this may have on the sport commercially, but disease control in order to mitigate the risk of further disruption to the sport -- and safeguard the health and welfare of our horses -- must be a priority."


eveningstandard--2019-02-08--Three more horses diagnosed with equine flu as crisis worsens amid racing ban

Three further horses from the yard of Donald McCain have tested positive for equine flu, including Raise A Spark, who ran at Ayr on Wednesday, the British Horseracing Authority has announced.  A "separate suspicious case" - not yet confirmed as a positive sample - has been identified at another yard.  Raise A Spark finished last of four in an extended two-mile handicap chase won by Gordon Elliott's Veinard.  Three positives were already known from the McCain stable. Of the additional three cases, Raise A Spark is the only one to have run this week.  In a statement on Friday afternoon, the BHA said: "The test on this runner relates to a sample taken the following day, and the horse showed no clinical symptoms on raceday.  "It was in anticipation of this risk that the decision was taken by the BHA to restrict movement of horses on a precautionary basis at the yards of 120 other trainers who competed at these fixtures, and to suspend racing until Wednesday at the earliest.  "This action was taken to mitigate the impact of any of the runners which competed at these fixtures being found to be infected by the virus.  "Testing of horses at the 120 yards which have been put on hold is continuing on an ongoing basis. No further positive samples have been reported as yet."  But the statement added: "However, a separate suspicious case - which has not yet been confirmed as a positive sample - has been identified at another yard.  "No links have been identified between this yard and the original yard.  "This yard had runners at the fixtures at Newcastle on February 5 and Wolverhampton on February 6, and as such the BHA has taken the further precautionary steps of placing all 54 yards of trainers who also had runners at these fixtures on hold and initiating testing of horses from these yards."  The BHA said it was working closely with the Animal Health Trust "in order to manage the logistical challenge of providing sufficient swabs and handling the volume of tests being sent through the facility, considering that testing of a total of 174 yards is now taking place".  It added: "It will not be possible to test every horse from every yard before the end of the weekend, but we will work with trainers to identify any priority or risk horses and ensure that they are tested.  "This will all form part of the picture that is built in order to assist the decisions that will be made on Monday."


eveningstandard--2019-02-11--Equine flu outbreak 2019 British horse racing given green light to return on Wednesday after suspen

Equine flu outbreak 2019: British horse racing given green light to return on Wednesday after suspension

Racing across the UK has been given the all clear to resume on Wednesday following a six-day suspension due to an outbreak of equine influenza.  The British Horseracing Authority have confirmed that racing will return after being halted last Thursday when three horses from trainer Donald McCain's yard tested positive for the virus.  Three further cases were confirmed at the end of last week, but the BHA said on Sunday that all of the tests on hundreds of horses carried out over the weekend had come back negative.  On lifting the suspension, a statement from the BHA said: "After consultation with its veterinary committee, and based on the latest tests conducted by the Animal Health Trust, the BHA’s Chief Regulatory Officer, Brant Dunshea, tonight confirmed that racing could resume, but only with strict biosecurity controls in place.  "This decision to return racing in a controlled, risk-managed manner was unanimously supported by the industry veterinary committee."  Regulatory Officer Dunshea said: “Our approach since hearing about the first positive results last Wednesday has been based on accumulating as much information as we could as quickly as possible so we could properly understand the risks of this virulent strain of flu spreading to more horses. That would be harmful to them and damaging to any trainers’ yards that became infected.  “It has also been our intention to ensure that we avoid an issue that could result in a longterm disruption to racing with the risk of many of our major events being unduly impacted.  “After analysis of thousands of samples, and no further positive tests on Monday, we still only have two confirmed sites of infection. We have put robust containment measures in place around both."  The news will come as a relief to those across the sport, with the Cheltenham Festival now only a month away and experts warning that continued suspension could cost the industry millions.  More immediately, the decision to lift the ban means a host of key meetings, including Ascot Chase Day and the Grand National Trial at Haydock Park, will be able to go ahead this weekend.  Last weekend, several major fixtures were missed, including Super Saturday at Newbury, where 2018 Gold Cup winner Native River was due to run in the Denman Chase.


thedailymirror--2019-02-07--Trainer at centre of horse racings equine flu drama hits back at critics

Trainer at centre of horse racing's equine flu drama hits back at critics

Donald McCain has spent his life accustomed to the spotlight.  His late father, Ginger, was famous around the world as the man who trained the great Red Rum to a record three Grand National triumphs in the 1970s. And McCain Jnr continued the family business by claiming victory in the same race when he saddled Ballabriggs to glory in 2011.  But the attention that came his way on Thursday, when he was revealed as the man in the eye of the equine flu storm was something new and unwelcome.  He immediately mounted a sterling defence of his reputation after it emerged three horses at his Bankhouse stables in Cheshire were carrying the highly contagious virus.  News of the positive tests sent racing into meltdown as it was feared McCain’s Raise A Spark and Dry Lightening, who contested races at Ayr and Ludlow on Wednesday, could also be infected.  On social media, where the crisis drew comparisons with the foot-and-mouth epidemic that claimed the 2001 Cheltenham Festival, McCain was accused of a cavalier attitude to equine health. But the 48-year-old, who took over from his legendary father in 2006, insisted: “We are scrupulous about observing the health status of horses in our care and taking the necessary steps to treat any condition that may affect them.  “It follows we would never race any horses that we could have known were infected.  “I’ve been aware of the recent news about equine influenza outbreaks in France and Ireland, and over the last couple of days I’ve been concerned about the health status of a small number of horses in the yard.  “Their welfare is at the front of our minds, so at my request, our veterinary surgeon has examined them regularly and we have followed his advice on testing and treatment. It was by following this protocol that the positive results for equine flu came to light yesterday evening.”  McCain’s swift action drew praise from the British Horseracing Authority, whose Director of Equine Health and Welfare David Sykes, said: “We would like to thank Donald McCain for his cooperation in this matter, and for the responsible manner in which he has dealt with this issue. He has acted professionally with the interests of the racing industry and the health of his horses as his priority.”  A total of 115 stables who have fielded runners against McCain-trained horses over the past week are now in lockdown – pending the results of swab tests for equine flu – with racing suspended until Wednesday at the earliest.  British-based horses have also been banned from competing in Ireland – the Warren Greatrex-saddled mare La Bague Au Roi was in winning action at Leopardstown’s Dublin Racing Festival on Sunday – until further notice by the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board and Horse Racing Ireland.  “As an interim precaution, the IHRB and HRI have decided runners from Britain will not be permitted to run in Ireland in an effort to reduce the risk of further spread of the disease via horse movement,” read a joint-statement.  But fears equine flu could have been taken back to Ireland by runners sent to Ayr on Wednesday by Gordon Elliott were allayed by the County Meath handler.  “The horses we ran at Ayr yesterday never came back to our yard and instead went to a non-racing isolation yard about 25 minutes away from where we are based,” Elliott revealed. “We’ve been told the chances of this affecting our runners from yesterday is very remote but we can’t take any chances whatsoever and those horses that went to Ayr will be quarantined as long as they have to be.”  The Betfair ambassador added: “Hopefully everything will get back to normal in Britain as quickly as possible, but from our point of view it’s business as usual.”


theguardianuk--2019-02-18--Talking Horses Skelton has fingers crossed as vaccinated runners return

Talking Horses: Skelton has fingers crossed as vaccinated runners return

After a weekend of flu-affected action, jump racing will return to something like a level playing field this week and Dan Skelton is one of many trainers hoping his horses will be able to run to their best despite an unscheduled round of vaccinations. The new rule requiring runners to have had a recent vaccination came in last Monday night, since when the normally prolific Skelton has had just five runners, but it will be a different story this week; lots of his horses got their jabs and will be eligible to run from Tuesday.  The Warwickshire trainer told me of his concern that some of those vaccinated last week, at his yard and at many others, may not run to form right away. “You are going to get horses this week and possibly the week after that seem OK at home but don’t run as well as expected. Some are going to feel no different and some are going to feel a bit down and you can’t tell until you get to the business end of a race.  “It’s the owners I feel sorry for. They expect the horses to be in tip-top form at this time of year and rightly so, and they normally are but we’ve been forced to do something outside of the normal and we just don’t know how that’s going to work. This has been thrust upon us and we’ve just got to get on with it.”  Skelton does not expect that this round of vaccinations will affect performances at the Cheltenham Festival in a month’s time. “The effects, even if they are negative, don’t last much beyond a fortnight. Cheltenham, you’ll have a level playing field by then.”  But this week’s prep runs might be a different story. “The ones I want to run this week and on Saturday, I feel very strongly that I want to run, to find out which race they go for [at Cheltenham]. They might need another run, especially the novices. We have had to give them the flu vaccs, we’re doing everything we can to mitigate any negatives and just hope they don’t have a short-term negative effect. But it’s a flip of a coin, as to individual horses. We’ve just got to do everything we can to make sure they’re as well as they can be.  “I’ve got Tokay Dokey in the Dovecote [at Kempton on Saturday], Protektorat in the Adonis, I’ve got a few in the handicaps that are en route to Cheltenham and we need to know what trips they’re going. I’ve got a couple to go up to Newcastle, one for the Eider, hopefully. I’d have been competing last week in all those big races, like a lot of us that weren’t there. Hopefully it’s all behind us, that’s the main thing to say now.”  Turning to Monday’s action, I like 10-1 about Pearl Swan (3.50) in the Surrey National at Lingfield. You might remember him from the Triumph Hurdle seven years ago, when he was making a charge from the back before capsizing at the last.  He’s with Peter Bowen these days and, having been highly tried in two runs over fences last year, has come back down to his last winning mark of two years ago. There was a bit to like about his reappearance run last month and this could be the time to catch him.  Sue Smith could have a good day at Carlisle, thanks at least in part to Absolutely Dylan (3.00), who was having his fourth quick run when mildly disappointing at Newcastle before Christmas. His progress could resume in this race, which lacks depth. He’s 5-2.  One firm briefly went 7-1 about the nap, Camile (5.00) at Newcastle, but she was pretty soon down to a general 5-2. Formerly with Joseph O’Brien, she is having her second run for Iain Jardine, having won over hurdles on her debut for him. She may have been a mite lucky that day but it would be a surprise if she doesn’t prove ahead of her lowly Flat rating.


theindependent--2019-02-12--New vaccination rules enabled racing to resume after flu outbreak says British Horseracing Authorit

New vaccination rules enabled racing to resume after flu outbreak, says British Horseracing Authority

Racing could have been postponed for a “further period of at least a week” had stringent new vaccination requirements not been imposed, the British Horseracing Authority has said.  It was a condition of racing resuming following the enforced six-day shutdown due to equine flu that in order for a horse to fulfil an entry, it must have had the relevant vaccination within six months of the race in question. Any horse having a new vaccination cannot run for seven days.  That has led to a raft of complaints from some trainers, while others are not as badly affected.  Announcing additional opportunities for trainers needing to prepare horses for the upcoming spring festivals, the BHA said in a statement:  “The BHA has today announced that it intends to schedule additional alternative races to assist trainers in their preparation for upcoming major festivals for horses that may miss out on essential prep or qualifying runs in the coming 10 days owing to the new vaccination requirements.  “The additional opportunities will be scheduled on or around the weekend of February 23, in order that horses which require vaccinations over the coming days will be eligible to run. Like all other British races, they will only be available to horses who have been vaccinated within the last six months.  “It was agreed that, if racing was to return, there should be stringent biosecurity measures put in place to protect the welfare of the breed and reduce the chance of further disruption.  “The sport is taking a measured risk by returning to racing this quickly, and for that risk to be deemed manageable then it was necessary that protective measures should be put in place.  “This includes the fact that horses that have not been vaccinated in the last six months should not be allowed to run. Put simply – without this we would not be racing. It could open the sport up to an unacceptable level of risk.  “The science is unequivocal that vaccines help reduce the effect and spread of equine influenza. This was a view that was stated by Dr Richard Newton – the Animal Health Trust’s world-leading expert in this field – and supported unanimously by the experts on the veterinary committee.”  The statement went on: “Trainers had been advised on January 25 that, due to the concerning situation in Europe where outbreaks have occurred in vaccinated horses, and an unprecedented number of cases in unvaccinated non-thoroughbreds in Britain, all horses which have not had a vaccination against equine influenza within the last six months should receive a booster vaccination.  “We appreciate that the six-day mandatory stand down period following vaccination, which is a welfare measure on behalf of the horse, will mean that some horses who were not subsequently vaccinated will not be able to run for a short period.  “However, to ensure a level playing field it would have been necessary to cancel all racing for a further period of at least a week.”  It added: “The BHA is committed to the return to racing whilst minimising the risk of equine influenza spreading further within the sport, causing further disruption. This is our main priority.  “We recognised in making the decision last night that some participants could be disadvantaged and we are doing what we can to mitigate that without compromising the management of the outbreak.”  Keep up to date with all the latest news with expert comment and analysis from our award-winning writers


thesun--2019-02-07--Donald McCain confirms the horses tested positive from equine flu came from his yard

TRAINER Donald McCain has released a statement confirming the horses who tested positive for equine flu came from his training base, Bankhouse.  McCain released the statement through the National Trainers Federation stating that he followed all rules and guidelines and made the BHA aware of the positive tests straight away.  The statement read: "I have been aware of the recent news about Equine Influenza outbreaks in France and Ireland, and over the last couple of days, I have been concerned about the health status of a small number of horses in the yard.  "Their welfare is at the front of our minds, so at my request, our veterinary surgeon has examined them regularly and we have followed his advice on testing and treatment.  "It was by following this protocol that the positive results for equine flu came to light yesterday evening.  "The BHA were contacted immediately and we are liaising closely with them about biosecurity and management of all the horses at Bankhouse.  "Bankhouse follows all the available advice on disease control and all our horses are fully inoculated.  "We are scrupulous about observing the health status of horses in our care and taking the necessary steps to treat any condition that may affect them.  "It follows we would never race any horses that we could have known were infected. Over the last 2 months, all potential runners have been scoped and their blood checked within 36 hours of their races to ensure that only healthy horses compete for the yard.  "When new horses arrive at our yard we, as much as possible, try to keep them separate but at this stage cannot know if the infection came from recent arrivals or from horses returning from racing. We have 3 confirmed cases and this morning have taken blood and swabs from all the others for testing."


thesun--2019-02-07--Equine flu outbreak results in ALL UK horse race meetings being cancelled on Thursday over fears of

Equine flu outbreak results in ALL UK horse race meetings being cancelled on Thursday over fears of infection

AN OUTBREAK of equine flu has resulted in ALL race meetings in the UK being cancelled today.  The British Horseracing Authority, the sport’s governing body,  announced the shock move late last night.  Three cases of the disease were found to have come from an “infected yard” which had runners at Ayr and Ludlow yesterday.  Meetings at Huntingdon, which was set to host Supreme Novices Hurdle favourite Angels Breath in the Sidney Banks, as well as Doncaster, Ffos Las and Chelmsford have now been scrapped.  The BHA described the “highly infectious” disease as “the most potentially damaging of the respiratory viruses”.  They say it can be "transmitted indirectly, including via people", adding "there are no known consequences for humans associated with exposure to the disease."  Since January 2, cases have been reported in Essex, Cheshire, Derbyshire, Lincolnshire, Yorkshire and Suffolk - but all unvaccinated animals.  An outbreak of equine flu in Australia in 2007 spread so quickly it paralysed the country’s horse industry, with 1,000 cases a week being reported.  But it is the first time that an outbreak of disease has caused meetings to be scrapped since 2011 when Cheltenham Festival was cancelled due to foot and mouth.  Sky Racing presenter Tim Carroll tweeted: "Just reading that these horses raced at Ludlow and Ayr today.  "From my experience in Australia, where its was first detected in 1 horse at Centennial Park opposite Randwick racetrack, this potentially is a disaster, I really hope I'm wrong and we don't suffer the same fate."  The BHA, whose chief executive is Nick Rust, said in a statement: “The outbreak at the infected yard follows the identification of a number of equine influenza cases across Europe and the UK, including several in vaccinated horses.  "Horses from the infected yard have raced today at Ayr and Ludlow, potentially exposing a significant number of horses from yards across the country and in Ireland.  "The British Horseracing Authority (BHA), with unanimous support of the BHA’s industry veterinary committee, has taken the decision to cancel racing at all British racecourses on Thursday 7 February 2019.  "This is following the BHA being informed this evening by the Animal Health Trust of three confirmed Equine Influenza positives from vaccinated horses in an active racing yard.  "The fact that the cases have been identified in vaccinated horses presents a cause for significant concern over welfare and the potential spread of the disease and the action to cancel racing has been viewed as necessary in order to restrict, as far as possible, the risk of further spread of the disease.  "The BHA has worked quickly to identify which yards could have potentially been exposed today and identify the further actions required.  "The BHA is presently communicating with yards potentially exposed to ensure appropriate quarantine and biosecurity measures are put in place and horse movements restricted to avoid possible further spread of the disease."


thesun--2019-02-10--Equine flu latest Reasons to rejoice as NO positive samples are found among nearly 1500 horses

Equine flu latest: Reasons to rejoice as NO positive samples are found among nearly 1,500 horses

THERE was good news for racing fans on Sunday as the BHA revealed no more new cases of equine flu have been discovered.  Among nearly 1,500 samples taken, not a single one has returned positive.  Speaking on Racing TV this morning, BHA director of equine health and welfare David Sykes said: "I can happily report that we’ve not had any other positive tests except for the horses in the Donald McCain stable, so presently all tests have returned negative up until when I was in contact with the laboratory last night at 9.30pm.  "The Animal Health Trust in the last three days has done as many flu swabs as they would do in a year.  "They have been working from 8am to nine at night, Saturday and Sunday, to process all of these samples.  "We’re looking at somewhere around 1,500 samples being all negative so far.  The BHA this afternoon confirmed the news in a press release, stating: "The latest update that has been provided to the BHA confirms that no further positive cases have been identified from the testing carried out yesterday.  "Owing to the volume of testing being carried out the AHT have not been able to provide a precise figure as to the number of tests carried out, but they are of the view that the numbers processed will be roughly equivalent to the 720 which were processed the previous day."  Despite trainer Rebecca Menzies initially voicing fears that three of her horses in County Durham may have contracted the virus, their tests also came back negative.  The release went on: "Amongst the samples that have been tested are those of the remaining 27 horses from the yard of Rebecca Menzies.  "All horses in this yard have now tested negative, though the yard will remain under close surveillance and further testing will be carried out."  The news means that the only horses currently to have picked up the strain are from Donald McCain's stable in Cheshire.  With racing having been cancelled for four days, the likelihood of the sport returning will not be decided until tomorrow.  The BHA went on: "A pragmatic and evidence-led approach is being adopted in order to enable the BHA to make decisions on Monday as to whether racing can return on Wednesday 13 February.  "A prioritisation plan for testing is being adopted, which is based on the proximity of horses to a positive test, or to a yard returning a positive test. Swabs will continue to be collected and tested from other horses, but some are being fast tracked.  "Separately, a specific plan is being formed as to what the clearance process will be for individual yards to return to racing.  "This process will remain ongoing through today and tomorrow with a view to sufficient evidence being gathered to make a decision on Monday evening as to whether racing can return on Wednesday.  "We appreciate everyone’s patience and understanding that as much evidence as possible must be gathered prior to making a decision as to when racing can safely return.  "Should racing be given the go ahead to return on Wednesday then declarations for all races would take place on Tuesday."  In a separate statement this afternoon, David Sykes confirmed the news: “The data is encouraging and provides a further indication that the precautionary safety measures have helped to contain the spread of disease.  "However, the picture is still developing and it remains the case that we will make an evidence-based decision about the situation on Monday."  Charlie Appleby, whose Godolphin yard is one of the biggest in the country, told the Racing Post: "We tested 101 horses on Thursday, including the two that ran at Wolverhampton last Monday, and the results have come back clear.  "We are looking forward to getting back to normal tomorrow and we are lucky at Moulton Paddocks that we have our own facilities.  "The two horses involved will be tested again tomorrow and hopefully the results will be known later in the day."  Racing has now been cancelled for four straight days in the UK, with only Naas and Punchestown flying the flag for fans in Ireland.  But with this latest news, it now looks increasingly likely the BHA will be able to uphold their estimate that the sport can return sooner rather than later.


thesun--2019-02-11--Equine flu latest Four more horses diagnosed with flu as Simon Crisford yard becomes second stable

Equine flu latest: Four more horses diagnosed with flu as Simon Crisford yard becomes second stable hit by virus

THE prospects of racing resuming in the next few days were dealt a massive blow when four more horses tested positive for equine flu.  There must now be a real chance the shutdown – due an outbreak of the highly-contagious virus – will be extended.  The BHA are set to announce this evening whether Wednesday’s four meetings can go ahead after six blank days.  Worryingly, the latest positive tests came from horses based in Newmarket – the country’s biggest training centre. They are all from Simon Crisford’s stables.  The former boss of Sheikh Mohammed’s Godolphin operation is a Flat trainer. His last British runner was Sajanjil – only fourth when an odds-on favourite – at Newcastle on Tuesday.  A statement from the BHA read: “No non-urgent journeys should be made to this yard – including by the media – and anyone who wishes to travel to the yard is advised to first contact the trainer’s office.  “This yard is one of the 174 which has been required to undergo testing due to the fact that runners from the stable competed at the fixture at Newcastle on 5 February, which had been identified as a potential risk fixture. At the moment the affected horses are all contained within this yard.  “The Newmarket community – including licensed trainers, veterinary surgeries, farriers, racing school and all other relevant bodies – are being advised to continue to show increased vigilance in biosecurity.”  There had been encouraging signs over the weekend when around 1,500 samples taken from horses potentially at risk of infection had come back clear.  The latest positive tests come from horses in stables 170 miles from the original outbreak at Donald McCain’s Cheshire yard.  With the Cheltenham Festival just four weeks ago it was the news everyone in racing was dreading.


birminghammail--2019-02-25--TV star launches attack on Crufts for treating pets as circus animals

Actor and activist Peter Egan has slammed the Crufts dog show for treating pets like circus animals.  The animal rights campaigner and star of Downton Abbey has attacked the selective breeding enforced on competition dogs, and damage to animals in the search for perfect specimens.  Egan has also criticised the pageant format which he sees as harmful to women and children who also compete to fit a physical ideal.  He has branded children's beauty pageants abusive, and the adult competitions degrading to women.  The actor believes that Crufts perpetuates pure breeding, which leads to harmful genetic conditions, with the dog's health secondary to its appearance.  Writing in Radio Time magazine, Egan said: "We are so used to seeing these shows and it is so traditional that we don't even stop to consider whether it is right or not.  "How long are we going to continue to use our pets as circus animals?  "For me, the problem with Crufts is that it offers the pursuit of physical perfection in a way that is damaging, and one that I would compare to child beauty pageants and beauty contests.  "Beauty contests, in my opinion, do a disservice to women, while child beauty pageants are literally a rejection of childhood and a form of parental abuse that does emotional as well as physical damage to the child.  "In my view it's the same with Crufts.  "The dogs suffer the physical degenerative decay that inbreeding creates in order to achieve the perfect specimen imposed on the poor participants.  "If Crufts were a trade fair for the best and latest model in the car industry it would fail at every turn."  The Crufts dog show is held each year in Birmingham, with fierce competition from owners to secure the Best In Show award.  The full piece by Egan can be read in the new issue of Radio Times magazine.