Tests for louping-ill, tick-borne encephalitis and Covid-19 in mink were some of the newer diagnostics introduced in 2020 by a Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) division.
These were carried out by the DAFM’s virology department, which provides diagnostic and advisory services across the full range of endemic, exotic, statutory and zoonotic viral diseases of Irish farmed animals, according to the DAFM’s annual report for 2020.
Louping ill
This is caused by louping ill virus, an acute viral disease that is transmitted by ticks. It usually affects sheep, but can also infect cattle, horses, pigs, goats and dogs. No treatment or vaccine is available for this.
The virology division tests blood and other samples collected from farmed animals to check if they are infected with a virus, or have previously been infected.
Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is usually carried out to test if animals are currently infected with a virus, while the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) test is carried out to see if animals were infected in the past.
Tick-borne encephalitis
This is a neurological disease caused by tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV). TBEV is related to louping-ill virus.
The virology division also carried out 10 functions – under the National Reference Laboratory – ranging from foot-and-mouth disease and Pestes des Petites Ruminants.
The work of the virology department ensures that Ireland remains free of some important animal diseases and that the country can export livestock and animal products to other countries.
Covid-19 in mink
According to the World Health Organization (WHO) a mink-associated strain of Covid-19 is a variant of the Covid-19 virus that has changed as a result of the transmission of the virus from humans to minks and back.
The range of viruses handled by the division includes:
- Foot and mouth disease;
- Avian influenza;
- Bluetongue;
- Bovine viral diarrhoea;
- Infectious bovine rhinotracheitis;
- Classical swine fever;
- Rabies;
- Porcine respiratory and reproductive syndrome virus.
By December 2020, a total of 5,535 mammalian submissions and 143,443 tests were performed – 1,501 of those were virology division-based submissions.