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Home > Arthropod-borne viral diseases of livestock: risk to the UK (SE4107)

Arthropod-borne viral diseases of livestock: risk to the UK

Project Aims

• to identify the greatest arthropod-borne viral risks to UK livestock;
• to produce an inventory of UK facilities and expertise in arthropod-borne viral livestock diseases;
• to identify priorities for future funding in this area, including research projects, the maintenance of facilities and the development of products such as diagnostic tests and vaccines.

Context and rationale

As a consequence of climate change, international transport and other global environmental changes, new diseases are likely to threaten UK livestock during the 21st century. In order to respond to risk as cost-effectively and efficiently as possible with limited resources, the early identification and prioritisation of potential threats is essential for UK policy.

Viruses spread by arthropods are likely to be among the first to be affected by global environmental change due to the high mobility, small size, and rapid breeding potential of their vectors. This assertion is supported by major outbreaks of bluetongue virus (BTV) in Europe and of West Nile virus (WNV) in the USA during the last ten years, as well as smaller outbreaks of WNV, chikungunya virus (CHIKV) and Usutu virus (USUV) in southern Europe. Until recently, research into arthropods as potential vectors of disease in the UK has been a relatively low priority, and as a result relatively little is known about the distribution and movements of these species and their capacity for transmission. Research into arthropod-borne viruses and their vectors requires unique skills and biosecure facilities which may take many years to develop and are expensive to maintain.

Project details

This is a six-month Defra-funded project being conducted jointly by researchers at the Institute for Animal Health (IAH) and the Veterinary Laboratories Agency (VLA). For further information please email iah.vbd@bbsrc.ac.uk with 'SE4107' in the subject line.

	Click here to view the Defra project page.