site.btaFood Safety Agency Sets Up Expert Panel on Possible Outbreak of Maedi-Visna Disease

An expert council was formed to discuss the specifics of Maedi-Visna and other similar diseases on the initiative of the Executive Director of the Bulgarian Food Safety Agency (BFSA), Dr Svetlozar Patarinsky.

Last week, a livestock farmer in the village of Sigmen said an incurable disease was spreading in his herd and authorities were taking no action to contain the outbreak. Veselin Yanev said more than a hundred sheep had died so far. There are nearly 1,900 sheep of a selected French breed on the farm.

In connection with suspected cases of Maedi-Visna disease among sheep on a farm in the village of Sigmen, Karnobat Municipality (Southeastern Bulgaria), experts conducted a series of tests. Samples for foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), sheep and goat pox, and sheep and goat plague were negative. The expert panel decided to propose to the owner of the farm that laboratory tests for Maedi-Visna and scrapie be carried out. 

Official veterinarians attempted to perform clinical examinations and take samples for testing on Monday. The owner of the facility refused to cooperate with the doctors and did not allow samples to be taken for testing of Maedi-Visna, although he had agreed to cooperate of December 17. The cost of full clinical and laboratory monitoring is covered by the BFSA.

During additional inspections on the farms in Dobrich and Pazardzhik from which the animals were purchased, the owners acted responsibly and cooperated with BFSA in blood sample taking for Maedi-Visna.

No animal deaths on the farm in the village of Sigmen have been recorded in the VetIS system between Friday and Monday. It is the responsibility of the owners and registered veterinarians to record any change in the livestock facilities.

BFSA will take all the necessary measures in this case, including sending a report to the prosecution service for further action to establish the circumstances and prevent the spread of the disease.

Maedi-Visna is not typical of Bulgaria. Farmers are not eligible for compensation if the disease is detected on their farms.