Scientists in Scotland have claimed a breakthrough in the battle against the unpleasant, highly infectious and difficult to detect sheep disease caseous lymphadentis (CLA).

Last year a survey of veterinary practices confirmed that CLA, a chronic condition characterised by abscesses on lymph nodes, lungs, skin and other organs leading to untreatable pneumonia, was widespread in Scotland.

But prevention and treatment of the disease, thought to have arrived with a consignment of goats from Germany in 1987, had been hampered before the appearance of clinical symptoms by lack of a reliable test - as well as by the reluctance of sheep farmers to admit they had it in their flocks.

Scientists from Moredun research institute and SAC have now developed a blood screening test, as Dr Mike Fontaine, project leader, will announce at the Northsheep event in Cumbria today.

It will work, he said, by detecting PLD, a pseudotuberculosis virulence factor produced only by CLA, "making it a very specific blood test".

A CLA monitoring scheme has also been developed to make use of the new test in conjunction with inspections, organised by the SAC veterinary service and private vets. A pilot project has started on groups of rams entered for Kelso ram sales this September.

For the entire story, click here.

Source: Scotsman.com; Fordyce Maxwell, Rural Affairs Editor
May 31, 2005

Back to Hot Topics