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Livestock disease spreads in Britain
[ 2007-08-08 10:24 ]

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Foot and mouth disease has spread to a second herd of cattle in southern
Britain, as experts narrow down the possible source and step up efforts
at containment. VOA’s Sonja Pace reports from London.

Officials are expressing concern over the possible spread of the highly
contagious foot and mouth disease after a second herd of cattle was found
to have contracted the virus.

“The tests that were done overnight on the samples taken from the animals
culled does confirm foot and mouth,” explained British Environment
Secretary Hilary Benn.

Two farms in southern England have been hit. The herds have been culled
and authorities have cordoned off the farms as well as a nearby site
where an animal research laboratory is located.

Roger Pride’s family farm in Surrey, southwest of London, was where the
first outbreak was discovered last Friday. Speaking to reporters, Pride
said he was devastated when he found that something wrong with his herd
of cattle.

“They were drooling, lots of saliva running out either side of the
mouth,” Pride said. “There was no lameness at that point. They were very
lethargic, walking around very slowly, which obviously to a farmer you
can tell there is something drastically wrong.”

Excessive saliva, lameness, blisters around the mouth and hooves, raised
temperature and lethargy are the main symptoms of the virus. The disease
affects cloven-hoofed animals such as cattle, sheep, goats and pigs and
is spread mostly through direct contact from one infected animal to
another or through contaminated feed.

The virus is rarely fatal, but spreads rapidly and is generally dealt
with through extensive culling. The disease does not usually affect
humans.

Authorities are investigating a nearby animal research laboratory, shared
by a British government institute and a private pharmaceutical company as
a possible source. The lab produces a vaccine using the same rare strain
of the virus. The lab says none of its safety procedures have been
breached, but there is concern last month’s heavy rains may have resulted
in sewer backups or seepage from the lab site into the surrounding fields.

Spokesman for the National Farmers’ Union, Anthony Gibson, told reporters
that despite major efforts there is no assurance the disease can be
contained quickly.

“I think everything that could have been done has been done,” Gibson
said. “The lessons have so far been learned from what went wrong in the
2001 outbreak, but foot and mouth is a hugely virulent disease and the
virus can spread quickly and it can spread very long distances.”

Britain was hit by a major foot and mouth outbreak in 2001 with more than
2,000 cases spread across the country. More than six million animals were
culled and the cost to the industry was estimated in the millions of
dollars.

contract:to acquire or incur（感染；染上）

saliva:唾液

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（来源：VOA 英语点津姗姗编辑）

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