Resolving concerns in postmortems where bluetongue is suspected

WE are writing to acknowledge the concern among vets, researchers and postmortem service providers about the impact of the specified animal pathogens order (SAPO) on current scanning surveillance submissions. We would like to reassure you that we recognise the urgency of the situation and are actively working with policy officials, disease consultants and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) to resolve the situation without the need for legislative change. SAPO states that no person may have in their possession any specified animal pathogen or any carrier in which they know such a pathogen is present except under the authority of a licence. Bluetongue virus (BTV) is categorised under the SAPO framework as a hazard category 3 pathogen, and to knowingly undertake a postmortem examination in an unlicensed laboratory or postmortem facility on a carcase or aborted fetus suspected of having bluetongue would contravene SAPO regulations. SAPO requires any person who has in their possession anything in which they have reasonable grounds for suspecting that a specified animal pathogen is present, and who does not have a relevant licence to immediately notify the HSE. This is in addition to the reporting requirements for notifiable animal diseases – not all SAPO agents as classified as ‘notifiable’. Suspect carcases must either be destroyed or sent to a SAPO-licensed facility (currently only APHA Weybridge has a suitably licensed postmortem room). “There is an increased risk of suspicious lesions being found, with the consequent unintended contravention of the SAPO regulations Subject to agreement with the HSE, we consider that with appropriate triage there should not be a need to close postmortem rooms to ruminant carcases, although there may be a need for additional mitigations for malformed calves or abortion materials from unvaccinated cattle if during the investigation suspicion of BTV infection emerges. Bluetongue remains a notifiable disease and any suspicion of disease must be reported to the APHA or the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs in Northern Ireland. We would also like to reassure readers that if a farmer or private vet suspects they have a susceptible animal with bluetongue, whether this suspicion is in a live animal or an aborted fetus, officials can authorise samples to be taken and submitted to the National Reference Laboratory in Pirbright for confirmatory testing.