2007 United Kingdom foot-and-mouth outbreak

A contained four-site outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in the United Kingdom was found by regular livestock testing by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), namely in August 2007 three times, and once the following month, all in the west of Surrey, England.

The first diagnosis took place in a field of Normandy, Surrey; the second was three days later in a cattle-rotation field of the farmer in Elstead, and the following day nearby, a third infection within a quickly-established protection zone around the first incidence. One month and ten days after the first diagnosis a final incidence of 2007 was identified and dealt with 13 miles (21 km) north of the first diseased animal. The source of the strain released and contained in Surrey in 2007 was the advanced effluent pipes from either the Institute for Animal Health or the similar vaccine researching and producing Merial Animal Health laboratory near to Pirbright village in the county — the pipes were too old and/or insufficiently inspected given their importance. An inspection of the effluent pipes and manholes carried out for the HSE investigators showed deficiencies and the independent investigation of Professor Brian Spratt concluded that it was very likely that they occasionally leaked still-infectious effluent at the time of the outbreak. Both laboratories, either of which may have been the cause, upgraded and repaired their effluent treatment systems to continue operation. The UK Government provided compensation for the farmers directly involved.

These interrelated and contained events prompted precautionary measures of restricted-access containment zones in three counties where suspected infections were reported and major international trading partners such as Canada and the Republic of Ireland placed temporary restrictions on meat and dairy exports.

Symptoms were first reported late on 2 August 2007 on farmland in Normandy in Surrey, which was subsequently isolated and placed under restrictions. The site was a field for beef fattening rented by Derrick and Roger Pride.

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