Brucella suis
Dear Animal and Plant Health Agency,
I hope you are well.
Please can you tell me:
1. What tests you are currently using to detect Brucella suis in a) dogs, b) imported pigs, c) pig products , d) other animals (including wildlife) and d) humans (I understand you may do this testing on behalf of the Brucella Reference Unit)?
2. In the last 5 years has Brucella suis been detected (positive result) in the UK within a) dogs, b) imported pigs, c) home bred pigs, d) imported porcine (including wildboar) products, e) homegrown porcine (including wildboar) products, f) other animals (including wild boar), and / or g) humans?
3. If so, how many with in each of those categories (2. a - g)?
4. How many of those listed in (3. a - g) occurred during 2023 - 13.03.2024 (please list number per category)?
5. Are there any current investigations ongoing at the present investigating potential Brucella suis outbreaks in either a) humans, b) dogs, or c) pigs / pig products? Are any identified cases so far included in (4)?
6. Are there any recent (during 2023, 2024 but closed before 13.03.2024) incidents investigating potential Brucella suis outbreaks in either a) humans, b) dogs, or c) pigs / pig products? Are any identified cases included in (4)?
7. For any closed cases that occurred between 2023 - 2024, what was identified to be the source of the outbreak(s)?
8. Which of the 4 biovars has been identified during 2023 - 2024?
9. The iELISA used in dogs (or the antigen used within this) was, I understand, originally identified to detect Brucella suis in pigs and / or pig products? Can you confirm if this is correct?
10. Was this test developed (at least in part) because of the UK being big importer of meat products, and the recognised problem with illegal pig meat imports?
Many thanks for your time.
Yours faithfully,
Dr Buckley
Our ref: FOI2024/05992
Dear Ms Buckley
Thank you for your email which we received on the 13th March requesting
information. Your request is being considered in respect to the access to
information legislation.
We aim to answer your request no later than 15th April, which is 20
working days from the date we received it. If we are unable to meet this
deadline we will contact you to explain the reason.
If you have any queries about this email, please contact us at the email
address below.
Yours sincerely
Access to Information Team
[1][Animal and Plant Health Agency request email]
References
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1. mailto:[Animal and Plant Health Agency request email]
Dear Ms Buckley,
Please find attached the response to your request of 13th March for
information on Brucella suis information.
Yours sincerely
Access to Information Team
[1][Animal and Plant Health Agency request email]
References
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1. mailto:[Animal and Plant Health Agency request email]
Dear Animal and Plant Health Agency,
Thank you for your very helpful response.
There is one question that seems to have been tangentially answered rather than directly.
Question: 9. The iELISA used in dogs (or the antigen used within this) was, I understand,
originally identified to detect Brucella suis in pigs and / or pig products? Can you
confirm if this is correct?
Your reply: APHA can confirm that the antigen has multiple purposes but the iELISA for dogs is
only used for Brucella canis.
My request for clarification. That is great that it is used for multiple purposes, but was/is one of those purposes to detect Brucella suis in pigs and / or pig products?
Yours faithfully,
Ms Buckley
Dear Ms Buckley,
Please accept this email as acknowledgement of your question in relation to FOI Request FOI2024/05992.
APHA will endeavour to provide a response as soon as possible.
Yours sincerely
Access to Information Team
Dear Ms Buckley
Please find below the APHA response to your question of 20 April 2024.
ELISAs have multiple components that are combined in order to make the test. In many ELISAs, one of these components will be the antigen. The antigen that is used in the Brucella canis iELISA undertaken at APHA has also been used in some circumstances to test sera from pigs for anti-Brucella antibodies (but not as a front line test). However, the other components that make up the Brucella canis iELISA undertaken at APHA have not been used by APHA to test pig sera.
As such, the Brucella canis iELISA undertaken at APHA was not originally identified to detect Brucella suis in pigs and / or pig products.
Yours sincerely
ACCESS TO INFORMATION TEAM
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