What is matey Visna?

Maedi Visna (MV) is a highly infectious viral disease affecting goats and sheep. It is mainly transmitted through the ingestion of milk from a virus infected sheep, although disease can be spread within flocks through direct contact or contamination.

What is MV accredited?

A flock can become MV accredited when it: Once MV accredited, a proportion of the flock is blood tested every 2 years and the member is issued with certificates of status for selling or moving scheme sheep. Shows and sales are licensed to provide space for MV accredited sheep.

Is Maedi Visna contagious?

Abstract. Maedi and visna are contagious sheep diseases which were introduced into Iceland in 1933 by imported sheep of Karakul breed. Maedi, a slowly progressing pneumonia, and the central nervous system disease visna were shown to be transmissible in sheep and most likely caused by a virus.

How is Maedi Visna diagnosed?

PCR can directly detect proviral DNA in fluids and tissues across the animal body (lungs, milk, peripheral blood, mammary gland, synovial membranes etc.). The most reliable cells for the detection of virus are the peripheral blood mononuclear cells.

What virus causes Maedi Visna?

Maedi-visna is a chronic viral disease of sheep with worldwide prevalence. It is caused by a small ruminant lentivirus. Its clinical manifestation includes primarily pneumonia and mastitis, and secondarily, arthritis and encephalitis.

How do you treat Maedi Visna?

There is no cure or treatment for the disease, however, there is a reliable blood test that can identify infected animals.

What is OPP in sheep?

Ovine Progressive Pneumonia (OPP) is a slowly progressive viral disease of adult sheep caused by an ovine lentivirus. Most sheep do not show clinical signs of OPP, but the sheep that do typically don’t display signs until 2 years of age or older because of the virus’s long incubation period.

What family of viruses does the OPP virus belong to?

Visna-maedi virus

What are accredited sheep?

The MV accreditation scheme for sheep is part of the broader Premium Sheep and Goat Health Schemes (PSGHS) run by SRUC Veterinary Services. The scheme is voluntary and benefits include monitoring and detecting the disease, as well as accreditation, which can give better access to shows, sales, exports and purchasers.

How common is OPP in sheep?

The prevalence of infection varied depending on flock type, region, and flock size. Most open-range flocks (80.7 percent) had one or more animal test positive for OPP, and 45.1 percent of sheep tested from open-range flocks were positive.

How do you prevent OPP in sheep?

Control of CAE and OPP is aimed at eradicating the viral infection within the herd or flock. CAE and OPP prevention programs include removal of kids or lambs at birth and feeding heat-treated colostrum and pasteurized milk or milk replacer.

How do you test for OPP?

Current testing options for OPP include the AGID and the ELISA test. Both blood tests can be performed by laboratories who may also be performing your flocks Scrapie susceptibility genetic testing or by laboratories that your veterinarian is routinely working with.