Virus probably 'originated' from labs

A recent report released by the Health and Safety Executive indicates that there is a strong probability that the foot and mouth outbreak did originate from the labs at the Pirbright site.

However it is still not clear whether the source was the government labs or the private facilities at the Merial site, both based at Pirbright.

Earlier theories stated that the disease could have been as a result of over spilling sewers contaminating the land in the recent floods, or that the virus was spread by wind from an unknown source.

The report states:

"An outbreak of foot and mouth disease virus (FMDV) was confirmed at a farm in Surrey on 03/08/07.

"Preliminary Defra investigations indicated that the virus may have originated from the Pirbright site at which two separate organisations are based: the Institute for Animal Health (IAH) & Merial Animal Health Ltd (Merial)"

Matching strains

The report also indicates that the strain of the virus found in the affected areas, matched the strains being worked upon at the Pirbright facilities:

"We confirmed that the FMDV strain found at the outbreak farm was being worked on at both organisations at both the IAH and Merial sites during the period between 14 and 25 July 2007.

"This involved large scale production at the Merial site (10,000 litres) and a series of small scale experiments (less than 10 millilitres in each case) at the IAH site.

"Subject to the ongoing work detailed above, the indications are that there is a strong probability that the FMDV strain involved in the farm outbreak originated from the IAH or the Merial sites"

Airborne: negligible

Earlier theories that the disease was spread by the wind, have also been discounted:

"We are further exploring the meteorological data, but at this stage, we consider there to be a negligible combined likelihood that there was an airborne release from the IAH or the Merial sites which was subsequently transferred to the first affected farm between the 14 and 25 July 2007. "

In the water

The report does also consider the prospect of the disease being spread via water or sewers, but again believes the likelihood to have been negligible due to the shape of the land around the affected areas directing water away: "Waterborne release onto the site remains a possibility. But preliminary investigations into the possibility of whether surface water from flooding from the site could have reached and contaminated the affected farm have indicated that this was negligible due to the distance, topography and direction of flow. These issues are being investigated further. "

The human factor

Finally, the third option that the disease was either accidentally or deliberately carried out of Pirbright by humans is addressed as the most serious of threats:

"There are various potential routes for accidental or deliberate transfer of material from the site. We have investigated site management systems and records and spoken to a number of employees. As a result we are pursuing lines of inquiry.

"Release by human movement must be considered a real possibility. Further investigation of the above issues is required and is being urgently pursued."

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