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Louping ill
Louping-ill (/ˈlaʊpɪŋɪl/) is an acute viral disease primarily of sheep that is characterized by a biphasic fever, depression, ataxia, muscular incoordination, tremors, posterior paralysis, coma, and death. Louping-ill is a tick-transmitted disease whose occurrence is closely related to the distribution of the primary vector, the sheep tick Ixodes ricinus. It also causes disease in red grouse, and can affect humans.[1] The name 'louping-ill' is derived from an old Scottish word describing the effect of the disease in sheep whereby they 'loup' or spring into the air.[2] Cause
Louping ill is caused by RNA virus called Louping ill virus. Louping ill virus belongs to genus Flavivirus,[3] family Flaviviridae. There are four subtypes: British, Irish, Spanish and Turkish.[citation needed] PreventionAccording to a ProMED article,[4] disease in sheep has been controlled in the UK by a vaccine (ATCvet code: QI04AA01), originally developed by Scotland's Moredun Research Institute by Prof John Russell Greig.[5] In 2009, however, a shortage of vaccine combined with an increase in the number of ticks found in sheep pasture areas cause an increased risk of this disease.[citation needed] Louping ill in humansAlthough predominantly a sheep disease, Louping ill infections have also been reported in humans, and hence is a zoonotic disease.[1] The first reported human case of louping ill occurred in 1934.[6] The clinical symptoms in humans include influenza-like illness (fever, headache, and muscle stiffness), biphasic encephalitis (initial flu-like symptoms followed by neurological signs such as severe headache, vomiting, and neck stiffness), poliomyelitis-like illness (paralysis ranging from mild to severe), and in rare cases hemorrhagic fever.[6] Certain groups are at higher risk of infection due to occupational exposure. These include laboratory personnel working with the virus, farmers, shepherds, or butchers handling infected sheep or animal tissues, as well as individuals exposed to tick bites in endemic areas. References
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