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Volume 18, Number 11—November 2012
Research

Lack of Evidence for Zoonotic Transmission of Schmallenberg Virus

Chantal Reusken1Comments to Author , Cees van den Wijngaard1, Paul van Beek, Martin Beer, Ruth Bouwstra, Gert-Jan Godeke, Leslie Isken, Hans van den Kerkhof, Wilfrid van Pelt, Wim van der Poel, Johan Reimerink, Peter Schielen, Jonas Schmidt-Chanasit, Piet Vellema, Ankje de Vries, Inge Wouters, and Marion Koopmans
Author affiliations: National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Bilthoven, the Netherlands (C. Reusken, C. van den Wijngaard, P. van Beek, G.-J. Godeke, L. Isken, H. van den Kerkhof, W. van Pelt, J. Reimerink, P. Schielen, A. de Vries, M. Koopmans); Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Insel Riems, Germany (M. Beer); Central Veterinary Institute of Wageningen University and Research Centre, Lelystad, the Netherlands (R. Bouwstra, W. van der Poel); Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg (J. Schmidt-Chanasit); Animal Health Service, Deventer, the Netherlands (P. Vellema); and Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences, Utrecht, the Netherlands (I. Wouters)

Main Article

Table 3

Main characteristics of study participants* in study to determine whether SBV can be zoonotically transmitted, the Netherlands*

Exposure group, risk factor Exposed Participants, no. (%)/additional information
All

Total

301/age 18–88 y; mean 47 y; 25th–75th percentile 36–58 y; 62% male

Exposure to biting insects on SBV-infected farm(s)

Yes 150 (50)
No 71 (24)

Unknown
80 (26)
Farmers, total 234

Working and living on SBV-infected farm

191 (82)

Working on SBV-infected farm

26 (11)

Living on SBV-infected farm

15 (6)

Unknown

2 (1)

Exposure to animals

Sheep

Regular contact with lambs and/or birth products on 
 SBV-infected farm

Yes 110, of whom 88 reported hand (skin) injuries during work

No 31

Total

141

Goats

Regular contact with kids and/or birth products on 
 SBV-infected farm

Yes 3, of whom 3 reported regular hand (skin) injuries during work

No 10

Total

13

Cattle

Regular contact with calves and/or birth products on 
 SBV-infected farm

Yes 90, of whom 72 reported regular (hand) skin injuries during work

No 38

Total



128
Veterinarians

Total

67/1–50 SBV-infected farms visited per veterinarian; median 4

Exposure to animals

Sheep

Contact with malformed lambs and/or birth products

Yes† 19, of whom 18 reported regular hand (skin) injuries during work

No 29

Total

48

Goats

Contact with malformed lambs and/or birth products

Yes† 1 who reported regular hand (skin) injuries during work

No 29

Total

30

Cattle

Contact with malformed calves and/or birth products

Yes† 33, of whom 28 reported regular hand (skin) injuries during work

No 20

Total

53

Contact with malformed lambs/calves during section at 
 Animal Health Service

Yes 11, of whom 6 reported regular hand (skin) injuries during work.

*Overall, 50 (75%) of 67 veterinarians reported contact with malformed lambs/calves and/or birth products of which 40 reported regular hand (skin) injuries during work. Overall, 179 (76%) of 234 farmers, farm residents and farm employees reported regular contact with newborn lambs/calves and/or birth products on SBV-infected farms, of which 140 reported regular hand (skin) injuries during work. SBV, Schmallenburg virus.
†All tested seronegative.

Main Article

1These authors contributed equally to this article.

Page created: October 16, 2012
Page updated: October 16, 2012
Page reviewed: October 16, 2012
The conclusions, findings, and opinions expressed by authors contributing to this journal do not necessarily reflect the official position of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Public Health Service, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or the authors' affiliated institutions. Use of trade names is for identification only and does not imply endorsement by any of the groups named above.
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