Defra

Specified diseases are diseases made compulsorily notifiable by the Specified Diseases (Notification and Slaughter) Order 1992 (as amended) and the Specified Diseases (Notification) Order 1996 (as amended) to enact European Union Legislation. The following diseases are covered:

Main aspects of disease control

The Specified Diseases legislation extends the definition of "disease" in section 88 of the Animal Health Act 1981 to include the above diseases, and applies section 32 of the Act, which enables the Secretary of State to cause animals to be slaughtered on account of disease, to apply to these diseases.

Council Directive 92/119 does provide that certain specified Diseases shall be subject to compulsory slaughter, and the imposition of 3 km protection zone and a 10 km surveillance zone around premises where disease is confirmed. Restrictions would remain in force for a variable time depending on the incubation period of the disease in question.

Most of these diseases have never been recorded in Great Britain.

---

Note: Bluetongue was originally covered by the specified diseases provisions in Directive 92/119. It is now the subject of a separate Council Directive (2000/75) which applies the control measures as for African Horse Sickness. Essentially, these involve a larger protection zone and surveillance zone and a longer period of time in which the restrictions remain in force.