The Norwegian zoonoses report 2015

Despite detection of two «new» diseases in animals in Norway in 2015, bat rabies and atypical BSE in cattle, the overall situation in 2015 was good with respect to zoonoses in animals, food and feed.

In humans, the situation for many of the zoonoses was also better compared to previous years. One exception was E. coli (VTEC), where an increase in the number of cases was registered in 2015. This increase can, however, be partly explained by changed diagnostic methods. 

Bat rabies was detected for the first time in Norway in 2015, in a bat found in Valdres. Bat rabies in Europe is caused by variants of the virus that are not as dangerous zoonoses as the classic rabies known from foxes, dogs and other animals.

BSE (atypical variant) was also detected for the first time in Norway in 2015. However, this form of BSE is not considered a zoonosis like mad cow disease, which is caused by classic BSE.