Donegal lamb meat contamination contained after 400 carcasses destroyed

An outbreak of a disease in lambs, originating in Donegal, has led to 400 sheep carcasses to be destroyed.

The disease, sarcocystosis, can be transferred to humans and causes nausea, headaches, fever, and diarrhoea.

The Irish Times report that the Department of Agriculture, Food, and the Marine has confirmed that the outbreak has been contained and has not entered the food chain.

There have been no human infections attributed to the outbreak.

It is contracted by eating undercooked meat, with the The Food Safety Authority of Ireland stating that the disease is more common in “cultures where raw meat is commonly eaten.”

Lambs contract this disease from dogs and foxes who ate offal contaminated with the parasite.