Information about Bluetongue Disease
Originating in South Africa, the disease is carried by midges. Bluetongue is passed from animal to midge and from midge to animal. It's not transmitted from animal to animal and there are no public health implications. The disease affects sheep, cattle, goats, deer and other ruminants. DEFRA have stated that in some susceptible breeds of sheep up to 70% of a flock can die from the virus. Animals experience a great deal of discomfort: they get flu-like symptoms, swelling and haemorrhages; they can also go lame and have difficulty eating properly. They can recover but productivity is reduced with milk yields in dairy herds dropping by around 40%.
The disease was traditionally considered to only occur in the warmer areas of Southern Europe but in recent years it has spread to Northern Europe and last year it overwintered there. Since July 2007 there have been nearly 3,000 cases of Bluetongue in Northern Europe.
The strain of Bluetongue virus detected in one cow near Ipswich, Suffolk has been identified as Serotype 8. This is the strain found in Belgium, France, Germany, Luxembourg and Netherlands since August 2006.
There is no effective cure for the disease and any control strategy will include stopping the movement of susceptible live animals within the control zones and possibly implementing measures to control midges. Because these insects can travel large distances and can be blown on the wind, control areas are likely to be much larger than those declared for FMD, typically up to 150km for the source of the outbreak. It is hoped that with the onset of cooler autumnal weather the opportunity for the outbreak to spread will be greatly reduced.
Human activity cannot spread the disease. The DEFRA control strategy states “There is no BTV disease risk associated with carcasses”. There are currently no restrictions on deer shooting or movement of carcases other than those already in place under Foot & Mouth Disease restrictions.
Although bluetongue has not been reported in wild deer in Europe, it would be sensible for stalkers and deer managers to remain vigilant for the disease. The symptoms in deer are likely to be similar to those found in cattle. A guide to symptoms in cattle can be found here.
Click here to view a more detailed discussion of the disease on The British Deer Society website.
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