{"id":1335435,"date":"2024-06-24T12:30:00","date_gmt":"2024-06-24T11:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.agriland.ie\/?p=1335435"},"modified":"2024-06-27T15:25:21","modified_gmt":"2024-06-27T14:25:21","slug":"ireland-enters-a-higher-risk-period-for-bluetongue-transmission","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lightsail.agriland.ie\/farming-news\/ireland-enters-a-higher-risk-period-for-bluetongue-transmission\/","title":{"rendered":"Ireland enters a ‘higher risk period’ for bluetongue transmission"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Ireland is currently entering a “higher risk period” for the transmission of the bluetongue virus (BTV), according to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The latest bluetongue virus update has been issued by the national disease control centre at the department.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The disease could spread to Ireland through import of infected animals, infected foetuses or wind dispersal of infected midges from mainland Europe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The virus can also be transmitted via infected germinal products (semen, ova and embryos).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bluetongue virus is spread by infected biting midges (Culicoides species) which are generally most active between April and November<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The virus update detailed that “it is critical that all livestock farmers maintain vigilance for any suspicions of this disease”.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It added that it is “especially” important at this time of year as “temperatures continue to rise during spring and summer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The department has urged livestock owners to report of BTV suspicions to their local Regional Veterinary Office (RVO) without delay.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ireland is currently free of BTV<\/strong>, which is a viral disease of ruminants and camelids that continues to be of widespread concern across mainland Europe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Bluetongue virus (BTV) is a notifiable exotic disease that infects ruminant animals (such as sheep, cattle, goats and deer) and camelids (such as llama and alpaca).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bluetongue does not affect human health or food safety. However, if bluetongue virus entered Ireland it would have serious trade implications for live animals and germinal products.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bluetongue cases in Europe<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Since the first BTV-3 vaccine produced became available in May 2024, two other BTV-3 vaccines produced have also been given emergency authorisation by the Dutch authorities for use in the Netherlands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The decision in the Netherlands was made to begin with vaccinating sheep on farms by veterinary surgeons in May 2024, to reduce clinical disease and mortality associated with the disease.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Cows<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Although vaccination is not mandatory, the willingness by sheep farmers to vaccinate
has been high (approximately 95%), according to the Dutch Minister of Agriculture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Two cases of BTV-3 have been detected in the Netherlands in the Gelderland region in June 2024.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, since 2023, the total number of confirmed cases of BTV-3 epidemic is 5,996<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bluetongue serotype 3 (BTV-3) continues to pose a risk in northern Europe. BTV-1, 4 and 8
continue to circulate in southern Europe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is no evidence that bluetongue virus is currently circulating in midges in Great Britain, and there are no current bluetongue control zones in force.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There have been 126 bluetongue cases (119 cattle, and seven sheep) reported in England on 73 premises in four counties. No additional cases have been reported since March.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In Belgium, there were seven outbreaks of BTV-3 confirmed on farms in Antwerp, while there have been 47 cases in Germany, the last being in February 2024.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

BTV-3 has not been reported in France, but two strains of BTV-8 have been confirmed. However, existing vaccines against BTV-8 are thought to remain effective against this new strain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Bluetongue continues to circulate in Spain despite a vaccination and an eradication programme. The Spanish authorities have put into place movement restrictions in several BTV affected areas to limit trade and improve surveillance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

BTV-4 has been confirmed in cattle and sheep in northern and central Spain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Multiple outbreaks of BTV-3,4,8 have been reported across Sardinia in Italy, while in Sicily there were outbreaks of BTV-4.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In mainland Italy, there have been multiple reported outbreaks of BTV-4 and a single outbreak detected BTV-8 in December 2023 for the first time.<\/p>\n\n\n