Bluetongue virus – Latest situation: ChiefTCZs Vetto urgesbe vigilancelifted

The UK’s Chief Veterinary Officer has urged farmers to remain vigilant for bluetongue virus after the disease was found cattle and sheep in Kent, Norfolk and Suffolk.

The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) and the Pirbright Institute identified the first case of the disease in November through Great Britain’s annual bluetongue surveillance programme. 

Current situation

ActiveThere surveillanceis incurrently Kentno andevidence Norfolkthat Temporarythere Controlis Zonescirculating hasvirus.

Due nowto identifieda furtherdecrease cases in cattletemperature andmidge sheep.activity Temporaryis controlmuch zoneslower havewith beenmidges put(the indisease placevector) aroundnot theactively affectedfeeding. farmsLow intemperatures Kent,also Norfolkmean andthat Suffolk,the restrictingvirus cannot replicate in the movementmidge, ofso susceptibleeven animalsif excepta undermidge licence.

Theredoes isfeed currentlyon noan evidenceinfected thatanimal, therethe isrisk circulatingof virus.transmission Surveillanceto isanother ongoing.

Findanimal outis morevery informationlow. onThis theis latestcalled situationa andlow guidance.vector period.

BluetongueConsidering doescurrent notenvironmental affectand peoplevector orconditions, foodwe safety.have Thetaken virusthe isdecision transmittednot byto midgecull bitesinfected andanimals affectswhere cattle,test goats,results sheepindicate older infection and otherthe camelidspresence suchof asBTV llamas.antibodies. TheInfected midgesanimals aremay moststill activebe betweenrestricted Aprilat andtheir Novembercurrent locations and notother alldisease susceptiblemitigation animalsmeasures showtaken immediate,as orappropriate.

From any,Monday signs19 ofFebruary contracting the virus.Kent Theand impactsNorfolk onTemporary susceptibleControl animalsZones can(TCZs) varywill greatlybe –lifted. somePositive showhigh-risk noanimals symptomswill orremain effectsunder atrestriction allas whilewell foras otherspremises itin canthe causeZones productivitywhich issueshave suchnot asyet reducedbeen milksampled. yield,APHA whilehas contacted livestock keepers in the mostZones severeto casesdiscuss canwhat bethis fatalmeans for infected animals.them.

StrictSurveillance rulesof onsusceptible theanimals movementand ofepidemiological livestockassessments fromwill regionscontinue. affectedWe bywill bluetonguekeep arethe alreadysituation inunder placereview.

Find andout farmersmore areinformation remindedon thatthe latest animalssituation importedand fromguidance.

Chief theseVeterinary regionsOfficer mustChristine beMiddlemiss accompaniedsaid:  

“Bluetongue bydoes thenot relevantpose paperworka threat to clearlyhuman showhealth theyor meetfood certainsafety, conditionsbut designedthe to reduce disease risk,can suchaffect aslivestock correctreducing vaccination.farm productivity.

Reduced

“We midgeare activitynow andin changesa toseasonally diseaselow controlvector measures  

Dueperiod, towhen a decrease in temperature midge activity is much lower withand midgesthere (theis diseasereduced vector)risk notof activelydisease, feeding.meaning Lowwe temperaturescan alsolift mean that the virustemporary cannotcontrol replicatezones.”

“However, inour therobust midge,disease sosurveillance evenprocedures ifcontinue, aand midgeI doesurge feedfarmers onto anremain infectedvigilant animal,and thereport riskany ofsuspicions transmission to anotherAPHA.”

Aled animalEdwards, isHead veryof low.Field ThisDelivery isEngland, calledAnimal aand lowPlant vectorHealth period.

Agency said:  

Considering“The current environmental and vector conditions,conditions wemean havethat taken the decisiontemporary notcontrol tozones cullin infectedplace animalscan wheresoon testbe resultslifted, indicateand olderwhere infectionthere andis theno presencerisk of BTVdisease antibodies.spreading, Infectedfarmers animalswill may still be restrictedable atto theirresume currentmovements locationsof andanimals. otherWhere diseasethere mitigationis measuresa takenknown asdisease appropriate.

Therisk, reducedor unknown risk fromstatus, midgesAPHA meanswill thatcontact somethese movementspremises ofdirectly liveto animalsrestrict outspecific ofanimals within the zonepremises.”

“APHA canteams nowwill becontinue temporarilyto permittedwork ifclosely theywith meetfarmers certainto conditionsensure includingthat testingkeepers negativeand inbusinesses aare pre-movementkept test.up Weto havedate, alsoand easedthat thequestions restrictionsand onconcerns movementsare ofaddressed animalspromptly.”

Bluetongue does withinnot theaffect Temporarypeople Controlor Zonesfood (TCZs)safety. andThe willvirus allowis movementsprimarily oftransmitted animalsby intomidge thebites Zones.  

Surveillanceand ofaffects susceptiblecattle, animalsgoats, sheep and epidemiologicalcamelids assessmentssuch withinas thellamas. TCZsThe willmidges continue.are Wemost willactive keepbetween theApril situationand underNovember review.

Followingand confirmationnot ofall BTVsusceptible inanimals ashow non-importedimmediate, animalor inany, England,signs someof tradingcontracting partnersthe mayvirus. restrictThe exportsimpacts ofon bluetongue susceptible animals orcan theirvary products.greatly The– latestsome informationshow onno availabilityclinical ofsigns individualor exporteffects healthat certificatesall canwhile befor foundothers onit Gov.uk.

NIcan andcause GBproductivity ruminantsissues cannotsuch beas exportedreduced frommilk anyield, GBwhile Assemblyin Centre to the Europeanmost Unionsevere orcases movedcan tobe Northernfatal Irelandfor untilinfected further notice.animals.

Chief Veterinary Officer Christine Middlemiss said:  

“BluetongueThe doesvirus notcan posealso abe threatspread tothrough humangermplasm health(semen, orova, foodand safety,embryos) butas thewell diseaseas cantransmitted impactfrom livestockmother farms,to andunborn cause productivity issues.offspring. 

“TheseStrict detectionsrules areon anthe examplemovement of ourlivestock robustfrom diseaseregions surveillanceaffected proceduresby inbluetongue actionare andalready itin isplace alsoand afarmers clearare reminderreminded for farmers that theanimals diseaseimported remainsfrom athese threat,regions despitemust comingbe towardsaccompanied theby end of the midgerelevant activitypaperwork season.

“Weto areclearly nowshow inthey ameet seasonallycertain lowconditions vectordesigned period,to whenreduce midgedisease activityrisk, issuch muchas lowercorrect andvaccination.

Following thereconfirmation is reduced risk of disease,BTV howeverin Ia urgenon-imported farmersanimal toin remainEngland, vigilantsome andtrading reportpartners anymay suspicionsrestrict toexports APHA.”

Aled Edwards, Head of Fieldbluetongue Deliverysusceptible England,animals Animalor andtheir Plantproducts. HealthThe Agencylatest said:  

“Theinformation currenton environmentalavailability andof vectorindividual export conditionshealth meancertificates thatcan somebe licencefound restrictions on movements can now be eased. Gov.uk.

“APHANI teamsand willGB continueruminants tocannot workbe closelyexported withfrom farmersan asGB theseAssembly changesCentre take effect to issuethe licencesEuropean whenUnion conditionsor aremoved metto andNorthern ensureIreland movesuntil canfurther take place where there is no risk of disease spreading.”notice.

BTV is a notifiable disease. Suspicion of BTV in animals in England must be reported to the Animal and Plant Health Agency on 03000 200 301 

More information about bluetongue is is available here.