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Latest News - updated 06/05/08

The Vector free period ENDED on 15th March 2008 - no movement will be allowed out of protection or surveillance zones until animals have been vaccinated.

The first doses of BTV8 vaccine are now being delivered to our clients in the protection zone

Client vaccine request form is HERE - for clients of the practice only

What is Bluetongue ?
Can I catch it ?
What are serotypes ?
What is a vector ?
Tell me more about Culicoides
Where did it come from ?
What will happen to my animals ?
What treatment can I use ?
Can I stop the Vector ?
What is the vector free period ?
Why is there still a surveillance and protection zone ?
How can I protect my animals ?
How much will vaccination cost ?
Why is it not compulsory ?
Can I still export my animals ?
Can I import animals ?
Where can I get the vaccine from ?
What about the French !
What do we do this summer ?
How serious is the problem ?
What should I do if I suspect Bluetongue ?

What is Bluetongue ?

Bluetongue is a viral disease affecting ruminants and camelids as well as deer. It is fatal in about 25% of sheep and 5% of cattle, but is severely debilitating with a protracted recovery period if animals do survive. Different serotypes vary in how severe the disease is and unfortunately serotype 8 is particularly virulent. If Bluetongue is present in an animal population for many years the level of disease does fall as there is some natural immunity although this is not thought to be lifelong. As well as obvious signs, the disease can cause milk drop, infertility and abortion.

Can I catch it ?

No – Bluetongue does not have any effect on humans

What are serotypes ?

Bluetongue virus exists in different strains known as serotypes. This is like you wearing a different coat each day, which makes you appear different from the outside although you are the same on the inside. This is the reason why immunity to one serotype is of no benefit when fighting a different serotype. The serotype we have in the UK is 8, although we may get serotype 1 before much longer.

What is a vector ?

Bluetongue needs a vector to be transmitted from animal to animal, it cannot pass directly. The vector sucks the blood of an infected animal and then carries the virus to another animal. The virus needs to be in the vector for a certain time before it can be passed on. The vector for Bluetongue is Culicoides obsoletus in the UK, which is a type of midge.

Tell me more about Culicoides

Culicoides obsoletus is very small midge (wingspan of only 2mm) and knowledge of midge lifecycles is poor. Funnily enough getting a research grant for midges was deemed a waste of money until recently ! There are at least 48 midge types in the UK and it is not known which of these are capable of transmitting Bluetongue. A different midge is responsible for transmission of Bluetongue in Europe. It only takes one infected midge to bight an animal once to pass on the virus.

Where did it come from ?

We really don’t know ! Bluetongue has been spreading north through Europe for years but serotype 8 was not present in Europe at all. It has been suggested that serotype 8 arrived via an infected midge carried on cut flowers from Africa into Belgium. It spread to the UK on the 4/5th August 2007 when a humid southerly wind carried midges over the channel.

What will happen to my animals ?

Nothing at the moment (March), as although we are no longer in the vector free period, there is still little chance of vector spread because of the low temperatures. As temperatures rise in the spring the midges will become active again and will carry the disease from any undiagnosed virus carrying animals in the UK, or by being blown over from the continent again. Last summer was very unusual in having very few days with a southerly wind - we may not be so lucky this year. There is also the possibility that the virus may overwinter in midge larvae in the UK (it has happened in Europe). When infected there is an incubation period of 2 to 60 days before clinical signs develop. Not all animals become ill making detection a problem, particularly in cattle. The clinical signs may be confused with Foot and Mouth or Photosensitisation, with swollen faces, udders, feet and tongue. A blue tongue is very rarely seen.

What treatment can I use ?

Not a lot really. There are no antiviral drugs, although antibiotics may help prevent secondary infections. The condition causes extreme pain and so pain relief would help. Recovery is very slow (up to 6 weeks) and by that time the animal may be an economic dead loss. Housing may help as sunlight seems to exaggerate the clinical signs. The clinical signs are distressing both to the animal and the owner.

Can I stop the Vector ?

Very unlikely. Fly treatments have limited value against midges in sheep, but are a little better in cattle. Spot-On and Swish both have some benefit in cattle. Housing has been suggested, but netting and other barriers are useless as the midge is so small. There are requirements for insecticidal treatments for animals and vehicles when being transported between zones.

What is the vector free period ?

This is when transmission by the vector is very unlikely. Midge numbers are low in the winter and their lifecycle is very slow in low temperatures. Additionally the virus needs time in the vector to develop into an infectious state – this does not occur below 15 degrees centigrade. The vector free period ended on 15th March 2008. There will be no movements out of the SZ and PZ again until animals are vaccinated.

Why is there still a surveillance and protection zone ?

There are likely to be infected but undiagnosed animals showing no clinical signs. Pre-movement blood testing has uncovered several such animals in recent weeks, but there will be others that have not been tested. Restriction zones are a European wide method of control and exist in many other member states. The controls on movements have been very successful in Europe at controlling the disease spread. The downside is the economic pressure on farms within the zones. Regulations are a constant balance between the advantages of disease control and the disadvantages of the economic impact.

How can I protect my animals ?

The only effective protection you can provide is vaccination. Fly control will help reduce the risk of vectors but will not be enough on its own. Buying in stock is a risk unless they are blood tested before they reach your holding. Vaccines are being developed but as mentioned above the different serotypes prevent the manufacture of one effective vaccine for all strains. The first vaccine available in the UK will be a dead vaccine for serotype 8 although combined vaccines for multiple strains are being developed. The production of these vaccines is being prioritised by several drug companies throughout Europe and regulatory bodies are doing all they can to speed up the licensing. It is essential that the vaccine is made to the normal high standards so that it can be guaranteed to work. DEFRA have placed an order for 22.5 million doses and we were the first country to place a firm order. We are taking orders from our clients for the vaccine, currently over 70,000 doses have been requested by our clients alone.

How much will vaccination cost ?

The vaccine will be available in 50 and 20 dose packs, licensed in Sheep and Cattle only. The recommended retail price range has been suggested by DEFRA, and will be 55p to 66p per dose for the 50 dose pack, and 82p to 98p for the 20 dose pack. It will be administered by stock owners, and will be a single dose in sheep and a double dose in cattle. Use in other species will be allowed under the prescribing cascade, but currently details are not available on dosing regimes. It will require an annual booster. If additional serotypes are added at a later date cattle will require a second primary course.

Why is it not compulsory ?

After discussion with farming and veterinary bodies it has been agreed that the fastest way to get the majority of the national herd and flock vaccinated is by allowing stock holders to vaccinate their own animals. There are not the manpower resources to do a compulsory vaccination in the time available. Within our practice there are over 12000 dairy cows, they alone would take 20 working days to vaccinate if vets had to do it – whereas most farms have enough manpower to vaccinate their own herd within a day.

Where can I get the vaccine from ?

The vaccine is a POM-V medicine and will be distributed from DEFRA via veterinary practices. We have recently contacted all of our clients requesting details of stock numbers in order to obtain the correct amount of vaccine when it becomes available. At the moment it is only legal to vaccinate in the protection zone (currently Wiltshire and Somerset in our area are in the Surveillance zone, with Dorset in the Protection zone) and these animals will be given priority. It is estimated that there are 1.5 million susceptible animals in the whole PZ and that about 2 million doses of vaccine will be available by the end of May 2008. This means that most of our clients will be able to vaccinate soon after that time. The remaining doses of vaccine will be available before the end of August. The PZ will be extended at that time to allow vaccination of additional animals. The Soil Association have confirmed that vaccination will not impact on a farms organic status. Details of withdrawal periods are not currently available but it is likely to be nil for milk and meat.

Can I still export my animals ?

Yes and no ! Because it is a Europe wide problem animal movements are allowed (as they are in the UK) but may require blood testing prior to movement. The Bluetongue restriction zones within the UK are considered contiguous with those in Northern Europe and so transport into Europe may be possible in certain circumstances. This is a rapidly changing situation and the DEFRA website is the best source of information.

Can I import animals ?

Yes and no for the same reasons as exports. We would advise that animals imported from Europe are blood tested for Bluetongue even if it is not a requirement (eg SZ to SZ). Additionally not all vector free periods end at the same time in all countries.

What about the French !

Bluetongue is a Europe wide problem and its control is being organised that way. There will be small differences in the way things are done in other countries but the basic strategy is the same.

What do we do this summer ?

Prepare for vaccination. At some point this summer you will have access to vaccine – when you do you need to be prepared to carry out the task. The biggest disaster would be for vaccine to be sitting in a fridge rather than an animal.

How serious is the problem ?

VERY – experience in Belgium, Holland, Germany, France and Spain show that Bluetongue can ruin a farming business. It is estimated that 15% of the national sheep flock in Belgium died from Bluetongue related illness last summer.

What should I do if I suspect Bluetongue ?

Contact the surgery or DEFRA directly. Bluetongue is a notifiable disease which must be notified to DEFRA but in many cases early on you may be uncertain of what you are seeing. If in any doubt ask for advice.