Bluetongue Disease

28 Oct 2024 12:42:57 pm

Tags : Bluetongue Disease

Topic: Diseases

Why in the news?

Norway has reported an outbreak of bluetongue disease on a sheep farm in the southern part of the country.
Bluetongue can be deadly for domestic ruminants such as sheep, cattle and goats. A new variant of the disease has been circulating in northern Europe since late last year, leading to vaccination campaigns in affected countries like France.

Source: The Print

About Bluetongue Disease:

It is an infectious, non-contagious, vector-borne viral disease that affects wild and domestic ruminants such as sheep, goats, cattle, buffaloes, deer, most species of African antelope, and camels.
Transmission:
- The bluetongue virus is transmitted by biting midges (Culicoides spp.).
- It is not transmitted through contact with animals or wool, or through consumption of milk.
Infections range from mild to severe, depending on the species affected.
Most infections in cattle are asymptomatic.
Sheep are most likely to show symptoms.
- In infected sheep, bluetongue damages the blood vessels, resulting in hemorrhage (internal bleeding), lack of oxygen in the blood, and necrosis (death) of affected tissues.
- Infections are more obvious in young lambs, and the mortality rate can be high (up to 30 percent).
Vaccination is used as the most effective and practical measure to minimize losses related to the disease and to potentially interrupt the cycle from infected animal to vector along with insect control measures