The APHA has confirmed that there is a ‘very high probability’ of a new introduction of bluetongue virus serotype 3 (BTV-3) into livestock in Great Britain. This will be through infected biting midges coming over from northern Europe. These midges are most active between April and November but it will depend on the temperature and wind patterns as to when the risk is greatest. Readers will recall last November, APHA and The Pirbright Institute identified the first case of the disease in Great Britain through the annual Bluetongue Surveillance Programme. Since then, there have been 126 bluetongue cases confirmed in England across 73 premises in four counties, with the last case confirmed on the 8th March 2024. All cases confirmed to date have been detected through active surveillance, with the animals likely to have been infected back in late autumn.
Due to their proximity to areas in northern Europe where BTV-3 is actively being transmitted by the biting midge population and wind patterns, counties along the south and east coasts of England, including Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, Kent, and Sussex, are considered most likely to be impacted. APHA has said, once the risk of transmission increases, it will be offering free bluetongue tests to keepers in these high-risk counties.
Bluetongue virus affects cattle, sheep, and other ruminants such as goats and deer, and camelids such as llamas. However, the virus does not affect people or food safety. The impacts on infected animals can vary greatly depending on the species of animal and the strain of bluetongue virus – some show no symptoms, while for others it can cause productivity issues such as reduced milk yield or, in the most severe cases, it can be fatal.
Currently there are no authorised vaccines available for BTV-3 in the UK or Europe, but the Government is ‘actively engaging with vaccine manufacturers’ on the development of a vaccine for use in the UK. There is a vaccine approved by the Dutch authorities which has emergency use approval but not market authorisation. Vaccines without market authorisation can have potentially negative implications for trade and may impact the ability to export meat and dairy products to some trading partners. APHA has said it is ‘actively monitoring vaccine data from EU countries and will continue to work with the industry on any decisions on use of a deployable vaccine’.