Published Date: 2007-09-30 22:00:09
Subject: PRO/AH/EDR> Bluetongue - Portugal (Beja): BTV-1, OIE
Archive Number: 20070930.3229
BLUETONGUE - PORTUGAL (BEJA): BTV-1, OIE
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[1] Bluetongue - OIE: Serotype 1
[2] Bluetongue - Serotype 1 update
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[1] Bluetongue - OIE: Serotype 1
Date: October 2007
Source: OIE WAHID Disease Information 2007; 20(39) [edited]
<http://www.oie.int/wahid-prod/public.php?page=weekly_report_index&admin=0>
Bluetongue, Portugal
Information received on 25 Sep 2007 from Dr Rui Valentim,
Direccao-Geral de Veterinaria, Ministerio da Agricultura, Lisbon, Portugal
Summary
Report type: Immediate notification
Start date 18 Sep 2007
Date of confirmation of event 21 Sep 2007
Report date 25 Sep 2007
Date submitted to OIE 25 Sep 2007
Reason for notification: New strain of a listed disease
Manifestation of disease: Clinical disease
Causal agent: Bluetongue virus
Serotype 1
Nature of diagnosis: Suspicion, Clinical, Laboratory (advanced)
Report pertains to: Entire country
New outbreaks
Outbreak 1 Volta dos Nogais - Barrancos, BEJA
Date of start of outbreak 18 Sep 2007
Outbreak status: Continuing (or date resolved not submitted)
Epidemiological unit: Farm
Species Sheep
Susceptible 475
Cases 9
Deaths 6
Destroyed -
Slaughtered -
Summary of outbreaks Total outbreaks: 1
Outbreak statistics
Species Sheep
Apparent morbidity rate 1.89 percent
Apparent mortality rate 1.26 percent
Apparent case fatality rate 66.67 percent
Proportion susceptible removed* 1.26 percent
* Removed from the susceptible population either through death,
destruction or slaughter
Epidemiology: Source of infection; Unknown or inconclusive
Control measures: Measures already applied - Movement control inside
the country; Screening; Dipping / Spraying; Zoning; Control of
arthropods; Vaccination permitted; No treatment of affected animals.
Measures to be applied: None specified
Laboratory name and type: National Veterinary Research Laboratory
(LNIV) (National laboratory)
Species Sheep
Test real-time PCR
Test date 21 Sep 2007
Result Positive
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[2] Bluetongue - Serotype 1 update
Date: 29 Sep 2007
Source: ABC News Australia [edited]
<http://abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/09/29/2047074.htm?section=world>
Bluetongue outbreak spreads into Portugal
More than 40 farms in southern Portugal are believed to have been
infected by bluetongue disease, 8 days after the 1st case was
reported, authorities said.
The presence of the livestock virus, which is spread by midges, was
confirmed on 21 Sep 2007 in a farm in Barrancos.
Since then, another 42 farms in the region, involving more than 4300
head of cattle and sheep, are suspected to have been contaminated.
According to the Agriculture Ministry, 183 animals have been reported
sick, and 33 have died.
The virus affects cattle and sheep equally, but only the latter go on
to develop a serious form of the disease, the ministry said.
Bluetongue has been present in Portugal since the end of 2004, but
until now had only been caused by the serotype 4 strain of the virus,
for which there is a vaccine.
The outbreak at Barrancos was the serotype 1 strain, for which no
vaccine exists.
Britain is also battling an outbreak of bluetongue, becoming the
latest European Union state to be struck by the serotype 8 strain of
the virus, for which there is no vaccine.
Britain's chief vet Fred Landeg admitted Friday [28 Sep 2007] that
the disease was now "circulating" in the country, a fresh blow after
foot and mouth disease returned in August 2007.
The farming industry had been braced for bluetongue after it hit
livestock in the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium and northern France in
the past year after previously being confined to countries on the
warmer Mediterranean basin.
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[Just as we have seen in Northern Europe with the BTV-8 outbreak, the
virus does not respect national borders. This BTV-1 has probably
spread from nearby Andalusia westward from Spain across the border to
agricultural areas of Beja. The exact site of the outbreak is in
Barrancos, a little geographic pocket of Portugal nestled next to the
Andalusian province of Huelva. We would not expect it to be contained
in this region, however. For maps of the area, see the OIE/WAHID
report referenced above or
<http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Beja,+Portugal&sa=X&oi=map&ct=title>.
Unfortunately, we have no more reason for optimism when it comes to
the control of this bluetongue serotype for this 2007 season than we
do for the BTV-8 serotype in Northern Europe (which now includes the
UK). Without an effective vaccine, which is not currently available
for either BT1 or BT8, the epidemiologic pattern has been
characterized by extensive spread. The BTV-4 virus, which has been
present in Portugal since 2004, can be controlled by vaccination as
can be BTV-2. It appears as if there will be efforts to make a
vaccine available next year (2008) for BTV-8 given the magnitude of
the outbreak, but there is much less certitude about the BTV-1
vaccine availability. It takes a long time to gear up and produce the
vaccine, so decision on serotypes for manufacture must be made
earlier rather than later. - Mod.PC]
See Also
Bluetongue - Spain (Andalusia) (02): BTV-1 20070901.2876Bluetongue - Spain (Andalusia): susp., RFI 20070828.2816
Bluetongue, ovine - Spain (Andalusia): BTV-1, OIE 20070727.2421
Bluetongue - Europe (34): BTV-8, vaccination 20070918.3106
2006
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Bluetongue - Europe (19): Bulgaria, Portugal 20061113.3252
Bluetongue - Europe (18): Portugal, Italy (Sardinia), EU 20061110.3227
Bluetongue - Europe (22): Spain, EU 20061129.3383
Bluetongue, domestic ruminants - Spain 20061027.3078
Bluetongue, domestic ruminants, 2005 - Spain 20060223.0590
2005
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Bluetongue, domestic ruminants - Spain, Portugal 20050107.0050
2004
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Bluetongue, ruminants - Portugal: OIE 20041126.3165
2001
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Bluetongue,upsurge - Mediterranean basin 20011122.2864
..........................................................pc/msp/dk
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