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Published Date: 2012-10-26 22:13:34
Subject: PRO/AH/EDR> Bluetongue - Europe (05): Greece, st4, OIE, Italy (Sardinia), RFI
Archive Number: 20121026.1367567

BLUETONGUE - EUROPE (05): GREECE, SEROTYPE 4, OIE, ITALY (SARDINIA), REQUEST FOR INFORMATION
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In this post:
[1] Italy - Sardinia, strongly suspected, RFI
[2] Greece (Kos, Rhodes), serotype 4, OIE

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[1] Italy - Sardinia, strongly suspected, RFI
Date: Fri 26 Oct 2012
Source: Official web-site, semi-autonomous region of Sardinia, Italy [Italian, transl. Sabine Zentis, summarised, edited]
http://www.regione.sardegna.it/j/v/492?s=210958&v=2&c=1489&t=1

Health and Social Affairs: Bluetongue, the nightmare returns
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Bluetongue has been seriously clinically suspected on 55 sheep farms scattered over the countryside of Cronta, Pirarba, Cea and Teccu. Results of tests on blood samples and spleens, currently undertaken in the Istituto zooprofilattico di Sassari (in conjunction with the local health authorities) are expected soon. In the meantime, the veterinary authorities decided to apply precautionary quarantine measures to the affected premises to prevent the spread of disease ("Red alert"). The ordinance imposes strict cordon sanitaire rules which will have immediate effect.

Breeders who observe any suspected cases of infection in their flocks, must immediately notify the veterinary service. Severe penalties will be imposed upon those who do not abide by the protocol.

For now, the alarm seems confined to the area of Baccu Argiolas on the coast of Cea. To block suspected outbreaks, favored by the hot and humid weather of recent days, the provincial authorities have undertaken extensive desinsectization activities of streams and pools of water where the vectors proliferate.

--
Communicated by:
Sabine Zentis
Castleview English Longhorns
Gut Laach, D-52385 Nideggen
Germany
<CVLonghorns@aol.com>

[The concern, expressed by the severity of measures applied, is a reflection of past experience in Sardinia. The local breed ("Sardinian dairy sheep") is known to be extremely susceptible to bluetongue, though this may be serotype-related.

Since the disease seems to have been absent there since 2006, the (unvaccinated?) sheep population may have become vulnerable/susceptible again.

The effectiveness of quarantine and animal movement restrictions, in relation to bluetongue, is rather limited since the disease spreads by windborne culicoides which, in practical terms, cannot be controlled. The only effective measure to protect such animals is by vaccination against the relevant BTV serotype(s).

Information on the BTV serotype circulating at present and on the further evolvement of the epizootic will be appreciated. - Mod.AS]

[Photo of Sardinian dairy sheep:
http://www.sheep101.info/Images/Breeds/Sardaniansheepflickr.jpg
- Mod.JW]

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[2] Greece (Kos, Rhodes), serotype 4, OIE
Date: Thu 25 Oct 2012
Source: OIE's WAHID interface, Weekly Disease Information 25 (43) [summarised, edited]
http://www.oie.int/wahis_2/public/wahid.php/Reviewreport/Review?page_refer=MapFullEventReport&reportid=12493

Bluetongue, Greece
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Information received on 25 Oct 2012 from Mr Spiros Doudounakis, Director, Animal Health Directorate, Directorate General of Veterinary Services / Animal Health Directorate, Ministry of Rural Development and Food, Athens, Greece

Summary
Report type: Follow-up report No. 4

Report date: 25 Oct 2012
Date submitted to OIE: 25 Oct 2012
Reason for notification: Reoccurrence of a listed disease
Manifestation of disease: Clinical disease
Causal agent: Bluetongue virus
Serotype: 4
Nature of diagnosis Clinical, Laboratory (basic), Laboratory (advanced)

New outbreaks (5)
[5 outbreaks are reported: one on the island of Kos, 4 in Rhodes. For the detailed locations, number and species of animals in each outbreak, please refer to the source URL which includes also an interactive map. -Mod. AS].

Summary of outbreaks Total outbreaks: 5
Total animals affected
Species/ Susceptible/ Cases/ Deaths/ Destroyed/ Slaughtered
Sheep & goats/ 256/ 34/ 34/ 0/ 0 [see comment]
Cattle 2/ 0/ 0/ 0/ 0
Sheep/ 252/ 32/ 32/ 0/ 0

Epidemiology
Source of the outbreak(s) or origin of infection: Unknown or inconclusive

Control measures
Measures applied: Quarantine; Movement control inside the country; Screening; Zoning; Vaccination prohibited; No treatment of affected animals

Measures to be applied: Modified stamping out [see comment]

Diagnostic test results
Laboratory name and type: Center of Athens Veterinary Institutes, Institute of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases, Virology Department (National laboratory)

[Further details of the lab results -- 2 in goat samples, 9 in sheep samples -- are available at the source URL].

--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail
<promed@promedmail.org>

[Since clinical BTV in goats -- contrary to sheep -- is rather exceptional, it will help to obtain detailed information on the epidemiology of the described outbreaks, particularly the severity of disease in the 2 species. Details on the breed of the affected sheep (probably "Chios"?) will also be appreciated.

Regarding the measures undertaken, please see commentary to item [1] above. Stamping out is not an overly effective measure for the control of a culicoides-borne orbivirus disease.

Several outbreaks of bluetongue in sheep have been clinically observed further south in the eastern Mediterranean region (Israel and the Palestinian territories/West Bank) since September 2012; laboratory confirmation and serotyping are pending.
- Mod.AS]

[...full genome sequencing also showed associations between BTV8 and South African vaccine strains of BTV serotypes 1, 2, 3 and 4 and isolates of BTV serotypes 2 and 4 from Corsica, which also originated in Africa. -- see ProMED archive 25 Mar 2012 Bluetongue - Europe (02): BTV-8, re-occurrence risk assessment 20120325.1080411. Sand from the Sahara gets blown across Europe several times a year, and could carry culicoides from North Africa to Corsica, Sardinia and the Greek islands, and even reach Norway in 5 days (although not many of the insects would survive dessication for that long) -- see http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/view.php?id=50123. - Mod.JW

A HealthMap/ProMED-mail map can be accessed at: http://healthmap.org/r/1BIF.]

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