Bluetongue disease

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 speciesaffected.
• 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 withinsect control measures.

Q1: What is a Virus?

A virus is an infectious microbe consisting of a segment of nucleic acid (either DNA or RNA) surrounded by a protein coat. A virus cannot replicate alone; instead, it must infect cells and use components of the host cell to make copies of itself. Often, a virus ends up killing the host cell in the process, causing damage to the host organism. Well-known examples of viruses causing human disease include AIDS, COVID-19, measles and smallpox.

Source: Bluetongue disease reported in all Dutch provinces