Five questions about bluetongue, which is decimating sheep farms and worrying farmers

This disease, known as “blue tongue”, is transmitted by biting insects and can kill infected sheep. However, it does not affect humans or foodstuffs.

The summer is definitely looking bad for farmers. In addition to a soft wheat harvest “catastrophic”breeders are facing a deadly epidemic of bluetongue (BT), particularly in the South-West and in Corsica, and are experiencing the appearance of a new serotype. A The first sheep farm in the North was thus contaminated by serotype 3 of bluetongue. This home, “confirmed on August 5th” by the National Agency for Food Safety (ANSES), could be the starting point of an epidemic which would lead to “significant economic losses for breeders”. Franceinfo takes stock.

1 Why is the appearance of a new serotype in France worrying?

Bluetongue is already present in France, with serotypes 4 (in Corsica) and 8 (in mainland France), but French sheep flocks have not developed any resistance to the new serotype 3, and are therefore particularly vulnerable to it. “Serotype 3 is a threat to the French sheep population, since it is a virus that induces clinical manifestations that can be quite significant. (…) Very clearly, there are sheep that are dying,” explains the director of the animal health laboratory of ANSES, Stéphan Zientara, to AFP.

“If we do not protect livestock today, the future of our meat industry is at stake”also worries Bruno Leclercq, facilitator of the Hauts-de-France and Normandy sheep association, to AFP. He remembers an epidemic of serotype 8 which, “in 2006-2007, had decimated entire farms.” A new similar epidemic would therefore have devastating economic and moral consequences for sheep farmers.

2 Where are the most affected farms?

In addition to livestock contaminated by serotype 3 in the North, bluetongue is present throughout France. This summer, the disease is most prevalent in the South-West. In the departments of Ariège, Aude and Pyrénées-Orientales, bluetongue stereotype 8 “is wreaking havoc”warns the Peasant Confederation in a press release dated July 31.It started around July 10, the first cases on rams. They all died, I couldn’t save them.”laments Patrick Ferrié, a sheep farmer in Ariège, to France 3 Occitanie.

Corsica is also heavily affected. According to the Haute-Corse Chamber of Agriculture, Nearly a thousand sheep have died on the island and more than 40 farms have been affected. “Last year, an estimated 3,000 sheep died, and [la maladie] had only resumed in October. This year, we are already at 1,000, while a catarrhal epidemic can last until mid-December depending on the climate”fears Fabien Lindori, elected within the office of the Chamber of Agriculture of Haute-Corse, with France 3 Corse ViaStella.

3 What are the symptoms of bluetongue?

Also called “blue tongue disease,” catarrhal fever manifests itself by “fever”of the “respiratory problems”of the “salivation”A “facial edema”and an “cyanosis of the tongue”details Anses, which specifies that a contaminated animal can also be asymptomatic. Certain viral strains also cause “growth retardation in sick animals, death of some animals and abortions in infected females”which leads to “significant economic losses for breeders”warns Anses.

4 How is this disease transmitted?

Bluetongue is transmitted between ruminants through biting insects, culicoides midges, whose development is favored by high temperatures. Unlike bird flu, its detection does not automatically lead to euthanasia, which encourages epidemics and cross-border transmission.

Serotype 3 of this disease, which contaminated a farm in the North on the border with Belgium, was “previously only available in the Netherlands, Germany and Belgium”notes a press release from the department’s prefecture. This disease, which mainly affects sheep, can also affect cattle, goats and other ruminants, but is not transmissible to humans or foodstuffs, specifies Anses.

5 How can we avoid contamination?

To prevent serotype 3 from causing an epidemic throughout the country, the Ministry of Agriculture announced at the end of July the creation of a zone “regulated”from Pas-de-Calais to Moselle, where the movement of cattle, goats and sheep is subject to restrictions. The ministry also announced, on Monday, August 5, the launch of a voluntary vaccination campaign and free for the livestock of breeders in the region, reports France 3 Hauts-de-France.

They will have to place an order with a health veterinarian, who will receive the vaccine. “from August 14th”and will be able to administer it themselves to their animals. A “second delivery will be made on August 31”according to a press release from the ministry, which claims to have 600,000 doses of the Bultavo 3 vaccine (Boehringer Ingelheim laboratory) and 4 million doses of the Bluevac 3 vaccine (CZV laboratory), thanks to an order placed “early” July 5. These two vaccines have since “obtained a temporary authorization for use (ATU) from the National Agency for Veterinary Medicines (ANSES) on July 25”the Ministry of Agriculture further emphasizes.

For other regions of France also affected, “The only weapon at our disposal is the vaccine”assures Emilie Gusse, veterinarian in Saint-Girons (Ariege), with France 3 Occitanie.