For the first time, epizootic hemorrhagic disease (EHD) was detected in cattle in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques and Hautes-Pyrénées. Although affected animals can become seriously ill or even die, they are not contagious.
Epizootic hemorrhagic disease (EHD) has been formally identified in farms in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques and Hautes-Pyrénées, France Bleu Pays Basque learned this Wednesday, September 20, from the Departmental Directorate for Population Protection (DDPP). ) of the Pyrénées-Atlantiques.
Two cases were detected on cattle farms in Hasparren and Etchebar, and one on a cattle in the Lannemezan sector, in the Hautes-Pyrénées.
A disease arriving in Europe in 2022
This disease has been closely monitored since 2022 by European health authorities, since it arrived in Europe (Italy and Spain), after spreading to the American continent, where it was detected for the first time in 1955 in the USA. In France, this is the first time that health authorities have officially detected this disease which affects wild animals, especially deer, cattle and goats, even if it can also affect farms.
Contaminated animals can become seriously ill or even die. The variant detected in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques presents “at this stage few or no symptoms on sheep for example“, but cattle “show some symptoms”explains Alain Mesplède, director of the DDPP of Pyrénées-Atlantiques.
Sick animals are not contagious
The virus primarily affects wildlife. “Besides, it is an epizootic hemorrhagic disease of deer”, specifies Alain Mesplède. Contaminated animals have a fever, stop eating, limp and have respiratory distress. On the other hand, sick animals are not contagious since the virus is transmitted by biting midges, of the Culicoides genus.
No vaccine exists against this virus, so theNational National Food Safety Agency (Anses) recommends testing animals and prohibiting the transport of ruminants from infected areas, in order to limit the spread.
As a safety measure, exports of live cattle are now prohibited for all farms within a radius of 150 kilometers around the affected farms, the agricultural union ELB told France Bleu Pays Basque. Five departments are concerned: Pyrénées-Atlantiques, Hautes-Pyrénées, Gers, Landes and Haute-Garonne.