The case in summary In several places in Europe, farmers and veterinarians are on alert for the spread of the deadly bluetongue disease. It is considered very likely that the disease could spread to Norway. Bluetongue is harmless to humans, but can cause suffering and death in several ungulates, with a mortality rate of up to 30 per cent among sheep. The weevil, a small insect, is responsible for the spread of infection. Sviknotten cannot fly far on its own wings, but can be carried far by the wind. Due to climate change and longer summers, diseases such as bluetongue are becoming more relevant for several countries, including Norway. Once the animals are ill, there is nothing that can be done, and a veterinarian and the Norwegian Food Safety Authority must be contacted as quickly as possible for handling. The summary is made by an AI service from OpenAi. The content is quality assured by news’s ​​journalists before publication. The previous and only outbreak of the viral disease bluetongue in Norway was in 2009. That is fifteen years ago. But the Norwegian Food Safety Authority is on alert. According to them, the disease is now detected in several countries in Europe. Press photo by Anne-Marie Jahr. She is section manager for the animal health section at the Norwegian Food Safety Authority. Photo: Norwegian Food Safety Authority – We ask everyone who has ruminants to be extra aware of symptoms of bluetongue and report any suspicions to the Norwegian Food Safety Authority, says head of the animal health section, Anne-Marie Jahr, to news. – Since the disease is on the rise in Europe, we have also asked the industry to pay more attention to this disease, she continues. Harmless to humans Blue tongue is harmless to humans. But can cause both suffering and death in several ungulates. Mortality is up to 30 percent among sheep, according to the BBC. Bluetongue Bluetongue (Bluetongue in English) is a viral disease in ruminants such as sheep, goats, cattle, llamas, deer, moose and roe deer. The virus is transmitted from animal to animal by ticks in the genus Culicoides. The virus does not survive in the wild, but survives in falcon and for up to one month in sheep and up to two months in cattle. Blood, semen and offspring from infected animals can contain the virus. The disease can be fatal to sheep, but rarely causes death in cattle. Bluetongue was last detected in Norway in 2009. The disease is now detected in several countries in Europe. Bluetongue is a disease on national list 1. This means that it is considered very serious, and that an outbreak will entail extensive control measures. Sheep have the most visible symptoms, such as swelling of the head, sores in the mouth and nose, drooling, watery eyes, lameness and swelling of the udder. Cattle may have fever, lethargy, runny eyes, runny nose as well as crusts and small sores around the nostrils. They may also have sores and injuries in the mouth and drool, swelling and sores on the teats or in the head/neck, as well as swelling and tenderness at the edge of the hoof. If you suspect the disease in animals, or it has been detected, you must notify the Norwegian Food Safety Authority immediately. You can also notify a veterinarian, who will contact the Norwegian Food Safety Authority in case of suspicion. Vaccination is only relevant as a strategic management of an ongoing outbreak. It requires an approved vaccine for the correct type of bluetongue virus. Bluetongues do not make people sick, but they can carry an infection-carrying bug. Source: The Norwegian Food Safety Authority and Store norske lexikon In the Netherlands, several tens of thousands of lambs died from bluetongue last autumn. – It is a very serious disease with partly high mortality, says Maria Stokstad, professor at the Department of Production Animal Medicine at the Veterinary College. Professor Maria Stokstad with one of the cows at the Norwegian University of the Environment and Life Sciences. Photo: NMBU She explains that it is common to have several sick animals at the same time. These may have a high fever, low mood, reduced general condition, lameness and poor appetite. – There can also be local symptoms that come from oedemas, particularly in the head and legs, and wounds and bleeding on the mucous membranes. – And it can happen that the tongue becomes swollen and discoloured, but that is not the most typical sign, the vet points out. Ireland and Great Britain on alert At the end of June, the Irish Ministry of Agriculture issued advice, as the country entered a period with a higher risk of bluetongue. The British Ministry of the Environment and Agriculture, Defra, is also urging vigilance among farmers this summer. The UK’s State Veterinarian, Christine Middlemiss, is also on the ball. Doctor Christine Middlemiss is state veterinarian, Chief Veterinary Officer, in Great Britain. Photo: Press image from the British government’s website – We know that the probability of the bluetongue virus coming to the UK is increasing. So I encourage farmers to be vigilant and report anything suspicious to the Animal and Plant Health Agency, she says in a press release. On July 18, she sends out a new warning. It comes after an increase in cases in the Netherlands, Germany and Belgium. The UK’s first case of bluetongue was detected in November last year. In May this year, a case was identified in Surrey. The ministry writes that with the summer’s temperature increase, “there is now an increased risk, and bluetongue infection is possible.” They describe “a very high probability of a new introduction of bluetongue virus serotype 3 (BTV-3) into livestock in the UK in 2024 through infected falcon blowing over from northern Europe, where several cases have been detected.” The weevil carries infection It is the tiny insect weevil that is responsible for the spread of infection. The tick is a vector, i.e. a living carrier of infection, for several different diseases. Among these are bluetongue and Schmallenberg virus (SBV) in Northern Europe. Elisabeth Stur out in the field in the Azores in June 2024. Photo: Rui Andrade / Privat To understand this better, news spoke to Elisabeth Stur. She is an entomologist and researcher at the Department of Natural History at the NTNU Science Museum. Sviknott is a large family of mosquitoes, and gnats are again a completely different family from sviknott. The ticks that spread infection belong to the genus Culicoides. This is sviknott – Sviknott is a mosquito family. So there is not one flaw, there are quite a few. Over 6,000 species have been described worldwide. The weevils most people are most interested in belong to the genus Culicoides. In this there are many species we do not know yet, but approximately 1,300 species have been described in this genus. In Norway, 34 named Culicoides species have so far been mapped. Entomologist Elisabeth Stur emphasizes that there is a big difference between the species. In English, midges are called “biting midges”, because they bite, or “no-see-ums”, because you don’t actually see them. – It’s a very nice name, because they are so tiny. You can sit and drink coffee outside in the afternoon in the summer, and then suddenly you have lots of stings. Does not sting, but bites The researcher points out that the stingray actually bites, and that it is probably the sting after the bite that has given the insect its Norwegian name. The sviknotten must not be confused with the knob, which is a completely different family. – Knott is much larger and stronger, and can resemble flies a bit. The tuna fly belongs here, and when it bites you, you bleed. While bees sting with the back of their body, stinging mosquitoes and midges bite with their mouths. – They have mouthparts that can cut into the skin a bit. They have their hind legs up and their mouths down. They suck blood to have proteins for their eggs. Therefore, only females bite, explains Stur. Some obtain cocoa Not all sviknott genera suck blood from humans and mammals. Some suck body fluids from other insects. Others use flower nectar as a source of nourishment. – We humans are often most interested in what bothers us. But there are some species in other weevil genera that pollinate the cocoa plant. They don’t bite anyone, but they make the cacao plant set fruit. Without it, we don’t have chocolate, and it’s boring, Stur points out with a laugh. Carried by the wind Sviknott in the Culicoides genus grows from around one to three millimeters in size. They are often found where there is some moisture in the ground, because the larvae develop there. The life cycle of the gnat consists of several larval and pupal stages before hatching into an adult mosquito. They undergo what is called holometabolic development, a complete change, from egg to imago, which is an adult insect. Most overwinter in the third or fourth larval stage, before hatching in the summer after a short pupal stage. Then they die before winter. In warm countries there may be several life cycles during one season. Many factors are needed Stur points out that there are a lot of coincidences that need to happen before sviknott can spread bluetongue to Norway. Among other things, the contagion must be in a nearby country in Europe, and the wind direction and strength must be right in order to transport skunk to a herd in Norway. – It’s like that with everything that is tiny and flies around. It may happen that some occasionally bother us, but if you look a little closer at them, they are really wonderful creatures, says Stur and adds: – It can come with disease. But every time I feel guilty, I think “OK, but I like chocolate!”. Source: Researcher Elisabeth Stur at the Department of Natural History at the NTNU Science Museum In Norway, 34 named Culicoides species have so far been mapped. Of these, five are known to be able to carry viruses. – They come with viruses, but they do not have the virus in them as eggs, larvae or newly hatched adults. They can get it after their first blood meal. And if they bite a mammal with the virus, they can transmit it to the next one, explains Stur. In English, midges are called “biting midges”, because they bite, or “no-see-ums”, because you don’t actually see them. A lot of coincidences have to do with the Sviknotten not being able to fly very far on its own wings, but they can be carried far by the wind. – The wind is an extremely important factor, and it can carry all sorts of strange little insects, says Stur. This picture of the sviknott was taken in connection with a mapping project in southern Norway that Stur was involved in. Squirrels in the Culicoides genus range from around one to three millimeters in size. Photo: Patrycja Dominiak / Privat Stur points out that a great many coincidences are needed before squisnot can spread bluetongue to Norway. Among other things, the contagion must be in a nearby country in Europe, and the wind direction and strength must be right in order to transport skunk to a herd in Norway. Britain fears that the cockroach, which hatches in warmer weather, is carried by the wind across from the continent. When bluetongue was detected in Norway in 2009, there were first outbreaks in Sweden and Denmark. It is believed that the infection came with the wind over the Skagerrak to some herds in Southern Norway. Growing problem The virus does not spread from animal to animal, except via semen. There needs to be a cheat sheet. Since these die in freezing temperatures, it is only during the summer months that infection can occur. – There is an increasing problem of fraud, where it is important to be vigilant going forward, says veterinary professor Maria Stokstad. In warmer parts of the world, bluetongue has long been a problem. But due to the cold climate, Northern Europe has long been sheltered from the disease. – That is about to change. As the summer gets longer, that type of illness becomes relevant for more people. It simply comes from climate change, says Stokstad. Last autumn, a new variety of blue tongue was seen in the Netherlands. It quickly spread to Germany, Belgium and Great Britain and produced large and severe outbreaks. Once the animals are sick, there is nothing you can do. In that case, a veterinarian and the Norwegian Food Safety Authority must be contacted as soon as possible for handling. – Now everyone is sitting and wondering what will happen this summer. We now know that the virus is there, and we have lots of vectors and a great potential for contagion to neighboring countries. Then we know that it can also come to Norway, emphasizes Stokstad. Published 25/07/2024, at 18.44
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Veterinarians fear falconry can lead to a new, deadly outbreak of bluetongue in Norway – news Norway – Overview of news from different parts of the country
