Bluetongue Case Reported in France

Bluetongue has been circulating in the Netherlands, western Germany, and northern Belgium since the end of last year. France prepared for this outbreak by establishing a regulatory zone around the latest outbreak in Belgium. The Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic also purchased large batches of animal vaccines from Germany and Spain. Voluntary vaccination is being carried out free of charge.

Bluetongue is a non-contagious disease of ruminants caused by a virus of the genus Orbivirus from the family Reoviridae, affecting both domestic and wild ruminants.

Clinically, the disease manifests in sheep and cattle with fever, inflammatory and necrotic lesions in the oral cavity, especially the tongue, digestive tract, coronary band epithelium, and is characterized by high morbidity, mortality, abortions, and intrauterine fetal death.