Loading ...Bluetongue Type Six Reaches Holland
The Ministry of Agriculture in Holland has confirmed that three farms have bluetongue virus serotype six (BTV-6). Bluetongue type six has not previously been found in Europe.
The Dutch Ministry of Agriculture said: “The type of bluetongue detected earlier this week in eastern Netherlands appears to be type six. The voluntary vaccination campaign undertaken in the Netherlands has been targeting BTV-8. Bluetongue strain six is found, among others places, in Central America and Africa.”
Gerda Verburg, Minister of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality made the announcement and stated that a 50km containment zone had been set up around the infected farms.
Restrictions within the containment zone will vary depending on whether animals are being transported for slaughter (where the farm has not experienced an outbreak for 30 days) or breeding and production animals, which will only be able to move following a negative test.
At present there is no vaccine available in Europe against Bluetongue type six (BTV-6). The areas of the world known to have BTV-6 do have a vaccine but it is unknown at this time if the vaccine can be applied in the Netherlands. Authorities are currently trying to establish whether this vaccine would be suitable for use in Europe.
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