Biting insects, culicoides, do not stop at borders. This is demonstrated by the discovery of an outbreak of a new type of bluetongue (BT) in northern France. This outbreak of serotype 3, previously unknown in France, was confirmed on Monday, August 5 by health authorities in a sheep farm located in the town of Marpent (Nord), on the border with Belgium, according to a press release published Wednesday by the Nord prefecture.
THE The Ministry of Agriculture sounded the alarm on July 31 The cause: the declaration by the Belgian authorities of an outbreak of bluetongue serotype 3 (FCO-BTV3), not present in France, in the commune of Chimay, close to the border.
However, the regulations impose restrictive measures within a radius of 150 kilometers around the outbreak. France therefore had to implement them on the part of its territory concerned. In this so-called “regulated” zone, the movements of animals susceptible to bluetongue to the rest of the national territory and other countries are limited. To be authorized to leave the zone, cattle, goats and sheep must have undergone pest control treatment in the two weeks prior to their departure, and have obtained a negative screening test. Some countries, such as Spain, require that animals be vaccinated.
Mortality and fertility problems
Bluetongue, a viral disease transmitted between animals by biting insects, the Culicoides, is already well known in France. Patrick Bénézit, president of the National Bovine Federation, estimates that it first appeared about fifteen years ago. Also called “bluetongue disease”, it causes mortality in herds, especially sheep, but also problems with the animals’ fertility.
Vaccines exist for existing serotypes, namely serotype 8 in mainland France and serotype 4 in Corsica. But a new serotype, called “3”, appeared in the Netherlands and then in Belgium in October 2023. Since then, it has continued to spread across the Quiévrain, where vaccination was set up this year. France must now offer it free of charge to voluntary breeders located in the regulated zone.
“The Ministry of Agriculture has announced to us that vaccination against serotype 3 bluetongue could begin on August 15. The State has ordered 600,000 doses to vaccinate as many sheep and 4 million doses to vaccinate 2 million cattle.”explains Michèle Boudoin, breeder in Puy-de-Dôme and president of the National Sheep Federation.