Animal diseases in Brandenburg – Bluetongue and West Nile fever threaten livestock

Animal diseases such as bluetongue and West Nile fever are spreading in Brandenburg. Cattle and horses are particularly affected. There is no danger to humans, but vaccinations for animals are recommended.

Various animal searches are currently spreading in Brandenburg. Horses, cattle, wild boars and bee colonies are affected. Bluetongue disease has broken out in the Oder-Spree and Barnim districts. This was reported by the Barnim district and the animal disease information system of the responsible Friedrich Loeffler Institute. A cattle herd of 18 cattle is currently affected.

The pathogen is transmitted by midges, small mosquitoes. Sheep can also become infected, often with fatal consequences. However, no sheep infestation has been reported so far. Veterinarians recommend that all ruminants in the region be vaccinated quickly. The disease is not dangerous for humans. According to Gabriel Hesse, press spokesman for the Ministry of Social Affairs, Health, Integration and Consumer Protection of the State of Brandenburg, meat, milk and dairy products from affected cattle, sheep and goats can be consumed without hesitation.

The further spread of West Nile fever has also been reported from Barnim. Three horse populations of three to 25 horses are affected here. Two horses had to be put down. In the last four weeks, an infection of a horse in Oberhavel and a flamingo in Cottbus were also reported. The West Nile virus (WNV) mostly affects wild birds, but can also be transmitted to humans.

However, humans are then “false hosts”, meaning that the concentration of the virus in them is too low to trigger transmission. Spokesman Gabriel Hesse explains: “An infection is usually asymptomatic. Around one in five people develops an illness with flu-like symptoms.” Infected horses cannot pass the disease on to other horses or people either. Instead, the virus is transmitted via mosquitoes and between wild birds.

The first cases of WNV infections in Germany were detected in birds in 2018. Since then, the virus has continued to spread, particularly in the eastern German federal states. The majority of infected animals (over 90 percent) come from the federal states of Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, Berlin and Brandenburg. In the Barnim district, the virus was first detected in a bird in 2022.

Another epidemic, African wild boar fever, is still present in Brandenburg. The Uckermark district administration announced that the plague had been officially confirmed in 146 wild boars as of September 3. Even after that, more than 20 carcasses were recovered near Schwedt.

In February this year, the containment zone for the fight against the epidemic was further reduced as the country’s measures had successfully contained the number of infections. The administration is now planning to tighten the measures in the containment zone again.

It is not only mammals that are affected by epidemics in Brandenburg. American foulbrood is still spreading among bees. The animal disease information system reported twelve cases of infected bee colonies in the districts of Oberhavel, Ostprignitz-Ruppin and Teltow-Fläming in the last four weeks. The rbb had already reported on outbreaks in Berlin, Märkisch-Oderland and Oranienburg in May and August of this year. Spokesman Gabriel Hesse explained that the honey from infected colonies is not harmful to humans and can be consumed.

Broadcast: Antenne Brandenburg, 03.09.2024, 21:00