The epidemic continues. Serotype 4 was detected in one cow. Animal owners must report suspected cases promptly to the responsible district administrative authority.
The first case of bluetongue in the current epidemic was detected in Carinthia. Serotype 4 was detected in one cow. The animals in the stock were sampled. The farm is closed for 14 days, after which a second sampling will take place. If this is negative for all animals, the farm will be reopened in accordance with animal health regulations. The populations within a radius of 5 km are now also being checked for the presence of the pathogen using blood samples. It is expected that further cases will occur in Carinthia.
Serotype 3 is continuing to spread in Vorarlberg; at the time of going to press, six companies were affected. So far, three cases of serotype 4 have been detected in Styria. Here, a severe course was seen in a cow with serotype 4, which first had an abortion and subsequently died. Due to the obligation to report, animal owners are required to promptly report suspected bluetongue disease to the responsible district administrative authority. The suspicion arises in animals whose milk production is declining, who have a high fever, show reluctance to eat and salivate, and who have inflammation in the teats, mucous membranes or claws. Only with rapid recognition and action can effective action be taken against the spread of the animal disease and thus animal suffering, a drop in performance and economic loss can be prevented.
Vaccination against serotypes 3 and 4 is voluntary and is recommended by the veterinary authority. In Carinthia, the vaccine is provided by the state. The costs incurred for the vaccination activities of the supervising veterinarian must be agreed with him. A time model (journey plus costs for the working hours) or a flat rate model are conceivable. In addition to vaccination, susceptible animal species can be protected by using repellents (medicines that ward off the vector).
Since Austria is a zone in terms of bluetongue monitoring, there are essentially two conditions for movement within Austria:
1. Only healthy animals may be transported from bluetongue-free farms, and the note “clinically healthy” must be noted on the livestock transport license. Animals from closed farms may only be taken directly to the slaughterhouse with the approval of the district administrative authority. The milk can be marketed because humans are not susceptible to bluetongue.
2. For intra-community trade, the animals must be treated with a repellent for 14 days; a negative antigen test is also mandatory afterwards. For Slovenia, which is free of BTV, there is currently a separate regulation: Here the animals must be completely immunized against BTV. The basic immunization of cattle is completed after two vaccinations 28 days apart and a waiting period of 30 days, and the animal is therefore ready for trade.
Due to the weather situation, it is assumed that the epidemic will continue in Austria.
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