The blue tongue also spreads on farms in the Oristano area
Serotype 8 identified for the first time in Italy on a farm in San Vero Milis
ORISTANO, 21 NOVEMBER 2023 – Just under three hundred dead animals and just under nine hundred sheep infected by the virus. The bluetongue is also spreading in the farms of the Oristano area, in the territory under the jurisdiction of ASL 5. “The situation is under control and the numbers relating to the spread of the virus are contained”, declared Dr. Enrico Vacca, director of the Health Service Animal of ASL 5, “all the confirmed outbreaks concern serotype 8, which was detected for the first time in Sardinia, but also in Italy, in a farm in San Vero Milis”.
THE NUMBERS There are 59 farms in the Oristano area where outbreaks of blue tongue have been found. So far 876 sheep have been infected and 292 animals have died. The municipalities currently affected by the spread of the blue tongue virus are Cuglieri, Seneghe, Narbolia, San Vero Milis, Riola Sardo, Zeddiani, Nurachi, Cabras, Terralba, Uras, San Nicolò d’Arcidano, Bauladu, Gonnostramatza, Marrubiu, Milis, Ollastra , Sedilo, Tramatza and Zerfaliu.
SEROTYPE 8 The serotype was, as already mentioned, detected for the first time in Italy on a farm in the Oristano area, in San Vero Milis. “All bluetongue outbreaks in the territory under the jurisdiction of Local Health Authority 5 can be traced back to serotype 8”, reported Dr. Vacca, “in the territories of other Sardinian Local Health Authorities, however, the presence of serotype 8 is concomitant with other serotypes, such as 3 and 4. Unfortunately, animals have few immune defenses against serotype 8, because it is, in fact, a serotype that had never been detected before”.
For other news click here
