Suspected cases of bluetongue in France

Lead: France's Ministry of Agriculture announced in a communique Tuesday that a suspected case of blue tongue sheep disease has recently been found in the southern French province of Cantal At present, the relevant departments have taken strict isolation measures for the farms and the surrounding areas where suspected cases are found, in order to prevent the epidemic of this infectious disease which threatens the lives of sheep France's Ministry of Agriculture said the suspected case was found on a farm in the eastern province of Cantor On August 1, a ewe raised in the farm developed bluetongue symptoms, followed by similar symptoms in other sheep of the same flock According to the preliminary examination of the local veterinary station, these sheep are likely to be infected with bluetongue disease The results of the preliminary examination have been transmitted to the State Food Safety and health administration, the communique said However, as these results are not enough to confirm that the sheep are infected with bluetongue disease, the relevant departments are also carrying out supplementary investigation and analysis, including blood test for livestock in the nearby farms and test and research for local insects Bluetongue disease is a relatively rare animal disease, which is caused by bluetongue virus and mainly occurs in sheep However, other ruminant livestock may also be infected The disease is mainly catarrhal inflammation, blue tongue, oral ulcer and body fever The disease is mainly transmitted by the bite of the insect Culicoides Sheep are easy to die after infection, but it will not infect people Human health will not be threatened by eating mutton or milk with the virus According to French experts, bluetongue disease has been known for more than 100 years and has been extinct in Europe for more than 20 years However, since last year, bluetongue disease has been found in many islands along the Mediterranean coast The reappearance of the disease in the interior of France has caused a lot of panic to the local farmers who have been under the shadow of mad cow disease (author:) share to feed Weibo share to: