Schmallenberg Virus Spreads to France
FRANCE - The Schmallenberg virus has spread further and has now been detected on a farm in the NorthEast of France.
31 January 2012
1 minute read
Although no cattle have been effected, the virus has hit thirteen sheep farms in six departments of the North of France.
The virus of the family orthobunyavirus, which only affects ruminants, has been identified for the first time in the Netherlands and Germany last November. Further outbreaks have since been identified in Belgium and more recently in the UK.
This is a disease of livestock that may be manifested by fever, a drop in production or birth defects, especially in sheep. The virus is not contagious from one animal to another but is transmitted by insect vectors.
At the onset of the virus, EB had activated a surveillance, through the national platform for animal health epidemiological surveillance, to detect the earliest possible arrival of the disease in France. Sick animals affected farms were taken over by the vet for the operation and departmental services.
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