Blue Tongue - A sharpe reminder
for horseowners - BE VIGILENT!
The confirmed outbreak of Bluetongue disease in a
cow on a farm in Suffolk is a sharp reminder that African Horse
Sickness could strike the UK at any time, warns The Horse Trust. The
impact of this disease on the £4 billion a year horse industry would be
devastating.
It is significant that the outbreak is just over
the North Sea from Belgium, where recent outbreaks of Bluetongue have
been reported, and very close to the cradle of the horse racing
industry at Newmarket.
African Horse Sickness is the same
virus family as Bluetongue and is transmitted by the same species of
biting midges. Paul Jepson, Chief Executive and Veterinary Director of
The Horse Trust said, "At the moment there is no evidence that African
Horse Sickness exists anywhere in Europe and, although it has the same
potential as Bluetongue to reach the UK, there is no cause for panic."
African
Horse Sickness is a much more dramatic disease than Bluetongue and
infected horses are usually severely ill with a very high mortality
rate. All infected animals are required to be slaughtered to limit
spread of the disease.
The Horse Trust is working with
Government and the horse industry to develop strategies for monitoring,
prevention and control of the disease. At the moment all horse owners
and anyone connected with horses can do is to recognise the possibility
of African Horse Sickness reaching the UK and to report any suspicious
illness or death. The approach of winter should produce a reduction in
the midge population and potential spread of the disease.
It
is hoped that a safe and effective vaccine will become available for
use in controlling an outbreak of African Horse Sickness in the future.
