Understanding the Bluetongue Virus Epidemic: Role of Mosquitoes and Animal Transport in Spread

Not only has a mosquito contributed to the rapid spread of the bluetongue virus, but animal transport may also have played a role. That is the conclusion of researchers from Wageningen Bioveterinary Research on the distribution characteristics of the epidemic.

In the autumn of 2023, the Netherlands was hit by a devastating epidemic, caused by bluetongue virus serotype 3 (BTV-3). Tens of thousands of sheep died from the effects of the virus. Dairy cows were also affected. 4,438 serotype 3 bluetongue outbreaks were identified based on PCR research and 1,563 outbreaks based on clinical symptoms.

Based on the data available from the epidemic, researchers from Wageningen Bioveterinary Research studied the intensity of the spread of the virus in terms of distance. They compared the spread of bluetongue in 2023 with the spread of another epidemic in north-west Europe.

According to the research team, this shows that the spread of bluetongue in 2023 is similar to the serotype 8 epidemic in Europe in 2006 and 2007. epidemic in 2006 and 2007.’

Maybe animal transport

By 2023, bluetongue serotype 3 will have spread over tens of kilometers. “These data confirm that, in addition to the spread of bluetongue virus over short distances via an infected mosquito, other transmission routes may have played an important role,” said researcher Thomas Hagenaars. ‘An additional route of transmission may be animal transport.’