Over the past year, not one, not two, but three scourges have hit French sheep and livestock farms. First, in August 2023, the detection of a new strain of bluetongue serotype 8 (BFT) in Aveyron, then, in September 2023, the arrival on the territory of epizootic haemorrhagic disease (EHM) from Spain to the Pyrénées-Atlantiques, and finally, on 5 August, the detection of a first case of a new serotype, 3, of FCO from northern Belgium. Three potentially fatal epizootics for animals. Three viruses carried by the same mosquitoes, Culicoides.
“The current French situation is unprecedented in Europe, which is why we are concerned”alarm Emmanuel Garin, veterinary epidemiologist from the network of Health Defense Groups (GDS France). “For a farm, being affected by a disease has impacts on the health and well-being of the animals, on production and on the cost of veterinary treatments. But if, a few months later, a second and then a third disease arrives, we don’t know what consequences it will have; it’s a big unknown.”explains the expert, who advises breeders on how to improve the health and well-being of their animals.
The map tracking the evolution of the different fronts, updated regularly by GDS France, already shows several cases of viral co-circulation. A large district in the south-west is affected by both FCO serotype 8 and MHE, while Nièvre, Saône-et-Loire and Doubs are home to both FCO serotypes.
Humans are not affected
Since its first detection in France in 2006, the FCO has been responsible for several epizootic waves affecting sheep, but also cattle and, to a lesser extent, goats. It can have serious consequences for animals, with symptoms ranging from fever to respiratory problems, facial edema, but also cyanosis of the tongue – hence the name. “blue tongue” (blue language) in English: It cannot affect humans and has no impact on the quality of products (meat, milk) from sick animals.
Since the resurgence of the disease in 2015, symptoms seemed to have diminished, perhaps due to herd immunity acquired through successive waves. Since then, FCO has been considered endemic; the State no longer reimburses the vaccine against serotype 8. However, the arrival of a new strain a year ago hit farms hard. “Nobody expected the emergence of a new strain, because it is a virus that normally mutates little.Emmanuel Garín analyzes. It has the same name, but from a health point of view it is not the same disease. » The new serotype 3, which originates from northern Europe, is once again a game changer. Especially since it appears to be more virulent than its southern cousin: breeders describe notably how the animals lose their hooves.
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