BLUETONGUE SITUATION IN GREECE IN 2012

Presentation at the SCoFCAH, 5th March 2013

DISEASE HISTORY IN GREECE

2008: 78 outbreaks, all in the Island of Lesvos (BTV-16 + BTV-8)2009: 191 outbreaks, mostly in the Island of Lesvos (BTV-16 + BTV-1)2010: 36 outbreaks, about half in Lesvos and the rest in other islands (BTV-16)2011: 10 outbreaks, in various islands of the Eastern Aegean Sea but not in Lesvos (BTV-16 & BTV-4)All Epidemics since 2008 detected in the Islands of the Eastern Aegean Sea - no further expansion to mainland Greece Seasonal character, arise mid–to late autumn with latest outbreaks usually before the end of the year , with mild if any clinical signs.

DISEASE HISTORY IN GREECE

Limnos island has been declared as free of BTvirus area, after all necessary epidemiological data , on 15 December of 2011.

Limnos

Lesvos

BT SITUATION IN GREECE IN 2012

Summary of 2012 BT outbreaks

Location  Number of outbreaksRhodes 37 (2 in sentinels)Kos 37Kalymnos 1Samos  12Lesvos  3Halki  1Total  91

BT SITUATION IN GREECE IN 2012

Timeline of BT in 2012 April : Seroconversion in Sentinel Bovines in Rhodes island Sep – Oct: Clinical outbreaks in Kos and Rhodes islands

One clinical outbreak in Kalymnos islandNovember: Seroconversion in Sentinel Bovines in Rhodes island

Continuing clinical outbreaks in Kos and RhodesClinical outbreaks in Samos and Lesvos islandsOne clinical outbreak in Halki island

December : Clinical outbreaks in Samos, Lesvos and Rhodes islands

BT SITUATION IN GREECE IN 2012Areas with outbreaks in 2012

Areas affected with BTV4 for 2012

BT SITUATION IN GREECE IN 2012

Clinical disease with typical clinical signs reported in all islands where BT was detected especially in Rhodes, Kos and Samos islandsMild clinical disease observed mostly in Lesvos and to a much lesser extent in Rhodes (3 out of 37 outbreaks) and Kos (2 out of 37 outbreaks)BTV–type was predominantly 4.One case of seroconversion in bovines sentinels (Rhodes-April) ,where both BTV4 and BTV16 detected by Real-time RT PCR.BTV 4 was introduced at the end of 2011, (seroconversion of sentinels bovines in Rhodes).

BT SITUATION IN GREECE IN 2012Clinical features

Typical clinical signs detected such as:Cataptosis AnorexiaFever, Submandibular oedema, Mucopurulent nasal discharge, Bleeding lips , Blue tongue andDeaths

GREECE BT CONTROL MEASURES

No vaccination.Restrictive measures in infected holdings, euthanasia-destruction only of animals with very heavy clinical signs that are unlikely to recover, epidemiological investigation of outbreaks.Establishment and maintenance of zones already in place [Dodecanese prefecture (Rhodes, Kos, e.t.c.), Samos prefecture, Lesvos island] Exit only of small ruminants from the restricted areas to the rest of the country allowed only for immediate slaughter .

GREECE BT CONTROL MEASURESRestricted zones in 2012

BT restricted zones (red) in Greece as of Dec 2012

GREECE BT SURVEILLANCE PROGRAMME

Active surveillanceNetwork of sentinel bovines covering all restricted areas as well selected areas in the rest of the country (financial incentives for breeders that participate in the surveillance programme).Network of vector surveillance (insect traps) in strategically selected prefectures.Random testing of imported animals (intra-community trade).Passive surveillance Investigation – Sampling of all suspect cases

ACTIVE SURVEILLANCESENTINELS - VECTOR SURVEILLANCE

Prefectures with bovine sentinel groups (10 groups of 5 animals or 20 groups of 7 animals in each prefecture)

Location of vector trapping sites

BT ACTIVE SURVEILLANCE 2012Geographical distribution of sentinel

samples

Number of sentinel (cattle) samples examined

0

0‐312

313‐761

762‐1200

1201‐1703

In trapping sites of mainland Greece, Culicoides sp. populations

( c. obsoletus, c. puncatus, c. newsteadi) increased moderately from May to August . No culicoides immicola detected.

In Rhodes’ trapping sites, significant rise of C. immicola populations between July and October.

BT VECTOR SURVEILLANCE 2012Entomological data

In Lesvos’ trapping sites , increase of C. immicola (June- October) and C. obsoletus (May- July) numbers.

BT VECTOR SURVEILLANCE 2012Entomological data

BLUETONGUE SITUATION IN CHIOS ISLAND

KEY FACTS ON CHIOS • Closest BT infected areas are Lesvos and Samos,

affected with BTV 8,1,16 ,4 and 16, 4 respectively over the past years.

• Distance between Lesvos - Chios ∼80 km Distance between Samos - Chios ∼100 km

• No BT outbreaks since March 2009 (only serological findings in bovines and one sheep,BTV16).

• Clinical outbreaks never occurred in the island.

• Entomological data remain the same without any change during the period 2011- 2012 (no c. immicola detected).For 2012, low numbers of c.obsoletus and c. punctatus (July to December).

Lesvos

Samos

Chios

No seroconversion in sentinel bovines since December of 2010.Serological results from sentinel bovines , representing the whole island, all negative for BT antibodies the last 2 years.2011: 6 holdings participated in active surveillance programme A total of 36 sentinel bovines tested serologically, sequential samplings (monthly based).300 blood samples all negative .2012: 4 holdings participatedA total of 26 sentinel bovines tested serologically, monthly sampling (June –December).

182 blood samples all negative.

BLUETONGUE SITUATION IN CHIOS ISLAND

1

1

1

Location of holdings with sentinel bovines

Thank you for your attention!