Bluetongue in Europe and Romania in the Last Years

Abstract

Beginning with 2006, in Europe had been a lot of Bluetongue (BT) outbreaks evolving like hemorrhagic disease in ruminants, caused by bluetongue virus (BTV). This paper reviews an epidemiological situation of this disease in Europe and in Romania in the last years with all health and economic problems that followed the outbreaks. For the first time described in 1905 in Merino sheep from South Africa, BTV is an Arbovirus isolated from wild and domestic ruminants, with sublinical to fatal symptoms of disease. The name Bluetongue derived from necrosis, cell injuries with vascular thrombosis, oedema, haemorrhages that make the tongue cyanotic, with a blue colour. By historically point of view BTV is known to be prevalent in tropical and subtropical areas between 35̊ S and 45̊ N, but many outbreaks were than reported in further northwards, an emergence may be caused by climate changes, when a high temperature contributes to both distribution and competence of certain species of Culicoides midges, known to be the insect vector of BT disease. With the exception of Antarctica BTV was been isolated on every continent. From 1,400 species of Culicoides throught the world, only about 30 species have been discovered to be competent biological vectors. There are more regions in Europe believed previously to be not a risk for bluetongue evolution but the situation since 2006 demonstrates the contrary.

Keywords

• biological vector
• bluetongue
• epidemiological situation
• outbreaks