The control and eradication of bluetongue in Germany

Abstract

In 2006 the first case of the bluetongue diseases, an exotic disease that had been unusual in this latitude, did occur in the Federal Republic of Germany. Progressions were made to control the spread and eradicate the disease, whereby different measures were implemented by Germany. The latter included the establishment of restriction zones, the movement restrictions of susceptible animals, as well as their semen, ova and embryos and concerned the control of the vector, the Culicoides biting midges. Furthermore, entomological and epidemiological investigations were realized and finally, in the middle of May 2008 a compulsory vaccination programme had been started and executed in the following. The vaccinations of the animals did add the last and crucial piece of method to the effective eradication of the bluetongue disease, which has been reported for the last time in 2009.