The UK Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) announced in September 2024 that the Secretary of State has permitted the use of three unauthorised bluetongue serotype 3 (BTV-3) vaccines in the United Kingdom. The vaccines can be used with an appropriate licence; these will be geographically targeted general licenses or specific licences, granted through applications to the Animal Plant Health Agency (APHA). The vaccines are suppressive and do not prevent infection.
Bluetongue
The World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) states that bluetongue (BT) is a “non-contagious, viral disease” that affects domestic and wild ruminants. The virus is a member of the Reoviridae family; there are 24 identified serotypes with varying abilities to cause disease. Symptoms are “most severe” in sheep, resulting in deaths, weight loss, and disruption in wool growth. However, cattle “often have a higher infection rate than sheep”.
Vaccination
In August 2024, the UK’s Chief Veterinary Officer responded to a “rising number” of bluetongue cases in Europe with a call for “renewed vigilance and responsible sourcing of livestock”. After several confirmed cases of BTV3 in Norfolk, Suffolk, and Essex, the Chief Veterinary Officer declared a bluetongue restricted zone across the region. Now, farmers in England are encouraged to contact their veterinarians to discuss use of available BTV-3 vaccines.
While some authorised BTV vaccines, which target other BTV serotypes, the BTV-3 vaccines “reduce rather than prevent viraemia”. As this does not prevent animals from being infected or infectious, movement controls and trade restrictions apply to vaccinated animals. Commenting on the permission to use these vaccines, Biosecurity Minister Baroness Hayman emphasised that it forms “part of our efforts against this highly infectious disease”.
“We are working at pace in order to provide farmers with everything they need to protect their livestock and businesses and would recommend they contact their veterinarians for access to the vaccines. Farmers are also reminded that free testing remains available.”
Chief Veterinary Officer Dr Christine Middlemiss echoed this call for farmers to contact veterinarians and to “continue monitoring their animals frequently for clinical signs and report suspicion of disease to the Animal Plant Health Agency”.
“These vaccines are an important step forward and will aid in reducing clinical signs in animals and the impact of disease on farms, but it is not a protective vaccine, so we are still urging farmers to follow all of our guidance in order to prevent the disease spreading to their herds and any further.”
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