Major research project focuses on breaking the bluetongue cycle

The arrival of the bluetongue virus serotype 3 in the Netherlands in 2023 had considerable consequences for the sheep and cattle sector. The available vaccines play an important role in reducing clinical symptoms and mortality, but they do not prevent infection entirely. "We still do not know much about the efficiency of virus transmission and how long infected animals can still pose a risk of transmitting the virus to uninfected sheep," writes NSFO in the trade journal Het Schaap. To answer these questions, NSFO is leading a major new research project. The trade organization is heading the project, which involves Wageningen Bioveterinary Research in Lelystad, Laboratorios Syva, CRV, K.I. SAMEN, K.I. Kampen, KI De Toekomst, and the Chain Organization Sheep Farmers of the Netherlands collaborating in a public-private partnership. Vectors "With this research, we want to better understand how the amount of virus in an infected animal correlates with transmission to sheep," writes ...