Serotype 7 of epizootic hemorrhagic disease, against which available vaccines do not protect, detected for the first time in Spain on three cattle farms.

EHD serotype 7, against which available vaccines offer no protection, detected for the first time in Spain on three cattle farms.

Serotype 7 of Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease, against which available vaccines offer no protection, has been detected for the first time in Spain on three cattle farms in three autonomous communities. The cases were identified in Cádiz, Ciudad Real and Badajoz. Vaccines available against serotype 8 do not protect against this new variant of the virus. The detection followed the appearance of symptoms consistent with the disease in the affected animals, mainly fever and lesions on the mucous membranes, prompting samples to be collected and sent to the laboratory for analysis. Until now, the serotype detected in Spain was serotype 8, for which vaccines are available. However, these vaccines do not protect against serotype 7, introducing a new cause for concern for the health of livestock farms. For the time being, the detection of this new serotype does not entail any additional restrictions on animal movements within the national territory, whether for breeding or slaughter, ...