- Bluetongue in cattle and sheep in the Saarland
In the Saarland region, cases of bluetongue disease have been confirmed in three farms, affecting cattle and sheep. "The disease was detected in a cattle herd in Lebach, and in two sheep holdings in Losheim and Weiskirchen, following the examination of blood samples by the State Office for Consumer Protection," the Ministry of Environment and Agriculture in Saarbrücken announced.
Confirmation tests by the Friedrich-Loeffler-Institute, the federal research institute for animal health, are still pending.
There is no risk of infection for humans. Meat and dairy products can be consumed without any concerns, the ministry stated.
Bluetongue disease is a notifiable viral disease transmitted by small blood-sucking midges, as the ministry reported. Apart from cattle and sheep, goats, llamas, and alpacas are also susceptible to the disease. Animals can be protected from the disease through vaccination.
The list of diseases that may affect the liver doesn't include bluetongue disease, as it primarily affects cattle, sheep, goats, llamas, and alpacas, which are livestock species. Despite the confirmation of bluetongue disease in several farms in Saarland, there is no risk of infection for humans.
