Hemorrhagic diseases (Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease or Bluetongue) are common viral diseases of deer. Both viruses are related and have very similar symptoms but are different in that white-tailed deer get EHD, while Bluetongue is a well-known disease of domestic sheep, cattle, and goats, in addition to affecting deer.
Why is it called bluetongue?
Affected animals may develop edema of the lips, tongue, throat, ears, and brisket. Other signs include excessive salivation and hyperemia or cyanosis of the oral mucosa, including the tongue (hence the name bluetongue).
How is bluetongue transmitted in deer?
Both the epizootic hemorrhagic disease virus and the bluetongue virus are transmitted by Cullicoides, a genus of insects that includes biting midges and no-see-ums. The most commonly incriminated species is C. variipennis, a biting midge found in moist areas and low wetlands. Midges breed in moist, muddy areas.
What is bluetongue disease caused by?
Bluetongue virus is spread by insects called biting midges (Culicoides spp.). (vector). Other biting insects, such as ticks or sheep keds, may also transfer the virus. Bluetongue is not contagious and is not spread by contact between animals.
What are the symptoms of bluetongue in deer?
A: Infected deer become lethargic and lose their appetite, become weak, have bloody diarrhea, and show excessive salivation. They develop a rapid pulse and respiration rate along with fever, which is why they are frequently found lying in bodies of water to reduce their body temperature.
What causes bluetongue in cattle?
The disease is non-contagious and is only transmitted by insect vectors (midges of the Culicoides species). The disease is caused by a virus belonging to the family Reoviridae. Bluetongue virus is a notifiable disease in many countries.
What causes bluetongue disease in whitetail deer?
Bluetongue disease is a noncontagious, insect-borne, viral disease of ruminants, mainly sheep and less frequently cattle, yaks, goats, buffalo, deer, dromedaries, and antelope. It is caused by Bluetongue virus (BTV). The virus is transmitted by the midges Culicoides imicola, Culicoides variipennis, and other culicoids.
Does bluetongue affect mule deer?
Bluetongue has killed mostly white-tailed deer, but in recent weeks the disease also has been confirmed in some dead mule deer. The animals can die in a few days once symptoms or mouth and nasal discharge occur.
How do you treat bluetongue in animals?
Diagnosis is based upon clinical signs, virus detection via PCR and/or seroconversion to bluetongue virus. Treatment is limited to antibiotic therapy to control secondary bacterial infections.
Is there a cure for bluetongue?
No satisfactory medical treatment has been found for animals with blue tongue. Generally, with proper care, most animals recover naturally within 14 days, although severely affected animals may recover more slowly.
How do you treat bluetongue?
No satisfactory medical treatment has been found for animals with blue tongue. Generally, with proper care, most animals recover naturally within 14 days, although severely affected animals may recover more slowly. Isolate affected animals in a shaded area with palatable feed and fresh water.
What is blue tongue in Deer?
Blue Tongue in White-tailed Deer. Blue tongue is an insect-borne, viral disease primarily of sheep, but it occasionally goats and even white-tailed deer.
What is Bluetongue and how does it occur?
To wit, bluetongue typically occurs when susceptible sheep are introduced into areas where virulent strains of BTV circulate, or when virulent strains of BTV extend their range into previously unexposed populations of ruminants.
How common is Bluetongue in cattle?
Bluetongue is most common in certain breeds of sheep whereas asymptomatic BTV infection of cattle is typical in enzootic regions. Bluetongue in cattle can be a feature of specific outbreaks, notably the current epizootic in Europe caused by BTV serotype 8 ( Maclachlan, 2009 ).
When was Bluetongue introduced to South Africa?
Bluetongue was first described in South Africa after Merino sheep from Europe were introduced in the late eighteenth century ( Verwoerd and Erasmus, 1994 ).
