AVV Wiesbaden calls on animal owners to vaccinate against bluetongue disease

Due to confirmed evidence of bluetongue virus (BTV) serotype 8 in the districts of Mainz-Bingen in Rhineland-Palatinate and Bergstraße in Hesse, the designated restricted zone has been expanded accordingly. As a result, all districts in Hesse except for the district and city of Kassel and the Werra-Meißner district are now affected by the trade restriction zone. Restrictions on the movement of cattle, sheep, and goats apply in this restricted zone.

As several cases of BTV-8 in neighboring federal states show, there is a high risk that virus strains of serotypes 4 and 8 will be introduced into Hesse.

For this reason, the Office for Veterinary Affairs and Consumer Protection of the state capital of Wiesbaden strongly advises owners of cattle, sheep, and goats to have their animals vaccinated against serotypes 3, 4, and 8 of the bluetongue virus.  

The vaccinations should be completed before the next wave of infection. This begins in the warmer months with an increase in the number of mosquitoes that transmit the virus. Animal owners are requested to notify the AVV Wiesbaden of completed vaccinations by email to veterinaeramtwiesbadende. In addition, the vaccinations should be entered in the HIT database.

The Hessian Ministry of Agriculture has published a press release on this subject, which can be accessed at the following link:

https://landwirtschaft.hessen.de/presse/handelsrestriktionszone-in-hessen-muss-ausgeweitet-werden (opens in a new tab)

The interactive map of the updated Hessian BT trade restriction zone can be accessed at the following link:

BT trade zones HE as of 260216 (opens in a new tab)