UK BTV status reclassified

The EC has reclassified the UK from a BTV8 restriction zone to a lower risk zone for BTV8 (map and table of EC BTV restricition zones). The new classification will come into effect on Saturday 12th June 2010. Information from DEFRA can be found here.

Once the new classification comes into effect there will be tighter controls on the importation of animals from areas with BTV in circulation. All animals imported from these areas will have to comply with one of the following conditions before being imported:

- vaccination plus a 60-day wait.
- vaccination plus a test 14 days after onset of immunity.
- booster vaccination within the time stated on each vaccine’s data sheet.

More information can be found on the DEFRA website.

News articles regarding this change in classification can be found at www.vetsweb.com and www.nfuonline.com.

This has also been reported on ProMED-mail (archive number: 20100605.1872, 5th June 2010).