IFAH Statement on Bluetongue

Bluetongue is a viral disease that affects ruminants, especially sheep. It can also affect cattle, goats, camels and wild ruminants. It has been named after one of the symptoms that can occur in the animal, which is a bluish coloration of the tongue.

Bluetongue does not affect people, nor is there any risk of the disease being contracted or spread through meat or milk.

Sheep are particularly susceptible to the disease, with diverse symptoms. Some sheep become seriously ill and die, while others exhibit hardly any symptom at all. In most cases the first symptom is high fever, followed by swelling and pain in and around the mouth, which in turn causes excessive salivation.

Click on this link to view the IFAH statement on bluetongue or download the PDF document.