Epidemic hemorrhagic disease, which may be fatal to livestock, was detected for the first time in Europe, with the arrival of midge-type insects responsible for its transmission due to climate change, according to what the French health agency “Ansis” reported today..
The first cases in Europe of this non-transmissible viral disease appeared in the fall of 2022 on the Italian island of Sardinia, and then in Sicily, according to Ansis, on its website..
Other epidemiological foci were recorded in Andalusia, southern Spain.
“This deadly disease leads to fever, loss of appetite, lameness and shortness of breath in cattle,” the French agency said.
The disease, which mainly affects white-tailed deer and cattle, was discovered in the United States in 1955.
The virus, which is transmitted by midges (family molluscs), has since spread to Asia, Australia and Africa..
“Fifteen years ago, we could never have imagined that the disease could one day reach Europe,” researcher Stefan Zentara said, in statements reported by ANSYS.
He pointed out that «its expansion is directly caused by climate change, which allows the vector midges to survive in our regions».
According to the scientist, “the most likely hypothesis is that the midges were carried by the winds across the Mediterranean.”
There is no vaccine available against this type of virus that has been detected in Europe.
