In Ukraine, “hot lines” were introduced for animal owners who may suspect that their wards have viral diseases such as foot-and-mouth disease and bluetongue. The lines will work in every region of the country, informs State Production and Consumer Service.
This decision was taken against the background of recent outbreaks of these infections in the countries of the European Union. According to the estimates of the State Production and Consumer Service, the risk of pathogens entering the territory of Ukraine remains “high”.
Foot-and-mouth disease is a viral infection that mainly affects cattle, pigs and other ungulates. The disease can also threaten wild animals: deer, roe deer, moose, wild boars. More than 60 different strains of the virus are known, and immunity to one of them does not provide protection against others. Symptoms of foot and mouth disease depend on the strain, age, species and breed of the animal.
A person can become infected with foot-and-mouth disease when consuming raw milk or milk products obtained from infected animals. Less often, infection occurs through meat or airborne.
Bluetongue, also known as bluetongue, is a viral infectious disease that most commonly affects ruminants, particularly sheep and cattle. The disease is characterized by a high mortality rate — up to 90–100% of cases. The main vectors of the virus are woodlice of the genus Culicoide and midges Culicoides imicola. Transmission is also possible through direct contact between animals, in particular through sperm or placenta.
The State Production and Consumer Service urges owners to carefully monitor the health of their animals and, at the slightest suspicion, contact the regional “hotline”, whose contacts can be find on the official website.
