Britain cautious regarding bluetongue case

NORWICH, England, Sept. 23 (UPI) -- Authorities in Britain have instituted restrictions on a farm in the county of Sussex where the first British case of bluetongue disease was discovered.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said that the disease's appearance in the town of Ipswich this weekend does not pose an immediate threat to humans in the area, The Sunday Times of London reported.

"This is not a confirmed outbreak unless further investigation demonstrates the disease is circulating," a DEFRA spokesman said of the discovery.

Bluetongue disease involves a virus that affects cows and sheep, making those animals' tongues and faces swell until they appear almost blue.

The virus, that also causes a high fever in infected animals and can be fatal, is typically spread by small flies known as midges.

Outbreaks of the disease have previously occurred in Germany, Belgium, Holland and Luxembourg.

The newspaper said those nations were forced to implement ban all exported livestock and use insecticides on farmers' lands.

Copyright 2007 by United Press International

NewsTrack: Britain cautious regarding bluetongue case