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There is no efficient treatment for bluetongue, and so the emphasis is on prophylaxis and control.
There is no efficient treatment for bluetongue, and so the emphasis is on prophylaxis and control.
===Vaccination===
===Vaccination===
As the cycle of bluetongue transmission involves a ''Culicoides'' vector, elements of disease control can be targetted at controlling midges. This can involve the use of insecticides on ''Culicoides'' breeding grounds to reduce midge numbers, and insect repellants on livestock to limit feeding on potential BTV hosts. Animals can also be housed indoors at dawn and dusk, when midges are most active. So far, little evidence has supported the value of these control measures, and the practicalities of implementing these strategies may preclude them from widespread use.
As the cycle of bluetongue transmission involves a ''Culicoides'' vector, elements of disease control can be targetted at controlling midges. This can involve the use of insecticides on ''Culicoides'' breeding grounds to reduce midge numbers, and insect repellants on livestock to limit feeding on potential BTV hosts. Animals can also be housed indoors at dawn and dusk, when midges are most active. So far, little evidence has supported the value of these control measures, and the practicalities of implementing these strategies may preclude them from widespread use.
===Surveillance==
===Controlling Spread of Bluetongue in Europe===
Although some factors influencing the introduction of bluetongue to an area are outwith human control, such as transportation of ''Culicoides'' on the wind, certain measures can be taken to help avoid BTV becoming established in an area. This involves designation of areas where bluetongue is circulating as restricted (or protection) zones for the specific serotype, and imposing movement limitations within and between these areas. Animals in protection zones may be moved within in the zone, and to confluent protection zones for the same serotype. However, they may not be moved to free zones (BTV-free areas), although animals from free zones may be moved without restriction. A map of the current restriction/protection zones in Europe is available from the [http://ec.europa.eu/food/animal/diseases/controlmeasures/bt_restrictedzones-map.jpg European Commission Website].
Since animals may be moved freely between protection zones for the same serotype, a protection zone which does not currently have circulating BTV is as risk of becoming re-infected. This fact has lead to the designation of lower risk zones. Vaccination is only normally permitted within protection zones, but livestock holders in lower risk zones are able to vaccinate their animals. There are also more stringent regulations on bringing in animals from confluent protection zones. Therefore, the risk of re-introducing bluetongue is reduced and the area can move towards BTV freedom more confidently. A further advantage of lower risk zones is the ability to export livestock to Free zoones or areas with other BTV serotypes with fewer limitations.
===Control in the UK===
===Control in the UK===