Two cows have come down with Bluetongue in Worth County. This is a disease that is spread by one type of gnat and cattle are the main reservoir, especially in temperate climates. It is usually seen from midsummer to hard frost; however, it can strike anytime during the year during mild winters like the one that the area had last year. It is usually a much more serious disease in sheep than cattle. A similar virus has been infecting deer, including 32 reported cases in Worth County according to the Missouri Department of Conservation.
Many cattle do not show signs; however, the ones that do have symptoms have one of the following:
--Reproductive effects, including abortion, infertility, mummification, and stillbirth;
--Congenital defects with weak calves, such as deformation or blindness. The most susceptible period for cattle to become infected is 60 to 140 days into the pregnancy;
--Cattle which have persistent infections, including ulcers of the mouth, nose, esophagus, trachea, and rumen; lameness, hoof cracks, inflammation of the skin with loss of hair, sloughing of patches of skin, a burned muzzle, muscular stiffness, shallow rapid respiration, and excessive salivation and a swollen protruding tongue.
Blood tests are available for cattle. There is no vaccination available for cattle; however, there is one available for sheep for a certain type (type 10). The best control is prevention through draining stagnant water areas and getting rid of puddles and muddy debris-filled water areas along with insecticides. Housing of cattle except during sunlight hours could also prevent bluetongue since the gnats do not enter buildings and since they feed primarily in early morning and evening. Cleaning of instruments used in castrations and dehorning and other routine procedures can also help since the virus can spread by the blood on those instruments.
Angela Larison of the Worth County Extension Office said that the office had not gotten any other reports of bluetongue as of Friday, November 16th.
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