VIENNA (AFP) — Another case of livestock disease bluetongue has been detected in a calf in Austria, the second within the space of just over a month, the Health Ministry said Friday.
This time, a two-month-old calf in Bregenz in the western province of Vorarlberg tested positive for the disease, but is not yet showing any visible symptoms, the ministry said in a statement.
The mother cow had not been vaccinated at the time of the calf's birth.
Already in November, the disease was detected in a cow in Schaerding, Upper Austria, during a routine check by the national Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety or AGES.
Bluetongue is a non-contagious, insect-borne viral disease that affects ruminants such as cows and sheep but not pigs or horses. It is difficult to control once it takes hold.
It is not a risk to humans, but in animals it causes high fevers, mouth ulcers and swollen heads.
Since July, vaccination against bluetongue has been compulsory in the provinces of Tyrol and Vorarlberg after the disease was detected in Austria's neighbours in 2006 and 2007.
The vaccination will be compulsory in the whole of Austria from December 15.
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