Blue tongue is not dangerous to humans

The Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations of BiH confirmed that the blue tongue disease has been confirmed in three sheep in the municipality of Trebinje. This is the first positive case of this disease in Bosnia and Herzegovina since the last recorded case in 2003, reports the BiH news agency Patria (NAP).

Professor Tarik Bajrović from the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine in Sarajevo explained to Patria that it is a viral disease in animals, but that the disease cannot be transmitted to humans.

- The occurrence of blue tongue disease can lead to the death of sheep, but not to danger to humans. As far as I know, there have been no serious losses of sheep from this disease in BiH so far – said Dr. Bajrović.

It is expected, says this expert, that with the onset of cold weather, the incidence of blue tongue disease will decrease.

The Ministry of Foreign Trade of BiH states that after the disease was reported by the veterinary inspector and positive results were obtained from serological testing at the Veterinary Institute "Dr. Vaso Butozan" in Banja Luka, a Joint Disease Control Center was established by the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations of BiH, headed by Ljubomir Kalaba, director of the Veterinary Office of BiH.

All competent veterinary services in Bosnia and Herzegovina are involved in controlling the blue tongue disease.

Blue tongue disease is a viral disease of ruminants, primarily sheep, but also cattle and goats. The disease is not dangerous to humans. It cannot be transmitted by contact between infected animals but exclusively through midges, writes NAP.