Commission Regulation (EC) No 1266/2007Dangos y teitl llawn

1. Minimum requirements for bluetongue monitoring programmes to be implemented by Member States in restricted zones U.K.

Bluetongue monitoring programmes in restricted zones shall be aimed at providing information on the dynamics of bluetongue in a zone already subjected to restrictions.

The geographical unit of reference shall be defined by a grid of around 45 × 45 km (approximately 2 000 km²) unless specific environmental conditions justify a different size. In certain Member States, the ‘region’ as defined in Article 2 of Directive 64/432/EEC may be used as the geographical unit of reference for monitoring purposes.

Bluetongue monitoring programmes must consist at least of the following elements:

1.1.

Serological monitoring with sentinel animals:

• Serological monitoring with sentinel animals shall consist of an active annual programme of testing sentinel animals aimed at assessing the circulation of bluetongue virus within the restricted zones. Where possible, sentinel animals must be bovine animals. They must be free from antibodies as demonstrated by means of a preliminary seronegative test and must be located in areas of the restricted zone where, following a risk analysis considering entomological and ecological evaluations, the presence of the vector has been confirmed or habitats suitable for the vector’s breeding are present,

• Sentinel animals shall be tested at least every month during the period of activity of the vector involved, if known. In the absence of such information the sentinel animals shall be tested at least monthly throughout the year. However, the testing frequency may be adjusted to the seasonal variations of the epidemiological situation during the year to establish the beginning and the end of the circulation of bluetongue virus within the restricted zones,

• The minimum number of sentinel animals per geographical unit must be representative and sufficient in order to detect a monthly incidence of seroconversion(1) of 2 % with a 95 % confidence in each geographical unit.

1.2.

Entomological monitoring

• Entomological monitoring shall consist of an active programme of vector catching by means of permanently sited traps intended to determine the population dynamics and overwintering features of the Culicoides species in the sampled site in order to determine the seasonally vector-free period in the bluetongue seasonally-free zone in accordance with Annex V,

• Only aspiration traps equipped with ultraviolet light shall be used in accordance with pre-established protocols. The traps must be operated throughout the night and operate at a rate of at least one night per week at least during the period of the year necessary to determine the beginning and the end of the seasonally vector free period. At least one trap must be placed in each geographical unit all over the restricted zone. The frequency of operation of the traps must be adjusted to the seasonal variations of the epidemiological situation during the year to optimise the determination of the population dynamics and overwintering features of the Culicoides and may be amended on the basis of the evidence obtained in the three first years of operation of the traps. An adequate proportion of the midges collected in the insect traps must be sent to a specialised laboratory capable of counting and identifying Culicoides species on a routine basis.

(1)

It has been estimated that 20 % is the normal annual rate of seroconversion in an infected zone. However, in the Community, virus circulation mainly takes place in a period of around six months (end of spring/mid autumn). Therefore 2 % is a conservative estimation of the expected monthly rate of seroconversion.