Commission Regulation (EC) No 1266/2007Show full title

ANNEX I U.K. Minimum requirements for bluetongue monitoring and surveillance programmes (referred to in Article 4)

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.

2. Minimum requirements for bluetongue surveillance programmes to be implemented by the Member States outside restricted zones U.K.

Bluetongue surveillance programmes outside restricted zones shall be aimed at the detection of virus circulation in a bluetongue-free Member State or epidemiologically relevant geographical area and must consist at least of the following elements:

2.1.

Passive clinical surveillance:

• shall consist of a formal and ongoing system aimed at detecting and investigating suspicions of bluetongue including an early warning system for reporting suspicious cases. Owners or holders of animals as well as veterinarians must report promptly any suspicion of bluetongue to the competent authority. All suspected cases of bluetongue must be investigated immediately,

• must be specially reinforced during the season of vector activity, and in particular at its beginning,

• must ensure that awareness campaigns are put in place and aimed, in particular, at enabling veterinarians and farmers in identifying clinical signs of bluetongue.

2.2.

Serological surveillance:

• shall consist of an active annual programme of serological testing of susceptible species populations, aimed at detecting evidence of the bluetongue virus transmission through random or targeted serological and/or virological testing proportional to the risk of infection of the Member State or epidemiologically relevant geographical area and performed in the period of the year when seroconversion is more likely to be detected,

• must be designed in such a way that the samples are representative of the bovine population in the Member State or in an epidemiologically relevant geographical area and the sample size has been calculated to detect a prevalence of 0,5 % with 95 % confidence in the bovine population of that Member State or geographical area,

• must ensure that samples sizes are adjusted to the structure of the bovine population to be sampled and for the use of targeted surveillance, focusing the sampling for the surveillance on high-risk populations in which specific commonly known risk factors exist. The design of the targeted surveillance must ensure that seropositive animals from vaccinated or immunised populations referred to in points 5, 6 and 7 of Part A of Annex III do not interfere with the bluetongue surveillance programme.

2.3.

Entomological surveillance:

• shall consist of an active annual programme of vector catching aimed at gathering information on the proven and potential vector species in the Member State or in an epidemiologically relevant geographical area, their distribution and seasonal profiles,

• shall be implemented in all Member States where information on the proven and potential vector species, their distribution and seasonal profiles in the Member State is lacking.

(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.