Blue tongue disease alert issued for Dominican Republic livestock

Veterinary specialist Radhamés Silverio Céspedes has issued an alert regarding the potential circulation of blue tongue disease, a viral illness also known as ovine fever catarrhal, in the Dominican Republic. The disease primarily affects ruminants, including cattle, sheep, and goats, though it does not pose a risk to human health.

The outbreak is reportedly linked to 81 water buffalo imported from Central America in July. Local tests in mid-August and subsequent confirmatory testing in the United States at the end of August indicated positive results.

Silverio, a professor at the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo (UASD), has called on the Ministry of Agriculture and the General Directorate of Livestock to increase epidemiological surveillance. He emphasized the need for official transparency regarding the specific serotype identified, the testing protocols used, and the quarantine conditions of the animals. The presence of the virus could lead to significant economic consequences, including restrictions on the movement and commercialization of livestock, genetic material, and animal products, particularly as the country continues to manage the impact of African Swine Fever.