2000
The biggest Bluetongue outbreak recorded in Europe took place in Italy during the summer and autumn of 2000. Three regions (Sardinia, Sicily and Calabria) were affected.54.7% of Italy's total sheep and goat population is situated in these areas.
Serotypes isolated
In Sardinia, 240,000 animals (mainly sheep) died in the BTV2 outbreak.
2001
In the summer and autumn of 2001, the epidemic spread to the South and West of Italy, involving 5 new Regions. In southern Italy, the predominant serotype was BTV9, whereas along the Tyrrhenian coast and in Sardinia only BTV2 was observed.
Sardinia: No vaccinations took place. More than 250,000 animals (mainly sheep) died in the second wave of the epidemic.
2002
In 2002 and 2003, Italy was stricken by two new serotypes (BTV4 and BTV16), Sardinia was also infected. There were 3,000 BTV4 outbreaks.
In Italy, 12 regions were involved with the BTV outbreakl, reaching the borders of the Po Valley (the Emilia Romagna Appennines).
Sardinia: on 28th January, the vaccination campaign with the BTV2 live attenuated vaccine, produced by the Onderstepoort Institute (South Africa) began.
More than 90% of the regional sheep and goat stock were vaccinated.
2003
Sardinia: 2nd vaccination campaign took place with the BTV2 live attenuated vaccine, produced by the Onderstepoort Institute (South Africa).
More than 80% of the regional sheep and goat stock were vaccinated. In autumn, a new serotype, BTV4, appeared. More than 90,000 animals died in this outbreak. At the end of the year, the spread of serotype BTV16 was recorded.
2004
Sardinia:3rd vaccination campaign carried out with the BTV2-BTV4-BTV16 live attenuated vaccine, produced by the Onderstepoort Institute (South Africa).
More than 30% of the sheep and goat stock were vaccinated.There was however severe direct losses from abortions and deaths as well as indirect losses from reduced fertility and decreased milk production amongst vaccinated animals.There were more than 150 outbreaks of infection with more than 5,000 deaths.
2005
Sardinia: 4th vaccination campaign carried out with:
Breeding sheep and susceptible animals destined to be moved were vaccinated with the live vaccine.
No centres of infection reported. Less than 5% of susceptible animals were vaccinatted. No side effects following vaccination were reported.
2006
Sardinia: 5th vaccination campaign carried out with:
The live attenuated vaccine was used for animals destined to be moved (especially cattle).
Breeding sheep and sheep destined for movement were vaccinated with the bivalent inactivated vaccine. For contingency reasons, some flocks to be moved from the island were vaccinated with the attenuated inactivated vaccine.
The vaccination was administered to a similar number of animals as in 2005.
Absence of side effects following the vaccination.
At the end of October, the appearance of a new serotype, BTV1, caused an epidemic killing 3,000 adult animals and 1,200 lambs.
2007
Sardinia: 20 foci of infection, of which 1 at Mores (north of the island), serotype BTV2 virus was isolated. In the other 19 foci, antibody titres against serotypes 2, 4 and 16 were observed, but no virus was isolated..
6 th vaccination campaign carried out with:
1.200,000 sheep (non-migratory population and subjects destined to be moved) were vaccinated with BTV1 monovalent live attenuated vaccine produced by the Zoo-prophylaxis Institute, there were negligible side effects.
Breeding sheep were vaccinated with the bivalent inactivated vaccine.
A similar nuber of animals to that vaccinated in 2005 were vaccinated with the inactivated vaccine.