Introduction Bluetongue (BT) is a viral disease transmitted by Culicoides spp. and affecting wild and domestic ruminants. Severe disease is mostly limited to some sheep breeds and some deer species. This study aims to quantify the BT economic impact on the sheep industry and the national health service(NHS). The analysis considers the economic burden of the 2017 outbreak caused by BTV-4 in Sardinia, a region where 3 million sheep concentrated, and flock density is very high. Methodology The studydeveloped a deterministic farm model that incorporates epidemiologic, zootechnical and economic variables. The analysis relied on data from the national veterinary database, a questionnaire survey to farmers and public health services, as well as interviews to experts. Based on estimation assumptions, a sequence of equations described the costs in the different livestock categories according to the clinical courses of the disease, by allowing a comprehensive assessment at the farm level. The parameters for the quantification of damages to sheep affected in sub-acute forms were deducted from farm interviews. NHS costs wereevaluated by analyzing the activities needed to implement BT surveillance and intervention measures. Public subventions to affected farms were included in the estimation. Results and conclusions In Sardinia, the 2017 BTV-4 epidemics affected 2,393 farms with 830,634 sheep. 121,913 cases were recorded with 34,574 deaths. The total cost was estimated in € 29.6 million, out of which € 18.6 million or 63% were farm production losses, € 7.1 million or 24% were the costs for the NHS, and € 3.9 million were subventions to affected farms. This study proposes a wide analysis of losses and resource consumption caused by BT at different levels (private and public sectors). Our epidemiological-economic model could provide important information to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of new possible intervention strategies against BT
Canali, M., Romanelli, C., Aragrande, M. (2024). Evaluation of private and public costs of sheep blue tongue disease: the case of Sardinia BTV-4 epidemics.. International Symposia on Veterinary Epidemiology and Economics.
Evaluation of private and public costs of sheep blue tongue disease: the case of Sardinia BTV-4 epidemics.
Massimo Canali
Primo
;Costanza RomanelliSecondo
;Maurizio AragrandeUltimo
2024
Abstract
Introduction Bluetongue (BT) is a viral disease transmitted by Culicoides spp. and affecting wild and domestic ruminants. Severe disease is mostly limited to some sheep breeds and some deer species. This study aims to quantify the BT economic impact on the sheep industry and the national health service(NHS). The analysis considers the economic burden of the 2017 outbreak caused by BTV-4 in Sardinia, a region where 3 million sheep concentrated, and flock density is very high. Methodology The studydeveloped a deterministic farm model that incorporates epidemiologic, zootechnical and economic variables. The analysis relied on data from the national veterinary database, a questionnaire survey to farmers and public health services, as well as interviews to experts. Based on estimation assumptions, a sequence of equations described the costs in the different livestock categories according to the clinical courses of the disease, by allowing a comprehensive assessment at the farm level. The parameters for the quantification of damages to sheep affected in sub-acute forms were deducted from farm interviews. NHS costs wereevaluated by analyzing the activities needed to implement BT surveillance and intervention measures. Public subventions to affected farms were included in the estimation. Results and conclusions In Sardinia, the 2017 BTV-4 epidemics affected 2,393 farms with 830,634 sheep. 121,913 cases were recorded with 34,574 deaths. The total cost was estimated in € 29.6 million, out of which € 18.6 million or 63% were farm production losses, € 7.1 million or 24% were the costs for the NHS, and € 3.9 million were subventions to affected farms. This study proposes a wide analysis of losses and resource consumption caused by BT at different levels (private and public sectors). Our epidemiological-economic model could provide important information to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of new possible intervention strategies against BTI documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
