BVDV control and eradication in Europe -an update

Infections with bovine viral diarrhoea virus (BVDV) are endemic in cattle populations worldwide and result in major economic losses. For long, attempts to control BVDV were limited to prophylactic vaccination practices, implemented primarily to reduce or prevent clinical disease on a herd basis. However, the benefit of preventing clinical disease in transiently infected animals is negligible when considering the overall losses of the disease. Another more systematic strategy to control evolved during the 1990s within eradication programmes in the Scandinavian countries. This was based on an initial determination of herd BVDV status, followed by implementation of systematic zoo-sanitary measures at a regional or national scale (without the use of vaccines) to prevent introduction of BVDV in non-infected herds, and to reduce the prevalence of infected herds by identification and elimination of PI animals. These programmes have been very successful, and all of the Scandinavian countries are currently either free, or almost free from BVDV. Today control programmes are underway in several European countries. This short review discusses the general model of BVDV control, and gives an overview of strategies used within, and the current status of, the ongoing control programmes in Europe.