Sheep virus may creep further south New strains of the
bluetongue virus, which may spread through Australia's cattle
and sheep populations, have been picked up by a disease
monitoring program. Scientists from the National Arbovirus
Monitoring Program have detected strains of the virus in
northern regions of Australia. But some researchers think that
the virus could spread to regions further south, a virulent
strain could infect livestock, or the midges that spread the
disease could move to sheep grazing areas. The bluetongue virus
infects cattle but they do not get the disease. In cases
reported overseas, blood-sucking midges of the genus Culicoides
transmit the virus to sheep, which then fall ill. Infected sheep
have a fever and swell up; they could also have lesions around
the face, feet and mouth. In severe cases the sheep die within
two weeks. British sheep breeds are most susceptible to the
disease, followed by Merinos. Sheep exposed to more sunlight and
stress are also likely to get a more severe form o