IBR situation in Italy

• Cattle number: 6.51 m
• IBR status: Positive. The province of Bolzano with 0.14 m cattle is officially IBR-free
• Official IBR eradication plan: There is no national legislation on IBR eradication however obligatory eradication programs are implemented in three provinces from the North-East part of Italy (Bolzano, Trento and Belluno) and voluntary eradication programs in four regions (Friuli, Veneto, Lombardia and Piemonte)
• IBR-free certification: There are two types of certification:
  • IBR officially free herds
    All the animals aging more than 12 months of age are tested for IBR antibodies (ELISA IBR total antibodies test). If all the animals are negative it is necessary to repeat the test (all the animals) after at least 6 months (between 3 and 12 months in Friuli, between 1 and 12 months in Veneto and between 1 and 3 months in Lombardia): if the animals are still negative the herd will achieve an IBR free certification.
  • IBR free herds
    All the animals aging more than 12 months of age are tested for IBR antibodies (ELISA IBR gE test). If all the animals are negative it is necessary to repeat the test (all the animals) after at least 6 months (between 3 and 12 months in Friuli, between 1 and 12 months in Veneto and between 1 and 3 months in Lombardia): if the animals are still negative the herd will achieve an IBR free certification.
• IBR herd/individual prevalence: Latest data from Prof. S. Cavirani shows that 61% of the herds tested are IBR positive. From the same source 39% of the animals tested were IBR positive
• Vaccination: Both conventional and marker vaccines (live and inactivated) are available and used in the field. In the province of Trento and the region of Friuli only IBR-marker vaccines are allowed.

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