The economic impact of Bluetongue and other orbiviruses in sub-Saharan Africa, with special reference to Southern Africa.

The research article is about the economic impact of Bluetongue (BT) and African horse sickness (AHS), two significant orbiviral diseases, particularly in Southern Africa; it analyses the effects of these diseases on local, regional, and global scales utilizing reported data from outbreaks and international trade records.

Understanding Bluetongue (BT) and African horse sickness (AHS)

• The study focuses on two major orbiviral diseases – Bluetongue (BT) and African horse sickness (AHS), which have a significant presence in Southern African countries.
• Due to their endemic status, quantifying the economic impacts of these diseases presents significant challenges.

Analysis Methods

• The study adopts an analytical approach based on reported data from outbreaks of BT and AHS.
• It also incorporates international trade data to appreciate the broader global economic implications of these diseases.

Economic Impact of BT and AHS

• The paper discusses how the impact of these diseases at the local level, specifically in the Southern African region, often tends to be underestimated due to underreporting.
• Notable exceptions occur during some disease epidemic cycles that significantly impact regional animal movement and global trading activities, especially notable in the case of AHS in South Africa.

BT, AHS, and Regional Animal Movement

• The research indicates that BT is not directly implicated as a significant non-tariff barrier for regional movement. However, some unspecified import permit clauses referring to ‘OIE listed diseases’ usually include endemic diseases like BT.
• AHS, on the other hand, vastly impacts regional and global economies owing to movement restrictions within AHS control zones in South Africa and international movement of horses from the same country.