Scientists from The Pirbright Institute have been engaging with farmers and vets as the Pirbright Institute reinforces its response to bluetongue virus.
Over 750 UK cases of serotype 3 (BTV-3) have been reported to date in the 2026-27 bluetongue season. More than 650 are in England, with the South West worst affected.
Around 8,500 tests for BTV have been completed by the Institute’s Non-Vesicular Reference Laboratory (NVRL) which is now sharing a proportion of testing with the Animal and Plant Health Agency in Weybridge.
Dr Carrie Batten, Head of the NVRL, said: “The sharing of testing with the APHA and the redeployment of staff from their roles to outbreak response mode is allowing us to make significant progress.
“Pirbright carries out BTV testing on behalf of APHA and Defra, which is currently taking up to 7 working days. If disease confirmation is required, results take longer. Pirbright can only confirm results once the testing process is complete.”
Dr Simon Gubbins, Group Leader in Transmission Biology at Pirbright, has been using mathematical models of BTV spread to help understand what has been driving the pattern of cases seen this year and to develop scenarios for how the BTV situation may develop over the coming months.
Scientists from the Institute have also been speaking at agricultural shows and livestock markets across the UK over the past month to share information with farmers and vets.
Dr Chris Sanders, Group Leader in Entomology, gave in-person talks at meetings organised by the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) at Gisburn, Carlisle and Shrewsbury, together with several online webinars.
“Farmers and vets are anxious,” said Chris. “It’s not just those in the South of England who are concerned that bluetongue will impact animals this year and fertility into the next season. Everyone I’ve spoken to is considering vaccination or has vaccinated already.”
Dr Marion England, Fellow in Vector Ecology at Pirbright, has been conducting field research into Culicoides midges which transmit BTV.
“I have been midge trapping at seven BTV infected farms in Devon to identify, pool and test collected midges for BTV. Our aim is to determine BTV prevalence in midge populations during peak transmission, and to evaluate the relative contribution of different midge species. We are also collecting blood samples from culled deer across the UK to test for BTV antibodies and looking at midge populations around deer.”
The Institute is asking those submitting test samples to ensure the form is completed correctly, checked before it is sealed, and that the parcel is clearly identified as ERZ, WRZ or Pre-licence move before it is sent.
Dr Batten added: “We urge people not to contact the laboratory directly. We cannot provide results over the phone or by email. For queries regarding test results, please contact APHA on 03000 200 301.”
For more information on the latest bluetongue situation, visit the UK Gov website, and for more information on Pirbright’s research into bluetongue virus, visit our webpage.