Nairobi Sheep Disease Virus

There are many different viruses around the world that can cause serious illness in humans and animals. One such virus is Nairobi Sheep Disease, which belongs to the Togavirus arbovirus group. This virus was first discovered in 1910, and since then it has caused many diseases in sheep in different

Sheep Nairobi disease virus (VBNA), also known as sheep Nairobi fever virus, is a highly contagious virus that causes disease in a large number of sheep and goats in regions of East Africa. It is one of the most common infectious diseases associated with sheep farming, affecting animals of different ages and sexes. The disease is also known by various names such as Nairobi encephalitis, Nairobi encephalomyelitis or epizootic encephalitis.

Nairobi Sheep Disease Virus is a member of the genus Flavoviruses and belongs to the family Toga viridae. It spreads through mosquito bites and is transmitted through airborne transmission. VBNA can infect sheep of any age, including newborn animals, and can also cause deaths. The main problem is that the disease is extremely contagious, which means that during epidemics, the mosquitoes that spread it can infect up to 98% of the sheep population in three days.

Symptoms of VBNA infection include fever, cough, swelling of the scalp and airways, nasal discharge, difficulty breathing, diarrhea, fever, and more. The incubation period of the disease can be short or long, depending on the degree of infection and the state of the animal's immunity. Severe forms of the disease can cause seizures, blindness, hearing loss, muscle paralysis and respiratory problems, which often lead to the death of sheep.

Preventative measures against VBNA are mainly based on the control of mosquitoes and mosquitoes that transmit the virus. For this purpose, farm areas, sheds, paddocks and other buildings are disinfected, insecticides are used and