National Arbovirus Monitoring Program (NAMP)

This program monitors the distribution of three important insect-borne viruses (arboviruses) of livestock:

• Bluetongue virus
• Akabane virus
• Bovine ephemeral fever (BEF) or 3 day sickness

NAMP information is used to:

Support trade
NAMP information is used during export protocol negotiations and to assist exporters in meeting export certification requirements

Provide an early warning to producers
Surveillance detects new incursions and warns producers of arboviral spread into new areas where cattle not previously exposed may suffer severe symptoms

Management risk
Exporters can identify areas free from arbovirus activity to source live export cattle for arbovirus sensitive markets.

Arboviruses are spread by Culicoides midges and the distribution of these insects varies seasonally. In the Northern Territory arbovirus activity occurs in the north while the south remains free.The boundary between these zones – the surveillance zone runs across the southern Katherine and Tennant Creek regions.

The department maintains a network of sentinel cattle herds at research stations throughout the Territory. Blood samples are collected from cattle and insect vectors are trapped at monthly intervals. Sentinel herd results are used to update the NAMP map and reflect the seasonal changes in arbovirus distribution.

Several strains of bluetongue virus have been identified in Northern Territory but have not produced clinical disease in cattle. Akabane and BEF are both endemic in northern NT and can cause seasonal illness and production losses in cattle.

Further information

• www.namp.com.au
• NAMP Agnote
• Bluetongue Agnote
• BEF Agnote