{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,14]],"date-time":"2026-09-14T12:02:38Z","timestamp":1789387358347,"version":"build-2803163510"},"reference-count":17,"publisher":"Springer Science and Business Media LLC","issue":"1","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,22]],"date-time":"2026-06-22T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1782086400000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0"},{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,14]],"date-time":"2026-09-14T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1789344000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":84,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["link.springer.com"],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Ir Vet J"],"abstract":"<jats:title>Abstract<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:p>In September 2023, the official national reference laboratory confirmed the presence of BTV serotype 3 in The Netherlands. In the following weeks, it appeared that the infection caused very severe clinical signs in sheep, but it was challenging for the involved veterinary clinicians to select appropriate labeled drugs to treat them. The objective of this study was therefore to document the clinical presentation and survival outcomes of sheep affected by bluetongue and to evaluate the effects of a treatment protocol with and without antihistamines.<\/jats:p>\n                  <jats:p>From a group of 83 sheep with acute and clear clinical signs of bluetongue, one group of 41 sheep received a single injection of meloxicam (1 mg\/kg) followed by oral paracetamol tablets (10\u201320 mg\/kg, 3dd for 3d). Another group with 42 sheep received the same treatment with the addition of an antihistamine injection (chlorphenamine maleate, 1 mg\/kg, 1dd for 3d). Clinical signs and survival rates were monitored for all sheep. Logistic regression and survival analyses were performed to evaluate the data.<\/jats:p>\n                  <jats:p>An overall case fatality rate of 57% was observed, which illustrates the challenge in treating infected na\u00efve animals with BTV-3. The most commonly encountered clinical signs were excessive salivation, dyspnea, depression, and lameness. Severe salivation was associated with significantly reduced survival time. The mean survival time for the group treated with antihistamines was 0.8 days, whereas it was 2.5 days for the group without antihistamines.<\/jats:p>\n                  <jats:p>The results of this study may not be representative of bluetongue infections caused by other serotypes or under different conditions. Based on our findings, however, we cannot recommend the use of antihistamines for treating bluetongue-affected sheep, as they did not improve survival. We would like to emphasize the importance of timely decision-making regarding the continuation or cessation of treatment, given the typically low survival rates in clinically affected sheep.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1186\/s13620-026-00351-5","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,22]],"date-time":"2026-06-22T16:54:25Z","timestamp":1782147265000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/springer_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Clinical observations from a study comparing two different treatments for bluetongue in sheep"],"prefix":"10.1186","volume":"79","author":[{"given":"Ruurd","family":"Jorritsma","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Hannes J. C.","family":"Bijkerk","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Reynaldo","family":"Martina","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Inge M.","family":"van Geijlswijk","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"297","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,22]]},"reference":[{"issue":"17","key":"351_CR1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"591","DOI":"10.1136\/vr.161.17.591","volume":"161","author":"A Backx","year":"2007","unstructured":"Backx A, Heutink CG, Van Rooij EM, Van Rijn PA. Clinical signs of bluetongue virus serotype 8 infection in sheep and goats. Vet Rec. 2007;161(17):591\u20132.","journal-title":"Vet Rec"},{"key":"351_CR2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Brink KMJA van den , Santman-Berends IMGA, Harkema L, Scherpenzeel CGM, Dijkstra E, Bisschop PIH, et al. Bluetongue virus serotype 3 in ruminants in the Netherlands: clinical signs, seroprevalence and pathological findings. Vet Rec. 2024;195(4):e4533.","DOI":"10.1002\/vetr.4533"},{"key":"351_CR3","first-page":"1","volume":"20","author":"K Dib","year":"2022","unstructured":"Dib K, El Banna A, Radulescu C, Lopez Campos G, Sheehan G, Kavanagh K. Histamine produced by gram-negative bacteria impairs neutrophil\u2019s antimicrobial response by engaging the histamine 2 receptor. J Innate Immun. 2022;20:1\u201321.","journal-title":"J Innate Immun"},{"key":"351_CR4","first-page":"698","volume":"21","author":"O Fedets","year":"2015","unstructured":"Fedets O. Comparison of activities of glutathione enzymes in ceacum and liver of cattle, horse, pig, rabbit and sheep. Bulgarian J Agr Sci. 2015;21:698\u2013702.","journal-title":"Bulgarian J Agr Sci"},{"issue":"1","key":"351_CR5","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"514","DOI":"10.1111\/jvim.16944","volume":"38","author":"L Gamsj\u00e4ger","year":"2024","unstructured":"Gamsj\u00e4ger L, Chigerwe M. Clinical presentation, medical management, and outcomes in 35 hospitalized sheep diagnosed with bluetongue virus disease. J Vet Intern Med. 2024;38(1):514\u20139.","journal-title":"J Vet Intern Med"},{"issue":"7","key":"351_CR6","first-page":"230","volume":"106","author":"HP Heckert","year":"1993","unstructured":"Heckert HP, Hofmann W. Klinische Hinweise auf eine unterst\u00fctzende Wirkung von Antihistaminika (Benadryl-parenteral) bei der Behandlung der RSV-Infektion des Rindes. Berl Munch Tierarztl Wochenschr. 1993;106(7):230\u20135.","journal-title":"Berl Munch Tierarztl Wochenschr"},{"issue":"8","key":"351_CR7","first-page":"1552","volume":"30","author":"M Holwerda","year":"2023","unstructured":"Holwerda M, Santman-Berends IMGA, Harders F, Engelsma M, Vloet RPM, Dijkstra E, et al. Emergence of bluetongue serotype 3 in the Netherlands in September 2023. J Emerg Dis. 2023;30(8):1552.","journal-title":"J Emerg Dis"},{"issue":"1864","key":"351_CR8","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"20170919","DOI":"10.1098\/rspb.2017.0919","volume":"284","author":"M Jacquot","year":"2017","unstructured":"Jacquot M, Nomikou K, Palmarini M, Mertens P, Biek R. Bluetongue virus spread in Europe is a consequence of climatic, landscape and vertebrate host factors as revealed by phylogeographic inference. Proc R Soc B Biol Sci. 2017;284(1864):20170919.","journal-title":"Proc R Soc B Biol Sci"},{"key":"351_CR9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Jorritsma R., Brink K.M.J.A. van den, Schaik G. van, Roos L., Rijn P. van, Holwerda M. 2025 Longitudinal monitoring of cattle infected by bluetongue virus serotype 3 on a commercial Holstein dairy farm in the Netherlands. Vet Rec Case Reports 13(2): e70068","DOI":"10.1002\/vrc2.70068"},{"key":"351_CR10","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"198","DOI":"10.1002\/inpr.429","volume":"46","author":"F Lovatt","year":"2024","unstructured":"Lovatt F, Tarlinton R, Groenevelt M. Treatment considerations for bluetongue virus serotype-3 cases in sheep. In Pract. 2024;46:198\u2013203.","journal-title":"In Pract"},{"key":"351_CR11","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"84","DOI":"10.1016\/j.vetmic.2017.03.015","volume":"206","author":"C Mayo","year":"2017","unstructured":"Mayo C, Lee J, Kopanke J, MacLachlan NJ. A review of potential bluetongue virus vaccine strategies. Vet Microbiol. 2017;206:84\u201390.","journal-title":"Vet Microbiol"},{"issue":"6","key":"351_CR12","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"537","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1365-2885.2010.01177.x","volume":"33","author":"L Mat\u00e9","year":"2010","unstructured":"Mat\u00e9 L, Virkel G, Lifschitz A, Sallovitz J, Ballent M, Lanusse C. Phase 1 and phase 2 metabolic activities along the small intestine in adult male sheep. J Vet Pharmacol Ther. 2010;33(6):537\u201345.","journal-title":"J Vet Pharmacol Ther"},{"key":"351_CR13","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"445","DOI":"10.1111\/avj.13104","volume":"99","author":"R Munn","year":"2021","unstructured":"Munn R, Woodward A, Beths T, Whittem T. Observations on the use of a pain numbing device for repetitive percutaneous sampling in sheep. 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Nat Rev Microbiol. 2005;3(2):171\u201381.","journal-title":"Nat Rev Microbiol"},{"issue":"1","key":"351_CR16","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"258","DOI":"10.1080\/01652176.2020.1831708","volume":"40","author":"M Saminathan","year":"2020","unstructured":"Saminathan M, Singh KP, Khorajiya JH, Dinesh M, Vineetha S, Maity M, et al. An updated review on bluetongue virus: epidemiology, pathobiology, and advances in diagnosis and control with special reference to India. Vet Q. 2020;40(1):258\u2013321.","journal-title":"Vet Q"},{"key":"351_CR17","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"100140","DOI":"10.1016\/j.medidd.2022.100140","volume":"15","author":"BL Travi","year":"2022","unstructured":"Travi BL. Current status of antihistamine drugs repurposing for infectious diseases. Med Drug Discov. 2022;15:100140.","journal-title":"Med Drug Discov"}],"container-title":["Irish Veterinary Journal"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/link.springer.com\/article\/10.1186\/s13620-026-00351-5","content-type":"text\/html","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/link.springer.com\/content\/pdf\/10.1186\/s13620-026-00351-5.pdf","content-type":"application\/pdf","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/link.springer.com\/content\/pdf\/10.1186\/s13620-026-00351-5.pdf","content-type":"application\/pdf","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,14]],"date-time":"2026-09-14T11:03:19Z","timestamp":1789383799000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/link.springer.com\/10.1186\/s13620-026-00351-5"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,22]]},"references-count":17,"journal-issue":{"issue":"1","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,12]]}},"alternative-id":["351"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1186\/s13620-026-00351-5","relation":{},"ISSN":["2046-0481"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2046-0481","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,22]]},"assertion":[{"value":"3 February 2026","order":1,"name":"received","label":"Received","group":{"name":"ArticleHistory","label":"Article History"}},{"value":"7 June 2026","order":2,"name":"accepted","label":"Accepted","group":{"name":"ArticleHistory","label":"Article History"}},{"value":"22 June 2026","order":3,"name":"first_online","label":"First Online","group":{"name":"ArticleHistory","label":"Article History"}},{"value":"We contacted the Animal Welfare Body of Utrecht University to obtain ethical approval for the study. They stated that no ethical approval was required or possible, as this study is not regarded as an animal experiment according to Dutch law. As we only used drugs that are available in clinical practice for the use in sheep according to the EU legislation, we needed no approval from the medicines regulatory authority.","order":1,"name":"Ethics","label":"Ethics approval and consent to participate","group":{"name":"EthicsHeading","label":"Declarations"}},{"value":"All the authors have approved the manuscript for submission.","order":2,"name":"Ethics","label":"Consent for publication","group":{"name":"EthicsHeading","label":"Declarations"}},{"value":"The authors declare no competing interests.","order":3,"name":"Ethics","label":"Competing interests","group":{"name":"EthicsHeading","label":"Declarations"}}],"article-number":"35"}}