Cows died and people are in danger

Kyu fever, for which there is no cure, was discovered on four cow farms in Nikšić, and two cows died from the disease, and 20 were euthanized.

Veterinarian Petko Mikić said that two goats died on the same farm and that they had been confirmed to have dengue fever.

He warned that the most problematic thing is that the fever can spread to humans.

"It can be transmitted to humans through mosquitoes, through droplet infection, through equipment used in barns, as well as manure that is in those barns. The most at-risk group are veterinarians and farm owners. Following the movement of throats from that farm, we came to three more farms where 20 head of cattle were confirmed to have Q fever - seven in one, 12 in another, while one head was infected in the third," Mikić said.

He explained that all infected throats are euthanized, because they cannot be cured, while vaccination of healthy ones is not possible because there is no effective medicine against Q fever.

"The disease is caused by the protozoan coxiela burnetii, and when it enters the animal's body, it is mainly located on the lungs, genital organs and mammary gland, which is why we have symptoms such as frequent pneumonia, miscarriage or placental abruption, and sterility."

Mikić assessed that it is an insidious infection, because it occurs in a hidden form and attacks cattle, sheep and goats, and less often pigs and dogs.

Milk and meat from diseased animals can be used if they are thermally processed, and the danger exists only if cheese is produced from milk that has not been thermally processed.

"When it comes to buying, there is no fear because every dairy pasteurizes milk," claims Mikić.

On the farm where kyu fever was discovered, the disease also occurred in 2007.

"Then five or six cattle fell ill. The householder who has now euthanized 12 cattle had a total of 35, while the farm where kyu fever was detected in seven cattle had a total of 14 cattle. On the third farm, out of five heads, one got sick. We will control the remaining throats, which are not infected, in a month," Mikić said.

The damage will be compensated to the farmers.

Epidemiological service uninformed

Due to the possibility of human infection, Mikić says that the veterinary inspector is obliged to inform the competent epidemiological service at the Health Center after registering the fever.

"As far as I know, he has already done that and all those farms are under observation and taken care of," Mikić told "Vijesta".

The epidemiology service at the Nikšić Health Center said that they have not yet received a notification from the veterinary inspection that kyu fever has been registered.