EN
Basic information, including data about the occurrence and the pathogenesis of Bluetongue (BT), have been presented. These were followed by the main topic of this review, being the characterization of the disease occurrence after August 2006 in Europe. Due to climate change and global warming due to climate change and global warming, from this date on the disease appeared for the first time in areas that include northern Europe. On account of two different virus serotypes there are currently two main ongoing epizootics of BT. One, due to BTV-8, has already spread widely; the other, due to BTV-1, is currently starting to spread northwards. It is stressed in the paper that for the first time the infection of BT spread to the north of the 50th latitude. In these areas, affected by BTV-8 serotype, the main vectors are Culicoides species belonging to the Culicoides obsoletus complex, including Culicoides dewulfi and Culicoides chiopterus. The continuation of the BT epizootic, including winter periods, is explained by the persistence of BTV within surviving adult vectors or in the infected animal - cow or sheep - or additionally, thanks to transplacental transmission from infected cows or sheep to their progeny. A chapter of the paper is devoted to veterinary legislation used in the strategy of disease control. As an essential factor in the control of the disease the use of mass vaccination against sheep and cattle BT is recommended. Possible complications observed in the use of live virus attenuated vaccines are mentioned.