Bluetongue in Belgium, 2006

Abstract

Bluetongue has emerged recently in Belgium. A bluetongue virus strain was isolated and characterized as serotype 8. Two new real-time reverse transcription–quantitative PCRs (RT-qPCRs) that amplified 2 different segments of bluetongue virus detected this exotic strain. These 2 RT-qPCRs detected infection earlier than a competitive ELISA for antibody detection.

Experimental reproduction of bluetongue virus serotype 8 clinical disease in calves

“…Bluetongue virus serotype 8 (BTV-8) strain BEL2006/01 P2, isolated during the 2006 epidemic season in Belgium, was used (Toussaint et al, 2007b). First the virus was isolated from the EDTA-blood on embryonated chicken eggs, and subsequently propagated on BHK-21 cell culture.…”

“…During the 2006-2007 outbreaks of BTV-8 in northern and central Europe (Toussaint et al, 2007b), Cattle are commonly subclinically infected following natural or experimental infection with bluetongue virus (BTV). The introduction of BTV serotype 8 (BTV-8) in Europe has been characterized by the manifestation of clinical signs in infected cattle.…”

Spatial and Temporal Evolution of Bluetongue Virus in Wild Ruminants, Spain

“…htm). BTV is distributed worldwide between the latitudes 42°30′N and 35°S (6), but it has recently spread northward (1,7). The potential for economic losses make BT a disease reportable to the World Organisation for Animal Health.…”

Bluetongue in Eurasian Lynx

“…The specifi city of the cytopathic effect, observed 48 hours after passage on baby hamster kidney-21 cells, was confi rmed by real-time reverse transcriptase-quantitative PCR. Virus neutralization using specifi c reference serum (5) proved that the isolated virus was BTV-8. Anti-BTV antibodies were detected in lung tissue fl uid from animal 2 (ID Screen Bluetongue Competition assay, ID VET, Monpellier, France) (6).…”