Bluetongue Virus in the Mediterranean Basin 1998–2001

Mellor, P. S.; Wittmann, E.J.

doi:10.1053/tvjl.2002.0713

Cited by 293 publications

(257 citation statements)

References 48 publications

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“…However, C. imicola has not been found in northern Europe where BTV-8 was transmitted very efficiently, nor in the Balkan areas of Europe where BTV-9 occurred. Novel vector species of Culicoides, belonging to the C. obsoletus and C. pulicaris complexes of species, are probably involved in BTV transmission in such areas [63].…”

Section: Epidemiological Situation From 1900 To 2008mentioning

confidence: 99%

Bluetongue virus: virology, pathogenesis and immunity

et al. 2008

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-Bluetongue (BT) virus, an orbivirus of the Reoviridae family encompassing 24 known serotypes, is transmitted to ruminants via certain species of biting midges (Culicoides spp.) and causes thrombo-hemorrhagic fevers mainly in sheep. During the 20th century, BTV was endemic in sub-tropical regions but in the last ten years, new strains of BTV (serotypes 1, 2, 4, 8, 9, 16) have appeared in Europe leading to a devastating disease in naive sheep and bovine herds (serotype 8). BTV enters into insect cells via the viral inner core VP7 protein and in mammalian cells via the external capsid VP2 haemagglutinin, which is the major determinant of BTV serotype and neutralization. BTV replicates in mononuclear phagocytes and endothelial cells where it induces expression of inflammatory cytokines as well as apoptosis. BTV can remain as nonreplicating entities concealed in erythrocytes for up to five months. Homologous protection against one BTV serotype involves neutralizing antibodies and T cell responses directed to the external VP2 and VP5 proteins, whereas heterologous protection is supported by T cells directed to the NS1 non structural protein and inner core proteins.

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Section: Epidemiological Situation From 1900 To 2008mentioning

confidence: 99%

Bluetongue virus: virology, pathogenesis and immunity

et al. 2008

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“…This makes C. imicola the most widely distributed of all Culicoides species though it was only in 1982 that it was first recorded in Europe -in parts of southern Spain [87]. However, it is now known to be widespread across virtually the whole southern part of that continent having been recorded throughout most of Portugal, much of Spain and Italy, large areas of mainland Greece, many Mediterranean islands including Corsica, the Balearics, Sardinia, Sicily, Malta and much of the Greek archipelago [40,85]. Indeed, the most recent finding in southern Switzerland is, at 46° N, the furthest north that this species has so far been found anywhere in the world (Cagienard and Griot, 2003 -personal communication).…”

Section: Culicoides Imicolamentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, surprisingly isolations were also made from mixed pools of Culicoides consisting almost entirely of C. obsoletus and C. pulicaris but excluding C. imicola suggesting that one or both of these species might also be involved in the transmission AHSV in Europe [89]. More than 10 years after this suggestion, C. obsoletus and C. pulicaris group midges have both been implicated as vectors of BTV during the 1998-2003 incursions of that virus into Europe [23,85,114]. Indeed, the presence of these novel field vectors has been cited as the main reason why BTV has been able to penetrate into wide areas of Europe where C. imicola is absent [83,85].…”

Section: Other Potential Culicoides Vectors Of Ahsvmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…More than 10 years after this suggestion, C. obsoletus and C. pulicaris group midges have both been implicated as vectors of BTV during the 1998-2003 incursions of that virus into Europe [23,85,114]. Indeed, the presence of these novel field vectors has been cited as the main reason why BTV has been able to penetrate into wide areas of Europe where C. imicola is absent [83,85]. Consequently, as BTV and AHSV utilise the same species of Culicoides as vectors it is probable that in regions where C. obsoletus and C. pulicaris are abundant future incursions of the equid virus could also extend well beyond the distribution of C. imicola.…”

Section: Other Potential Culicoides Vectors Of Ahsvmentioning

confidence: 99%

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African horse sickness

2004

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-African horse sickness virus (AHSV) causes a non-contagious, infectious insect-borne disease of equids and is endemic in many areas of sub-Saharan Africa and possibly Yemen in the Arabian Peninsula. However, periodically the virus makes excursions beyond its endemic areas and has at times extended as far as India and Pakistan in the east and Spain and Portugal in the west. The vectors are certain species of Culicoides biting midge the most important of which is the AfroAsiatic species C. imicola. This paper describes the effects that AHSV has on its equid hosts, aspects of its epidemiology, and present and future prospects for control. The distribution of AHSV seems to be governed by a number of factors including the efficiency of control measures, the presence or absence of a long term vertebrate reservoir and, most importantly, the prevalence and seasonal incidence of the major vector which is controlled by climate. However, with the advent of climatechange the major vector, C. imicola, has now significantly extended its range northwards to include much of Portugal, Spain, Italy and Greece and has even been recorded from southern Switzerland. Furthermore, in many of these new locations the insect is present and active throughout the entire year. With the related bluetongue virus, which utilises the same vector species of Culicoides this has, since 1998, precipitated the worst outbreaks of bluetongue disease ever recorded with the virus extending further north in Europe than ever before and apparently becoming endemic in that continent. The prospects for similar changes in the epidemiology and distribution of AHSV are discussed.

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“…The explosive outbreaks of BTV in the Mediterranean Basin since 1998 have been fuelled largely by the classical Afro-Asian vector C. imicola [1,19]. It is known that C. imicola s.l.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Molecular detection ofCulicoidesspp. andCulicoides imicola, the principal vector of bluetongue (BT) and African horse sickness (AHS) in Africa and Europe

et al. 2004

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-Bluetongue (BT) and African Horse Sickness (AHS) are infectious arthropod-borne viral diseases affecting ruminants and horses, respectively. Culicoides imicola Kieffer, 1913, a biting midge, is the principal vector of these livestock diseases in Africa and Europe. Recently bluetongue disease has re-emerged in the Mediterranean Basin and has had a devastating effect on the sheep industry in Italy and on the islands of Sicily, Sardinia, Corsica and the Balearics, but fortunately, has not penetrated onto mainland France and Spain. To survey for the presence of C. imicola, an extensive light-trap network for the collection of Culicoides, was implemented in 2002 in southern mainland France. The morphological identification of Culicoides can be both tedious and time-consuming because its size ranges from 1.5 to 3 mm. Therefore, an ITS 1 rDNA polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based diagnostic assay was developed to rapidly and reliably identify Culicoides spp. and C. imicola. The aim of this work was to set up a rapid test for the detection of C. imicola amongst a pool of insects collected in areas at risk for BT. The sequence similarity of the rDNA (nuclear ribosomal DNA), which is greater within species than between species, is the foundation of its utilisation in species-diagnostic assays. The alignment of the 11 ITS1 sequences of Culicoides obtained from Genbank and EMBL databases helped us to identify one region in the 5' end and one in the 3' end that appear highly conserved. PCR primers were designed within these regions to amplify genus-specific fragments. In order to set up a C. imicola-specific PCR, another forward primer was designed and used in combination with the previously designed reverse primer. These primers proved to be highly specific and sensitive and permitted a rapid diagnostic separation of C. imicola from Culicoides spp. molecular detection / Culicoides imicola / ITS1 / PCR / bluetongue

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Bluetongue Virus in the Mediterranean Basin 1998–2001

Cited by 293 publications

References 48 publications

Bluetongue virus: virology, pathogenesis and immunity

Bluetongue virus: virology, pathogenesis and immunity

African horse sickness

Molecular detection ofCulicoidesspp. andCulicoides imicola, the principal vector of bluetongue (BT) and African horse sickness (AHS) in Africa and Europe

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