Serological survey of ruminant livestock in some countries of the Caribbean region and South America for antibody to bluetongue virus

Abstract

A serological survey of 6250 sera from cattle, sheep and goats in seven Caribbean and two South American countries showed that antibody to bluetongue virus was widely distributed in each species throughout the survey area. Overall prevalences of antibody were 70 per cent in cattle, 67 per cent in sheep and 76 per cent in goats as assessed by an immunodiffusion test. Within countries the percentage prevalences were Jamaica 77, St Kitts/Nevis 70, Antigua 76, St Lucia 82, Barbados 61, Grenada 88, Trinidad and Tobago 79, Guyana 52 and Surinam 84. No clinical cases of bluetongue have been confirmed in the area surveyed and there are no virus isolates available to indicate which serotype(s) of virus is/are causing the infection(s).

Bluetongue virus in South America, Central America and the Caribbean

“…From the early 1980s to the early 1990s, BTV was detected in Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Panamá, Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, Puerto Rico, Jamaica, French Martinique Island, French Guadeloupe Island and Dominican Republic (MacLachlan et al, 2007;Mo et al, 1994;Walton and Osburn, 1992). In this region, serotypes 1, 3,4,6,8,11,12,14 and 17 were detected by serotype specific antibodies and serotypes 1, 3, 4, 6, 8, 12 and 17 by virus isolation (Mo et al, 1994;Gibbs et al, 1992Gibbs et al, , 1983Greiner et al, 1989Greiner et al, , 1993Gumm et al, 1984;Homan et al, 1990). In 1981, Metcalf et al (1981) detected almost 80% of prevalence in Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands.…”

“…In 1981, Metcalf et al (1981) detected almost 80% of prevalence in Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands. In the 1980s, Gibbs et al (1983) described an overall seroprevalence of 70% in cattle, 67% in sheep and 76% in goats, detected by Agar Gel Immuno-Diffusion (AGID). These authors also described high prevalence percentages in Jamaica (77%), Antigua (76%), St Lucia (82%), Barbados (61%), Grenada (88%) and Trinidad and Tobago (79%).…”

Antibody to bluetongue virus in cattle in Ecuador

“…Since 1979 several serological surveys have established that infection with bluetongue virus is widespread in cattle, sheep and goats in countries in the Caribbean and the northern area of South America. Although clinical cases of bluetongue have not been confirmed in any of the countries surveyed, the recognition of bluetongue virus in infections in farm animals has caused several problems in the licensed movement of :breeding animals and germplasm between countries (Gibbs, Greiner, Alexander, King and Roach, 1983).…”

Two Electropherotypes of Bluetongue Virus Serotype 2 from Naturally Infected Calves

“…BTV has been isolated in the United States (Barber, 1979), the Indian subcontinent, throughout Africa (Howell, 1963), the Middle East (Gambles, 1949;Komarov & Haig, 1952;Sellers et al, 1979) and Australia (St. George et al, 1978). In addition, antibodies to BTV have been reported from the sera of domestic ruminants from the Caribbean (Gibbs et al, 1983 a) and South America (Groocock & Campbell, 1982) although isolations have not been reported from these regions. At present, five serotypes of BTV, 2, 10, 11, 13 and 17, are known to exist in the United States (Barber, 1979;Gibbs et al, 1983b) The most recent serotype confirmed in the U.S.A. was serotype 2 which was isolated from samples collected in 1982 from cattle located near Ona, Florida.…”