@article{ajeid2015352,
author={{J., Steyn and G.J., Venter and P., Coetzee and H., Venter E.},
title={The Epidemiology of Bluetongue Virus in Mnisi, South Africa},
journal={American Journal of Epidemiology and Infectious Disease},
volume={3},
number={5},
pages={95--102},
year={2015},
url={http://pubs.sciepub.com/ajeid/3/5/2},
issn={2333-1275},
abstract={The role of cattle in the epidemiology of bluetongue (BT) as well as the distribution of different vector species throughout South Africa is not well understood. Mnisi, a rural area located in Mpumalanga, South Africa, was selected for an epidemiological study. The prevalence of <i>Culicoides </i>species<i> </i>associated with this area as well as whether bluetongue virus (BTV) is circulating in the area is unclear. Sera were collected from 1?260 cattle and screened with a BTV-specific cELISA. Light traps operated during autumn and winter periods. Midges were identified to species level, pooled (n = 200) and screened for BTV RNA with a real-time RT-qPCR. Blood samples from seronegative cattle were also screened for BTV RNA. Antibodies specific to BTV were detected in 95.7% of the sera with a statistical significant difference (p &lt; 0.05) between age groups and villages. Twenty-five different <i>Culicoides</i> species were identified of which <i>C. imicola </i>was the most abundant. Bluetongue virus RNA was detected in 51.2% (autumn) and 75.9% (winter) of the midges collected. A total of 35.5% seronegative cattle tested positive for the presence of BTV RNA. These results demonstrate that BTV as well as different vectors are circulating in the Mnisi area.},
doi={10.12691/ajeid-3-5-2}
publisher={Science and Education Publishing}
}