A retrospective study of bluetongue in Tunisia

The aim of this study is to investigate whether BTV was circulating prior to its incursion into Tunisia in 1999. To this end, an initial retrospective study was carried out on samples from sheep taken between 1997 and 1999. These samples were tested using ELISA. We then set out to identify the main viral serotypes responsible for BTV infections in our country. To this end, more recent samples from cattle and sheep (from 2006 to 2012) were analysed using ELISA, and some of these were also tested using seroneutralisation and real-time PCR. Our results confirm what has been reported regarding the introduction of BTV into Tunisia in 1999. Furthermore, we have demonstrated that three BTV serotypes circulate in the country: BTV1, BTV2 and BTV4, with BTV4 predominating throughout the period from 2006 to 2012. Furthermore, co-infections involving two viral serotypes were identified. The molecular results show a strong correlation with those obtained using serological techniques.

Pagina's: 80, Paperback, Our Knowledge Publishing