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Bluetongue in Spain: From the First Outbreak to 2012
Author(s) -
Diego A. C. Pérez,
SánchezCordón P. J.,
SánchezVizcaíno J. M.
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
transboundary and emerging diseases
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.392
H-Index - 63
eISSN - 1865-1682
pISSN - 1865-1674
DOI - 10.1111/tbed.12068
Subject(s) - outbreak , serotype , culicoides , peninsula , geography , livestock , mainland , biology , virology , mainland china , veterinary medicine , ecology , china , medicine , archaeology
Summary Outbreaks of bluetongue disease have occurred in Spain six times and have been caused by the following serotypes of bluetongue virus ( BTV ), in chronological order: BTV 10, BTV 2, BTV 4, BTV 1 and BTV 8. Serotypes BTV 1, BTV 2 and BTV 4 may have entered the country in Culicoides transported by wind; BTV 8 via infected animal movements; and BTV 10 across the Portuguese border. The evolution of each serotype has been different: BTV 1, BTV 4 and BTV 10 spread throughout mainland Spain; BTV 2 did not spread from the Balearic Islands to the Iberian Peninsula; and BTV 8 has proven very poor at spreading throughout mainland Spain. The significant economic impact of the disease has led authorities to adopt control and eradication measures, which have evolved as new diagnostic tools and vaccines have become available. This review describes BTV infection in Spain, and it focuses on the clinical disease produced by each serotype, the Culicoides species which were present at what time, the origin of the virus and the control measures adopted. In the field, it has proven necessary to vaccinate livestock against each new BTV serotype as it arrived. Therefore, future eradication strategies should focus on developing polyvalent vaccines and vaccines that allow the differentiation of infected and vaccinated animals. As of 1 January 2013, the Iberian Peninsula is considered a restricted area for BTV 1, and a small zone in southern Spain is a restricted area for BTV 4, which includes the little BTV 8 restricted area. Serotypes BTV 1 and BTV 4 were detected in sentinel animals in January and November and in March 2012, respectively. The last BTV 8 positive animal was detected in November 2010, which implies that in the coming months, Spain may be declared free of BTV 8.