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Serologic evidence for Schmallenberg virus circulation at high altitude, Central Portugal, 2015–2016
Author(s) -
Esteves F.,
Cruz R.,
VasconcelosNóbrega C.,
Santos C.,
Ferreira A. S.,
Petrovic T.,
Cardoso L.,
Coelho A. C.,
Vala H.,
Nascimento M. S. J.,
Mesquita J. R.
Publication year - 2018
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.12899
Subject(s) - seroprevalence , serology , population , effects of high altitude on humans , altitude (triangle) , herd , biology , orthobunyavirus , veterinary medicine , geography , antibody , virology , virus , zoology , immunology , medicine , environmental health , geometry , mathematics , anatomy
Summary A few years after the initial 2011 large scale Schmallenberg virus ( SBV ) epidemic that affected Europe, a subsequent decrease in new SBV infections was observed presumably associated with natural substitution of previously exposed animals. In the present work, a 2‐year prospective serosurvey was performed to evaluate SBV circulation in a population of sheep living at high altitude in the central region of Portugal and with restricted movement. Blood from a representative sample of 168 autochthonous sheep was collected in 2015 and again in 2016, and tested for the presence of anti‐ SBV IgG by ELISA . Of the 2015 sample collection, seven animals tested positive for anti‐ SBV IgG, corresponding to a seroprevalence of 4.2% while of the 2016 sample collection, 10 presented SBV antibodies, showing a seroprevalence of 6.0% ( p = 0.619). Results show that SBV is endemic in sheep of central Portugal, even in herds at high altitude locations. When comparing anti‐ SBV seroprevalences of 2015/2016 found in this study, to one detected in 2014 in the same region, a steep decrease could be observed ( p < 0.001). This is in accordance with what has been documented in Western European countries, where a decrease in the number of SBV ‐infected sheep has been found, a fact which may pose a new threat for SBV re‐emergence.