A SEROEPIDEMIOLOGIC SURVEY OF ANTIBODY TO BLUETONGUE VIRUS IN ALABAMA CATTLE

  • 1 January 1982
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 72  (3) , 262-268
Abstract
Bluetongue (BT) is an insect-transmitted viral disease of sheep that often causes mild or inapparent disease but rarely causes severe disease in cattle. Until recently, bluetongue viral infection was believed to be more prevalent in the western USA as compared with other regions of the country. However, a national survey for bluetongue antibody and clinical evidence of the disease in the southeastern USA prompted the present investigation that was designed to determine the serological prevalence of BT virus in Alabama cattle. Of the samples collected from 1500 cattle in 64 of 67 countries, 16% were positive. The prevalence of positive cattle in the western part of the state was significantly higher (P < 0.001) than the prevalence in the eastern half of the state. On a herd basis, 52% of all herds tested had positive animals. Bluetongue infection apparently is more common in the southeastern USA than previously suspected.