%0 Journal Article
%T A cross-sectional study to determine the seroprevalence of bluetongue virus serotype 8 in sheep and goats in 2006 and 2007 in the Netherlands
%A Armin RW Elbers
%A Johan Popma
%A Sandra Oosterwolde
%A Piet A van Rijn
%A Piet Vellema
%A Eug豕ne MA van Rooij
%J BMC Veterinary Research
%D 2008
%I BioMed Central
%R 10.1186/1746-6148-4-33
%X On the basis of our cross-sectional study, the estimated seroprevalence of BTV8-exposed locations in the Netherlands in 2006 was 0% for goats (95% confidence interval: 0 每 5.6%) and 7.0% for sheep (95% confidence interval: 3.5 每 12.9%). The estimated seroprevalence of BTV-8 exposed locations in 2007 was 47% for goats (95% confidence interval: 36 每 58%) and 70% for sheep (95% confidence interval: 63 每 76%). There was a wide range in within-location seroprevalence in locations with goats and sheep (1 每 100%). A gradient in seroprevalence was seen, with the highest level of seroprevalence in the southern Netherlands, the area where the epidemic started in 2006, and a decreasing seroprevalence when going in a northern direction.There is a much higher estimated seroprevalence of locations with goats exposed to BTV8 than can be inferred from the rather low number of reported clinical outbreaks in goats. This is probably due to the fact that clinical signs in infected goats are far less obvious than in sheep. The wide range in within-location seroprevalence observed means that the proportion of animals protected in 2008 by a natural infection in 2006 and/or 2007 can differ highly between flocks. This should be taken into account when vaccinating animals.In August 2006 a major epidemic of bluetongue virus serotype 8 (BTV8) started off in North-West Europe, including the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Luxembourg and the North of France [1,2]. In order to improve the understanding of the epidemiological situation of this disease, it was necessary to execute a cross-sectional serological study at the end of the vector season of 2006. The Community legal framework on bluetongue monitoring and surveillance was laid down in Council Directive 2000/75/EC and Commission Decision 2005/393/EC and these are in line with the Terrestrial Animal Health Code of the OIE. Cattle were the target species for the cross-sectional serological study at the end of 2006 [3,4].Many hoped that the win
%U http://www.biomedcentral.com/1746-6148/4/33