Bluetongue in Europe: past, present and future

摘要: The recent arrival in Northern and Western (NW) Europe of bluetongue virus (BTV), which causes the ruminant disease ‘bluetongue’, has raised profile this vector-borne sparked discussions on reasons for its sudden emergence so far north. This expansion not happened isolation been expanding into Southern Eastern last decade. shifting distribution is being facilitated by a number different introduction mechanisms including movement infected livestock, passive Culicoides wind and, NW Europe, an unknown route introduction. BTV forced re-evaluation importance Palaearctic species transmission, as well secondary transmission routes, such transplacental facilitating persistence virus. current European outbreak BTV-8 believed to have caused greater economic damage than any previous single-serotype outbreak. Although attempts are made improve capacity countries cope with future incursions, options available limited lack basic entomological data virological surveillance.