The current situation of bluetongue in Turkey

The first reported outbreak of bluetongue (BT) was in 1977 in the Aydin Province in the west of the country. Disease spread between 1977 and 1979 and became endemic in the provinces bordering the Aegean and Mediterranean Seas. The causative agent was isolated in samples from sheep and calves and was identified as bluetongue virus (BTV) serotype 4. Epidemiological investigations showed that not only sheep, but also goats and cattle, were involved in these outbreaks. The vector was Culicoides imicola. The disease was controlled successfully by vigorous control measures (quarantining, animal movement control, disinfection, insecticide treatment and vaccination campaigns) in sheep in the western provinces. Attenuated BTV-4 vaccine, produced in the Etlik Central Veterinary Control and Research Institute, was used in the vaccination campaigns. Unexpected BT outbreaks occurred in the Edirne Province, north-west of Thrace, on 20 July 1999 and spread to adjacent villages. The disease was controlled successfully by the measures described above. The last case was recorded in August 2000. Serotypes were reported as BTV-9 and BTV-16 by the Institute for Animal Health (IAH) in Pirbright. Diagnosis was based on clinical findings, serological surveillance and virus isolation.