Bluetongue in western Turkey

In October 1977 clinical bluetongue broke out in Aydin province, western Turkey and spread to adjacent provinces in the autumn months of 1978 and 1979. The outbreak was caused by a virus of serotype 4 and appeared to occur in a totally susceptible population. It was eventually controlled by widespread use of attenuated type-specific vaccine. Bluetongue virus was isolated from sheep on several occasions and also from a calf with congenital arthrogryposis and hydranencephaly. This latter finding is discussed in relation to Akabane virus, a recognised arbovirus teratogen thought to be present in the same area at the same time.