title: The most likely time and place of introduction of BTV8 into Belgian ruminants.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In northern Europe, bluetongue (BT) caused by the BT virus (BTV), serotype 8, was first notified in August 2006 and numerous ruminant herds were affected in 2007 and 2008. However, the origin and the time and place of the original introduction have not yet been determined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Four retrospective epidemiological surveys have been performed to enable determination of the initial spatiotemporal occurrence of this emerging disease in southern Belgium: investigations of the first recorded outbreaks near to the disease epicenter; a large anonymous, random postal survey of cattle herds and sheep flocks; a random historical milk tank survey of samples tested with an indirect ELISA and a follow-up survey of non-specific health indicators. The original introduction of BTV into the region probably occurred during spring 2006 near to the National Park of Hautes Fagnes and Eifel when Culicoides become active.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The determination of the most likely time and place of introduction of BTV8 into a country is of paramount importance to enhance awareness and understanding and, to improve modeling of vector-borne emerging infectious diseases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium. claude.saegerman@ulg.ac.be
authors.forename: Claude
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Saegerman
authors.forename: Philip
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mellor
authors.forename: Aude
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Uyttenhoef
authors.forename: Jean-Baptiste
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Hanon
authors.forename: Nathalie
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kirschvink
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Haubruge
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Delcroix
authors.forename: Jean-Yves
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Houtain
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pourquier
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Vandenbussche
authors.forename: Bart
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Verheyden
authors.forename: Kris
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: De Clercq
authors.forename: Guy
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Czaplicki
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001530:Belgium / Q000453:epidemiology; D001819:Bluetongue / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission / Q000821:virology; D001820:Bluetongue virus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission / Q000821:virology; D002519:Ceratopogonidae / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000821:virology; D005843:Geography; D007303:Insect Vectors / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000821:virology; D011156:Population Density; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012418:Ruminants / Q000821:virology*; D012703:Serotyping; D012756:Sheep; D012757:Sheep Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission / Q000821:virology; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D012367:RNA, Viral