title: Bluetongue surveillance in the Campania Region of Italy using a geographic information system to create risk maps.
abstract: The aim of the project was the implementation of a geographic information system (GIS) to study areas of the Campania Region that are potentially at risk for bluetongue (BT) infection. As a first step, environmental, meteorological and climatic features were surveyed to evaluate areas where Culicoides could be present. A risk map was developed and five zones with different risk levels were defined. Data from Culicoides trapping were surveyed to evaluate the capability of the risk map to predict presence/absence of vectors. Finally, data from 2002 BT surveillance (outbreaks and serologically positive sentinels [SPS]) were compared to the map. Captures of Culicoides, SPS and BT in areas the map indicated as a medium/high risk level, seem to confirm reliability of the produced map. However, very few C. imicola were captured in these medium/high risk areas.
authors.affiliation: Osservatorio Epidemiologico Veterinario Regione Campania, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Mezzogiorno, Via Salute 2, Portici, Italy.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Caligiuri
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Giuliano
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Vitale
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chiavacci
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Travaglio
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Manelli
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Piscedda
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Giardina
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mainolfi