title: Outbreak of Bluetongue virus serotype 4 in dairy sheep in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
abstract: In late January 2013, 10 nonpregnant Lacaune dairy ewes raised under extensive husbandry management on a farm in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, presented with the general clinical signs of lethargy, hyporexia, edema of the face, hyperemia of the exposed parts of the skin, mouth lesions, pyrexia, and lameness. Additionally, 2 pregnant ewes died suddenly after the onset of respiratory signs. The complete blood counts and biochemistry analyses showed neutrophilic leukocytosis with monocytosis and reactive lymphocytes, normocytic normochromic anemia and increased aspartate aminotransferase levels. Postmortem examination revealed erosions on the lingual mucosa, bilateral submandibular ganglia infarctions, yellow foamy fluid accumulation in the trachea and bronchial bifurcation, pulmonary congestion, and edema associated with hemorrhagic lesions on the pulmonary artery and heart. The clinical and pathological findings were suggestive of bluetongue. For a molecular and virological diagnosis, tissue samples were analyzed by Bluetongue virus-specific real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), and viral isolation was performed in embryonated chicken eggs. For viral typing, positive tissue and egg-isolated samples were analyzed by qRT-PCR using primers and probes specific for the structural VP2 gene in genome segment 2 of all 26 serotypes. There are still no contingency plans for responding to an outbreak of bluetongue disease in Brazil, and this episode emphasizes the need for continuing serological and entomological surveillance programs. Additionally, this report describes the isolation of Bluetongue virus serotype 4 in sheep in the Americas.
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal Fluminense, Department of Pathology and Clinical Veterinary, Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (Balaro, Brandão).|Instituto Biologico, Bovine Viral Diseases Laboratory (Lima, Pituco), São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.|Pathology Laboratory (Fava), São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.|Secretary of State for Agriculture and Livestock, Secretary of State for Agriculture and Livestock, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (Oliveira).
authors.forename: Mario Felipe Alvarez
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Balaro
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal Fluminense, Department of Pathology and Clinical Veterinary, Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (Balaro, Brandão).|Instituto Biologico, Bovine Viral Diseases Laboratory (Lima, Pituco), São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.|Pathology Laboratory (Fava), São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.|Secretary of State for Agriculture and Livestock, Secretary of State for Agriculture and Livestock, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (Oliveira).
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dos Santos Lima
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal Fluminense, Department of Pathology and Clinical Veterinary, Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (Balaro, Brandão).|Instituto Biologico, Bovine Viral Diseases Laboratory (Lima, Pituco), São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.|Pathology Laboratory (Fava), São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.|Secretary of State for Agriculture and Livestock, Secretary of State for Agriculture and Livestock, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (Oliveira).
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Del Fava
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal Fluminense, Department of Pathology and Clinical Veterinary, Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (Balaro, Brandão).|Instituto Biologico, Bovine Viral Diseases Laboratory (Lima, Pituco), São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.|Pathology Laboratory (Fava), São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.|Secretary of State for Agriculture and Livestock, Secretary of State for Agriculture and Livestock, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (Oliveira).
authors.forename: Glenda Ribeiro
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: de Oliveira
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal Fluminense, Department of Pathology and Clinical Veterinary, Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (Balaro, Brandão).|Instituto Biologico, Bovine Viral Diseases Laboratory (Lima, Pituco), São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.|Pathology Laboratory (Fava), São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.|Secretary of State for Agriculture and Livestock, Secretary of State for Agriculture and Livestock, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (Oliveira).
authors.forename: Edviges Maristela
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Pituco
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal Fluminense, Department of Pathology and Clinical Veterinary, Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (Balaro, Brandão).|Instituto Biologico, Bovine Viral Diseases Laboratory (Lima, Pituco), São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.|Pathology Laboratory (Fava), São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.|Secretary of State for Agriculture and Livestock, Secretary of State for Agriculture and Livestock, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (Oliveira).
authors.forename: Felipe Zandonadi
authors.initials: FZ
authors.lastname: Brandão
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001819:Bluetongue / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D001820:Bluetongue virus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D003612:Dairying; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000662:veterinary*; D005260:Female; D012756:Sheep; D012757:Sheep Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology
keywords: Bluetongue virus; Orbivirus; South America; small ruminants