title: Seroepidemiology of bluetongue in South Bengal.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  With the aim of revealing the epidemiological intricacies of bluetongue (BT) in the southern part of West Bengal state, the present study was undertaken to assess seroprevalence of BT along with identification of the vector of the disease, i.e., Culicoides midges available in the region in their breeding season with conducive environmental factors, if any.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 1509 (sheep-504, goat-1005) samples were collected from three different agroclimatic zones of South Bengal viz. new alluvial, red laterite and coastal saline. To detect anti-BT antibodies in the collected serum samples, indirect-enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (i-ELISA) was performed. Culicoides midges were collected from those agro-climatic zones of South Bengal for species identification. The meteorological parameters, viz. temperature (maximum and minimum), rainfall and relative humidity of three agro-climatic zones of South Bengal were analyzed for the months of July to December during 2010-2013.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The overall seropositivity was 33.13% and 30.24% in sheep and goat, respectively as assessed by i-ELISA. In South Bengal, the predominant species of Culicoides found were Culicoides schultzei, Culicoides palpifer and Culicoides definitus.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Since virus transmitting species of Culicoides midges could be detected in South Bengal, besides high seropositivity in ruminants, the possibility of circulating BT virus in South Bengal is quite imminent.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Microbiology, West Bengal University of Animal and Fishery Sciences, Kolkata - 700037, West Bengal, India.
authors.forename: Arkendu
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Halder
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Microbiology, West Bengal University of Animal and Fishery Sciences, Kolkata - 700037, West Bengal, India.
authors.forename: Siddhartha N
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Joardar
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Microbiology, West Bengal University of Animal and Fishery Sciences, Kolkata - 700037, West Bengal, India.
authors.forename: Devi Prasad
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Isore
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Microbiology, West Bengal University of Animal and Fishery Sciences, Kolkata - 700037, West Bengal, India.
authors.forename: Indranil
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Samanta
authors.affiliation: Diptera Section, Zoological Survey of India, Kolkata - 700059, West Bengal, India.
authors.forename: Panchanan
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Parui
authors.affiliation: Diptera Section, Zoological Survey of India, Kolkata - 700059, West Bengal, India.
authors.forename: Dhriti
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Banerjee
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Medicine, Ethics and Jurisprudence, West Bengal University of Animal and Fishery Sciences, Kolkata - 700037, West Bengal, India.
authors.forename: Chandan
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lodh
keywords: Culicoides sp; South Bengal; antibodies; bluetongue; enzyme linked immunosorbent assay