title: Prevalence of Bluetongue virus serotype 4 in cattle in the State of Sao Paulo, Brazil.
abstract: Bluetongue (BT) is considered endemic in several regions of Brazil. The State of Sao Paulo was divided into 7 cattle production regions (circuits) according the different systems of breeding, operational and logistical capacity of the state veterinary service. At least 1 animal from each property (a total of 1,716 farms) was tested by competitive ELISA for the presence of antibodies against BTV. Sero‑positive sera were subsequently also tested by virus neutralization tests (VNT) using serial dilutions from 1:10 (cutoff) up to 1:640 (in MEM). BTV‑4 neutralizing antibodies were detected in 86% (1,483/1,716) of the animals tested. These results show that BTV‑4 is endemic and widespread in the State of San Paulo and indirectly confirm that in the State there are favourable conditions for the multiplication of competent vectors. However, as no clinical signs have ever been reported in cattle in the region, BTV‑4 infection is likely to occur silently in the State of Sao Paulo.
authors.affiliation: Instituto Biológico, Centro de Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento de Sanidade Animal, Laboratório de Viroses de Bovídeos, Avenida Conselheiro Rodrigues Alves 1252, Sao Paulo, 04014-900, Brazil.
authors.forename: Adriana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hellmeister de Campos Nogueira
authors.forename: Eliana
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: De Stefano
authors.forename: Maira
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: de Souza Nunes Martins
authors.forename: Liria Hiromi
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Okuda
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dos Santos Lima
authors.forename: Thais
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: da Silva Garcia
authors.forename: Otto
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Heinz Hellwig
authors.forename: José Eduardo
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Alves de Lima
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Savini
authors.forename: Edviges Maristela
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Pituco
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001819:Bluetongue / Q000453:epidemiology*; D001820:Bluetongue virus / Q000145:classification* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission; D002519:Ceratopogonidae / Q000821:virology; D005260:Female; D007303:Insect Vectors / Q000821:virology; D065288:Serogroup