Antibodies to Bluetongue, Akabane and Schmallenberg viruses in native dromedary camels in Turkey

Sera from 86 Turkish native camels from seven provinces in Turkey were collected and tested for specific antibodies to Bluetongue virus (BTV), Akabane virus (AKAV) and Schmallenberg virus (SBV) using ELISA. The BTV, AKAV and SBV antibodies were found in 53.5%, 51.2% and 15.1%, respectively. Furthermore, the seropositivity for multiple infection was the highest for dual infection with AKAV and BTV (25.6%), followed by triple seropositivity (9.3%). These findings indicated that BTV, AKAV and SBV circulate in camels in Turkey at a relatively high rate, and that an active surveillance program is needed for the management and tracing the dynamics of these infections in the Turkish camel population.

Prikupljeni su uzorci seruma od 86 dromedarskih deva iz sedam pokrajina Turske. ELISA testom istražena su specifična protutijela na virus plavog jezika (BTV), virus akabane (AKAV) i virus Schmallenberg (SBV). Protutijela na BTV pronađena su u 53,5 % uzoraka, na AKAV u 51,2 % uzoraka, a na SBV u 15,1 % uzoraka. Seropozitivnost za višestruku infekciju najveća je bila u slučaju dvojnih infekcija AKAV-om i BTV-om (25,6 %), a slijedi je trostruka seropozitivnost (9,3 %). Ovi rezultati upućuju na to da je stopa pojavnosti BTV-a, AKAV-a i SBV-a u deva u Turskoj relativno visoka te je potreban aktivan program nadzora i upravljanja dinamikom ovih infekcija.