Risk-based serological survey of bluetongue and the first evidence of bluetongue virus serotype 26 circulation in Tunisia.
Kalthoum SanaSoufien SghaierBen Hassine ThameurTeodori LianaSpedicato MassimoGuesmi KaoutherGharbi RajaHajlaoui HaikelBel Haj Mohamed BassemKhalfaoui WiemLachtar MoniaBen Salem AmeniFatnassi NaouelDhaouadi AnissaBen Ali MehdiThabet SarahSeghaier ChediaGiovanni SaviniHammami SalahPublished in: Veterinary medicine and science (2022)
High seroprevalence of BTV among sheep was highlighted in Tunisia. The neutralization test showed the presence of the following BTV serotypes: BTV-1, BTV-2, BTV-3, BTV-4 and, for the first time in Tunisia, BTV-26. Age, production system and flock size were important variables associated with BTV infection in sheep. This finding is crucial, as it will allow the adjustment of the BT control programme in Tunisia.