Diagnosis - continued

As arboviruses (arthropod borne viruses) are present in the blood of infected animals, the Group uses blood samples to detect both antibody to the virus and the virus itself. Antibodies to bluetongue virus (BTV) can be detected within 2 hours, whilst the genetic material of the virus is detected within 6 hours . When the serotype of the virus needs to be determined, this is done by a polymerase chain reaction test in conjunction with the Arbovirology Group, and confirmed by virus neutralisation tests.

Following the 22nd of September 2007, when the Group first identified the presence of BTV serotype 8 in England, the number of blood samples that have been investigated by the Group has grown astronomically. Samples are received from all susceptible animals immediately and a week after the animals enter the UK. The lab also receives samples from animals showing BT-like symptoms (report cases) as well as from animals prior to export.

Publications:

  • Batten CA, Swain AJ, Bachanek-Bankowska K, Bin-Tarif A, Oura CAL (2009) Bluetongue virus: European Community inter-laboratory comparison tests to evaluate ELISA and RT-PCR detection methods 2007. Veterinary Microbiology 135 (2009) 380-383. [Abstract]. 
  • Batten, C.A., Bachanek-Bankowska, K., Bin-Tarif, A., Kgosana, L., Swain, A.J., Corteyn, M, Darpel, K., Mellor, P.S, Elliott, H.G. and Oura, C.A.L (2008) Bluetongue virus: European Community inter-laboratory comparison tests to evaluate ELISA and RT-PCR detection methods. Veterinary Microbiology 129 (2008) 80-88. [Abstract]. 
  • 3. Shaw A, Monaghan P, Alpar HO, Anthony S, Darpel KE, Batten CA, Carpenter S, Jones H, Oura CAL., King DP., Elliott H, Mellor PS. & Mertens PPC (2007). Development and validation of a real-time RT-PCR assay to detect genome bluetongue virus segment 1. Journal of Virological Methods 145 (2007) 115-26. [Abstract]. 
  • Darpel KE, Batten CA, Veronesi E, Shaw AE, Anthony S, Bachanek-Bankowska K, Kgosana L, bin-Tarif A, Carpenter S, Müller-Doblies UU, Takamatsu H, Mellor PS, Mertens PPC, Oura CAL (2007), A study of British sheep and cattle infected with bluetongue virus serotype 8 from the 2006 outbreak in northern Europe. Veterinary Record 161(2007) 253-61. [Abstract].