Bluetongue Virus Detection By Real-Time Rt-Pcr In Culicoides Captured During The 2006 Epizootic In Belgium And Development Of An Internal Control

in Transboundary and Emerging Diseases (2009), 56(5), 170-177

Vector monitoring at Belgian outbreak sites during the bluetongue epidemic of 2006.

in Preventive Veterinary Medicine (2008), 87(1-2), 64-73

In response to the first bluetongue outbreak in Belgium a monitoring programme was started at the end of August 2006 to identify possible vectors transmitting the disease. Black light traps were deployed ... [more ▼]

In response to the first bluetongue outbreak in Belgium a monitoring programme was started at the end of August 2006 to identify possible vectors transmitting the disease. Black light traps were deployed at 36 outbreak sites and captured 1959 Culicoides specimens belonging to 16 different species. Eighty four percent of the biting midges captured belonged to the C. obsoletus complex, among them C. obsoletus s.s., C. dewulfi and C. scoticus, three suspected bluetongue vectors. The Veterinary and Agrochemical Research Centre detected viral RNA in pools of individuals belonging to this complex. Culicoides pulicaris, a potential bluetongue vector in Italy, should yet not be excluded as a possible vector in Belgium as this species was frequently found around outbreak sites, notwithstanding this species is not easily captured with the trapping techniques used during this survey. [less ▲]

In vitro titration of Theileria parva tick derived stabilates

in Parasitology (2004), 128(Part 2), 131-137

Immunization agairist the protozoan Theileria parva by infection and treatment has proved to be very efficient for the Control Of East Coast fever, an acute and often-fatal lymphoproliferative tick-borlic ... [more ▼]

Immunization agairist the protozoan Theileria parva by infection and treatment has proved to be very efficient for the Control Of East Coast fever, an acute and often-fatal lymphoproliferative tick-borlic disease of cattle in Eastern, Central and Southern Africa. The immunizing dose of live T. Parva sporozites used in this method is usually determined by in vitro titration. An alternative in vivo method of quantitification of sporozoites ill whole tick-derived stabilites is proposed. The method consists of incubating serially diluted T. Parva stabilities with boville peripheral blood lymphocytes, the host cell that is infected naturally. Allowing the cultures to incubate undisturbed for the full cultivation period (10 days) reduced the variability amoung replicate titrations. fungal contaminations were avoided by centrifuging stabilates at 400 g prior to the incubation, which did not precipiate sporozoites significantly. Fungistics, Nysatin and Flucytosine did not appear to interfere with the in vitro development of 2 stabilates but their effect on fungal growth was limited. In vitro titration data were compared to in vivo infection data for 2. In vivo titration of T. parva sporozoites should allow more ethicl and efficient research on the preparation and storage of T. Parva tick-derived stabilates. [less ▲]