Abstract
Infections with Schmallenberg virus (SBV) are associated with congenital malformations in ruminants. Because reporting of suspected cases only could underestimate the true rate of infection, we conducted a seroprevalence study in the Netherlands to detect past exposure to SBV among dairy cattle. A total of 1,123 serum samples collected from cattle during November 2011-January 2012 were tested for antibodies against SBV by using a virus neutralization test; seroprevalence was 72.5%. Seroprevalence was significantly higher in the central-eastern part of the Netherlands than in the northern and southern regions (p<0.001). In addition, high (70%-100%) within-herd seroprevalence was observed in 2 SBV-infected dairy herds and 2 SBV-infected sheep herds. No significant differences were found in age-specific prevalence of antibodies against SBV, which is an indication that SBV is newly arrived in the country.
Highlights
Infections with Schmallenberg virus (SBV) are associated with congenital malformations in ruminants
SBV in dairy cattle, winter 2011–2012, for the Netherlands (N = 1,123) was 72.5%
The estimated seroprevalence of antibodies against SBV in dairy cattle in the central-eastern part of the Netherlands (n = 462; seroprevalence 82.7%, 95% CI 78.8%–86.0%) was significantly (p
Summary
Infections with Schmallenberg virus (SBV) are associated with congenital malformations in ruminants. The new virus is provisionally called Schmallenberg virus (SBV), or Shamonda-like virus It is a RNA virus and shows 97% identity with Shamonda virus (SHAV) (small gene segment), 71% identity with Aino virus (medium gene segment), and 69% identity with Akabane virus (AKAV) (large gene segment) [4]. All these viruses are part of the Simbu serogroup of the family Bunyaviridae, genus Orthobunyavirus. The Simbu serogroup is composed of several arthropod-borne viruses (arboviruses, including SHAV, AKAV, and Aino virus) transmitted by Culicoides spp. biting midges and mosquitos. Serosurveys were conducted to assess zoonotic transmission of SBV in farmers and veterinarians in Germany and the Netherlands, who are likely to come in contact with the virus, but no infection was found [9,10]
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