Web-based geographic information system tools and international surveillance network for bluetongue in the Balkans and south-east Europe (East-BTNet).

Bluetongue (BT) is an infectious, non-contagious vector-borne disease. Since 1998, the disease has spread across the Mediterranean Basin and into the Balkans. During a Workshop devoted to the electronic identification of animals and bluetongue, held in Civitella del Tronto, Teramo, in December 2002, the representatives of Balkan and Eastern Mediterranean countries stated the need for implementing a regional surveillance network capable of collecting and disseminating relevant epidemiological data on BT. Consequently, the 'Cooperation for implementing a surveillance network for bluetongue in the Balkan area' (East-BTNet) project was implemented by the World Organisation for Animal Health Collaborating Centre for veterinary training, epidemiology, food safety and animal welfare (Istituto Zooprofilattico dell'Abruzzo e del Molise 'G. Caporale'). The information network established within the East-BTNet project is based on internet links and on geographic information system website technologies. This facilitates the rapid collection, analysis, interpretation and dissemination of large quantities of data generated by the national monitoring programmes of countries participating in the project (Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Malta, Romania, Serbia and Montenegro, Slovenia and Turkey).