Al-Mamari Wafa, Elshafie Elshafie Ibrahim, Al Ansari Aliya, Al Riyami Bahja
Department of Biology, College of Science, Sultan Qaboos University, PC. 123, Muscat, Sultanate of Oman.
Department of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences, Sultan Qaboos University, PC. 123, Muscat, Sultanate of Oman.
Trop Anim Health Prod. 2025 Jan 29;57(2):40. doi: 10.1007/s11250-025-04288-9.
Bluetongue virus (BTV) has emerged as a significant concern in Oman, affecting various animal species, including camels. This cross-sectional study aimed to assess the seroprevalence of BTV in camels and explore the associated risk factors within the northern region of Oman. Between October 2016 and March 2017, 439 serum samples and 100 blood samples were collected from camels in five governorates. Competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (c-ELISA) was employed to screen the serum for BTV antibodies, and real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) was used to detect BTV genomic RNA in blood. The findings revealed an overall seroprevalence of BTV of 56.04% (246 out of 439), with a 95% confidence interval ranging from 51.3% to 60.7%. BTV seropositivity was significantly associated with various factors, including geographical location, camel age, sex, participation in events, and a history of previous outbreaks. However, no significant correlation was found with tick infestations on farms or a history of abortion. These results underscore the enzootic and widespread nature of BTV in northern Oman, with camels appearing to manifest BTV infection as an asymptomatic or subclinical condition. To gain a more comprehensive understanding, further investigations are essential to identify the specific BTV serotypes currently in circulation within the Sultanate of Oman. The implications of these findings extend to the development of targeted interventions to manage and control the spread of BTV in this region.
蓝舌病病毒（BTV）已成为阿曼的一个重大问题，影响包括骆驼在内的各种动物物种。这项横断面研究旨在评估阿曼北部地区骆驼中BTV的血清流行率，并探索相关风险因素。在2016年10月至2017年3月期间，从五个省的骆驼身上采集了439份血清样本和100份血液样本。采用竞争酶联免疫吸附测定（c-ELISA）筛查血清中的BTV抗体，并用实时逆转录聚合酶链反应（RT-qPCR）检测血液中的BTV基因组RNA。研究结果显示，BTV的总体血清流行率为56.04%（439份样本中有246份呈阳性），95%置信区间为51.3%至60.7%。BTV血清阳性与多种因素显著相关，包括地理位置、骆驼年龄、性别、参加活动情况以及既往疫情史。然而，未发现与农场蜱虫感染或流产史有显著相关性。这些结果强调了BTV在阿曼北部呈地方流行性且广泛存在，骆驼感染BTV似乎表现为无症状或亚临床状态。为了更全面地了解情况，进一步调查对于确定阿曼苏丹国目前正在传播的特定BTV血清型至关重要。这些发现的意义延伸到制定有针对性的干预措施，以管理和控制该地区BTV的传播。
