Selim Abdelfattah, Marzok Mohamed, Gattan Hattan S, Al-Hammadi Mohammed Ali
Department of Animal Medicine (Infectious Diseases), Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Benha University, Toukh 13736, Egypt.
Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, King Faisal University, Al-Ahsa 31982, Saudi Arabia.
Vet Ital. 2025 Apr 14;61(2). doi: 10.12834/VetIt.3610.31142.3.
Bluetongue is an emerging, non-contagious, vector-borne disease that affects both domestic and wild ruminants. This study aimed to determine the seroprevalence of Bluetongue virus (BTV) in four Egyptian governorates and to evaluate the associated risk factors. A total of 740 serum samples were collected from 380 sheep and 360 goats and tested using a commercial competitive ELISA (cELISA). The overall BTV seroprevalence was 16.2%, with 17.1% in sheep and 15.3% in goats. Although the seroprevalence did not differ significantly across the studied regions, the highest prevalence was recorded in Kafr El-Sheikh (20.7%). Univariable analysis revealed a significant association between BTV seropositivity and several factors, including sex, age, presence of vectors, history of abortion, and contact with cattle. According to the multivariable logistic regression model, females, animals older than 2 years, and those with a history of abortion were respectively 2.3, 2.6, and 1.6 times more likely to be seropositive. Furthermore, the presence of insect vectors and close contact with cattle increased the risk of BTV infection by 1.6 and 2.1 times, respectively. This study highlights the significant risk factors associated with BTV seropositivity, with a slightly higher prevalence observed in sheep compared to goats. These findings underscore the need for effective disease surveillance, management, and control strategies targeting both sheep and goat populations.
蓝舌病是一种新出现的、非传染性的、媒介传播疾病，影响家养和野生反刍动物。本研究旨在确定埃及四个省份蓝舌病病毒（BTV）的血清阳性率，并评估相关风险因素。共从380只绵羊和360只山羊采集了740份血清样本，并用商业竞争ELISA（cELISA）进行检测。总体BTV血清阳性率为16.2%，绵羊为17.1%，山羊为15.3%。虽然各研究地区的血清阳性率差异不显著，但卡夫尔谢赫的阳性率最高（20.7%）。单变量分析显示，BTV血清阳性与多个因素之间存在显著关联，包括性别、年龄、媒介存在情况、流产史以及与牛的接触。根据多变量逻辑回归模型，雌性动物、2岁以上动物以及有流产史的动物血清阳性的可能性分别高出2.3倍、2.6倍和1.6倍。此外，昆虫媒介的存在和与牛的密切接触分别使BTV感染风险增加1.6倍和2.1倍。本研究突出了与BTV血清阳性相关的显著风险因素，绵羊的患病率略高于山羊。这些发现强调了针对绵羊和山羊群体制定有效疾病监测、管理和控制策略的必要性。
