It is an established fact that this spread of BTVis closely related with air flow heat; atemperature between 19 and 32C being most conducive for transmission. ruminants show the disease subclinically [1]. BT is the member of genus Orbivirus of the family Reoviridae [2]. The epizootics of the disease depend around the complex interaction of host, vector (midges) and computer virus [3]. In the eastern a part of India, the incidence of BT is not detected so far unlike southern and western parts [4,5]. However, anti-BT antibodies could be detected in sheep, goat, and cattle populace of one of the eastern Indian state, West Bengal [6]. Detection of anti-BT antibodies in the host is the indirect evidence of the presence of computer virus in that specific geographical region [7]. West Bengal state is divided into six different agro-climatic zones midges available in the GPI-1046 region in their breeding season with conducive environmental factors, if any, in a holistic manner that has not been done in any earlier study. Open in a separate window Physique-1 Study area- South Bengal (southern a part of West Bengal GPI-1046 state) depicted as green color. Materials and Methods Ethical approval As per CPCSEA guidelines, study involving clinical samples does not require approval of Institute Animal Ethics Committee. However, samples were collected as per standard sample collection methods without any GPI-1046 GPI-1046 harm or stress to the animals. Serum samples Blood samples without anti-coagulant were collected from suspected animals, midges were collected from three agro-climatic zones of West Bengal (reddish laterite, coastal saline and new alluvial) for species identification. The midges were collected during the months covering post-monsoon to the winter season in the region as the number and activity of midges remains rampant at that time. The midges were trapped in the early evening, sorted out and stored in ethanol until utilized for identification. Identification of Culicoides midges Midges of species were identified based on morphological characteristics [8,9]. Metereological parameters The meteorological parameters, midges or not. Results Assessment of sheep serum samples by i-ELISA When the sheep sera were assessed by i-ELISA, it was found that out of 504 samples, 167 samples were positive in i-ELISA. The overall seropositivity was 33.13%. The detail of the result is usually given in Table-2. Table-2 Assessment of sheep serum samples by i-ELISA to detect anti-bluetongue antibodies. midges those were collected from different parts of South Bengal were recognized up to species level based on morphological characteristics. The midges were medium sized flies with moderately hairy wings with numerous distinct pale spots including a pale spot over r-m crossvein almost on the center of the vein. Radial cells were absent; anterior border of wing with two dark spots, one at the tip of radial vein forming the stigma, other at about the middle of cell R5. Aedaegus was prominent with saddle-shaped stem. Paramere was broad at the base, curved and tapered toward the tip with apical hairs. The identification results are given in Table-4. Table-4 Identification of species from different areas of South Bengal. midges in those areas. In the present study conducted during 2010-2013, when sheep sera were assessed by i-ELISA, it was found that 33.13% serum samples possessed anti-BT antibodies. In the case of goat, the percentage was 30.24. In one earlier study, comparable seropositivity (34.47%) was reported in sheep of South Bengal [10]. However, lower % positivity in goat (24.03%) and cattle (16.21%) were observed in the same study. Considerable low seropositivity (2.69% and 2.13%) was reported in ruminants of Central Iran and South-east Iran, respectively [11,12]. New alluvial, reddish laterite and coastal saline zones of West Bengal were taken into consideration and the seroprevalence detected in sheep were 39.34%, 31.60% and 30.30%, respectively. The seroprevalence ranged from 30% to 40% in different zones that indicates the prevalence of the computer virus in all those agro-climatic zones of West Bengal. Earlier, comparable seroprevalence (overall 42.31%) was reported in Andhra GPI-1046 Pradesh [13]. However, the present statement does not corroborate with the results of south Indian says. An overall 71.43% seroprevalencewas observed in three states of South India, with 65.19% in Andhra Pradesh, 79.5% in Karnataka and 80.95% prevalence in Tamil Nadu using competitive ELISA (cELISA) [14]. However, low seroprevalence Rabbit Polyclonal to ACTN1 (9.3%) was reported in ruminants of Kerala [15]. In this study, 33.13% seroprevalence was observed in sheep. Though, a much higher (87%) statement of.