A spatial assessment of Culicoides spp. distribution and bluetongue disease risk areas in Austria.

Bluetongue disease (BT) was introduced into Central Europe in the summer of 2006 and has since affected most European countries. In this study we analysed the distribution of the biting midge vector Culicoides spp. in Austria and modelled Bluetongue disease risk zones.

Bluetongue virus RNA detection by RT-qPCR in blood samples of sheep vaccinated with a commercially available inactivated BTV-8 vaccine.

In 2008, a country-wide bluetongue virus 8 (BTV-8) vaccination campaign has been initiated in Austria, using a single commercial inactivated BTV-8 vaccine. Based on preliminary data, we hypothesised that vaccine-derived BTV RNA is transiently detectable by reverse transcription quantitative real-time PCR (RT-qPCR) in the blood of vaccinated animals. Thus BTV-8 vaccine was administered to five BTV-naïve adult sheep and blood samples were taken at various time-points post-vaccination.

Geographical spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza virus H5N1 during the 2006 outbreak in Austria.

In spring 2006, highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (HPAIV) of subtype H5N1 was detected in Austria in 119 dead wild birds. The hemagglutinin cleavage site showed that the amino acid sequence motif was identical to that of the Qinghai lineage. For detailed analysis, the hemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA) genes of 27 selected Austrian H5N1 viruses originating from different regions and wild bird species were analyzed phylogenetically, which revealed two clearly separated Austrian subclusters, both belonging to European cluster EMA-1.