A serological survey of Akabane virus infection in cattle and sheep in northwest China.

Purpose: Akabane disease characterized mainly by fetal damage is a ruminant disease caused by insect-transmitted Akabane virus infection.

Methods: We investigated Akabane disease using serum neutralization tests in 446 blood samples collected from 187 cattle and 259 sheep of Xinjiang province, northwest China.

Results: (1) The overall prevalence rate of neutralizing antibody was 19.06 % (85/446), (2) the prevalence rates of Akabane disease in cattle and sheep were 20.32 % (38/187) and 18.15 % (47/259), respectively, (3) the disease prevalence rates were not significantly different between cattle and sheep, but significantly different among samples collected from different sampling months, (4) the disease was most prevalent in July when mosquitoes and culicoides were most active, and (5) the disease prevalence rates were significantly different between individuals with abortion experience and without abortion experience (P < 0.05), suggesting that Akabane virus infection may significantly increase abortion risk in cattle and sheep.

Conclusions: To our knowledge, this is the first report confirming that Akabane virus infection is common in cattle and sheep of Xinjiang province, northwest China and providing useful epidemiological information for cattle and sheep abortion prevention and control.