Ann. Méd. Vét., 2012, 156 (1), pp 07-24 Schmallenberg virus or the emergence of the first Orthobunyavirus of the
serogroup Simbu in EuropeMARTINELLE L., DAL POZZO F., KIRSCHVINK N., DE LA GRANDIÈRE M.A., THIRY E., SAEGERMAN C.Abstract :
Schmallenberg virus (SBV) has
been identified in Germany in
November 2011. It belongs to
the family Bunyaviridae, genus
Orthobunyavirus, of the serogroup
Simbu. Metagenomic
analysis of samples taken from
adult cattle allowed to establish
its close relationship with
Akabane, Aino and Shamonda
viruses. The main clinical signs
in adult cattle are fever and a
significant drop of milk yield for
several days, in some cases
also diarrhoea and abortions. A
congenital arthrogyposis/hydranencephaly
syndrome is also
described in lambs, kids and
calves. The infection is considered
as non contagious, most
likely propagated among ruminants
by biting midges of the
genus Culicoides. Clinical cases
were reported in adult cattle in
Germany and the Netherlands
since summer 2011, and congenital
affections with SBV detection
since December, first from
Germany, the Netherlands and
Belgium, then United-Kingdom
and France, and more recently
in Italy, Luxembourg and Spain.
So far SBV was most frequently
diagnosed using real-time quantitative
polymerase chain reaction.
Serological tests have been
developed recently. Zoonotic
risk cannot be excluded but is
considered unlikely. SBV emergence
is a major event in animal
health and is a new challenge
for European veterinarians and
researchers. Get the PDF Contact person : claude.saegerman@ulg.ac.be |