Ocorrência de anticorpos contra o vírus da linguá azul em vacas leiteiras em Minas Gerais, Brasil

Abstract

Bovine farming is of great importance for Brazilian agribusiness. The state of Minas Gerais stands out as the largest milk producer in Brazil, accounting for 26.1% of production. The Blue tongue virus (VLA), known worldwide as Bluetongue (BT), is an infectious, non-contagious disease that affects domestic and wild ruminants (MACLACHLAN et al., 2009). The main economic consequences of VLA infection are indirect losses due to abortion, decr eased reproductive performance and milk production, and loss of body condition, as well as the international restriction of animal movement and its germplasm. In Brazil, the disease requires immediate notification of any suspected cases (Ministry of Agriculture, 2013). In this context, cattle are important epidemiologically, since they serve as reservoirs of the virus for prolonged periods (MACLACHLAN et al., 2009). The occurrence of this disease is related to the presence of transmitting vectors, caused by an orbivirus, transmitted by Culicoides mosquitoes, which infects domestic and wild ruminants (LOBATO, 1999). The present work is the first study of the occurrence of Blue Language in milk cattle in Lavras and region. A total of 586 serum samples were collected from female bovines of reproductive age. Samples were tested with the agarose gel immunodiffusion (IDGA) test for anti-VLA antibodies. A prevalence of 83.28% was observed in animals that were seropositive for Blue-tongue Virus. In addition, 100% of the properties possessed at least one positive animal for the disease. In conclusion, a high prevalence of the animals in the properties and this means that the VLA circulates in the evaluated region.