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Characterizing The Epidemiology Of Bluetongue And Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease Virus In Louisiana, Michael Edward Becker

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Bluetongue virus (BTV) and Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease Virus (EHDV) are arthropod-borne viruses (Reoviridae; Orbivirus) transmitted by biting midges in the genus Culicoides. These viruses cause hemorrhagic disease and induce serious morbidity and mortality rates in wild and captive deer. Cattle are normally asymptomatic but serve as the reservoir/amplifying host for these viruses and play an important role in the transmission cycle. The objectives of this study were to characterize the epidemiology of these viruses as they relate to white-tailed deer and cattle, evaluate different trap types for collecting Culicoides midges, and determine if these viruses can be detected …