Viruses (Dec 2022)

Epizootic Haemorrhagic Disease Virus Serotype 8 in Tunisia, 2021

  • Soufien Sghaier,
  • Corinne Sailleau,
  • Maurilia Marcacci,
  • Sarah Thabet,
  • Valentina Curini,
  • Thameur Ben Hassine,
  • Liana Teodori,
  • Ottavio Portanti,
  • Salah Hammami,
  • Lucija Jurisic,
  • Massimo Spedicato,
  • Lydie Postic,
  • Ines Gazani,
  • Raja Ben Osman,
  • Stephan Zientara,
  • Emmanuel Bréard,
  • Paolo Calistri,
  • Jürgen A. Richt,
  • Edward C. Holmes,
  • Giovanni Savini,
  • Francesca Di Giallonardo,
  • Alessio Lorusso

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/v15010016
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 15, no. 1
p. 16

Abstract

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Epizootic haemorrhagic disease (EHD) is a Culicoides-borne viral disease caused by the epizootic haemorrhagic disease virus (EHDV) associated with clinical manifestations in domestic and wild ruminants, primarily white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) and cattle (Bos taurus). In late September 2021, EHDV was reported in cattle farms in central/western Tunisia. It rapidly spread throughout the country with more than 200 confirmed outbreaks. We applied a combination of classical and molecular techniques to characterize the causative virus as a member of the serotype EHDV-8. This is the first evidence of EHDV- 8 circulation since 1982 when the prototype EHDV-8 strain was isolated in Australia. This work highlights the urgent need for vaccines for a range of EHDV serotypes.

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