EN
The aim of this paper was to evaluate the present bluetongue (BT) epidemiological situation in Europe and to present the results of BT monitoring studies carried out in the Department of Foot-and-Mouth Disease of the National Veterinary Research Institute. In 2007 BT spread to the regions of Europe where it has never been observed before. The first cases of BT were reported in the United Kingdom, Denmark, Switzerland and Czech Republic. In total, 31 598 BT outbreaks caused by BTV-8 were found in Europe. Most of the outbreaks were observed between the 34th and 41st week of 2007. Moreover, in some south European countries BT outbreaks caused by serotypes 1 and 4 (Portugal and Spain) and 1, 2, 4, 9 and 16 (Italy and Malta) were found. The BT monitoring studies initiated in our laboratory in September 2006 were continued in 2007. By January 2008 about 9850 serum and blood samples collected from animals imported into Poland from European countries affected by BTV were tested. We found 15 seroreagents, all among the cattle imported from Germany. On the 5th of December, for the first time, the viral RNA was detected by real-time RT-PCR in blood samples of seroreagent from Germany. The presence of viral RNA was detected again in three samples of EDTA blood collected from German cows imported into Poland in November 2007. These animals can be a potential source of BTV in our country after culicoides midges start their seasonal activity in the environment.