First report of Bluetongue virus isolation in the Republic of Korea and analysis of the complete coding sequence of the segment 2 gene.

This study investigated the possible presence of the Bluetongue virus (BTV) in the Republic of Korea (ROK). Cell cultures were used to test blood samples collected from abattoirs throughout the country. Testing identified a single BTV isolate, which was characterized as BTV serotype 1 based on a nucleotide sequence analysis of the segment 2 gene. This report therefore indicates that BTV serotype 1 is present in the ROK. The potential importance of BTV in the ROK has been overlooked because cattle are mostly unaffected by the virus and because sheep, the most severely infected hosts, are uncommon in the ROK. However, as recent BTV serotype 8 outbreaks in Europe have demonstrated, certain BTV strains have the potential to cause severe disease in cattle. Additionally, with climate change continuously expanding the regions in which Culicoides vectors are able to survive, there is an increased need to study BTV in the Far East and ROK. To better prepare for future outbreaks of BTV, a sustained and effective level of surveillance for BTV in livestock will need to be established.