Overwintering of epizootic hemorrhagic disease virus in white-tailed deer in Florida, USA: Unanticipated seroconversion and the case for alternative vectors

摘要

Purpose: Hemorrhagic disease (HD) is a vector-borne disease of ruminants caused by two distinct but related viruses: epizootic hemorrhagic disease virus (EHDV) and bluetongue virus (BTV). HD is the most important viral disease of white-tailed deer in North America. In recent years, HD outbreaks have become more frequent, and HD has become a more global problem as the viruses have spread, causing infection in both domestic and wildlife hosts. The reasons for this incursion are not well understood but some hypotheses for this phenomenon include the expanding range of biting midge vectors (Culicoides spp.), potentially resulting in overwintering of these viruses, or the emergence of more virulent strains of these viruses.