Serologic evidence of bluetongue infection in one-humped camels [Camelus dromedarim] in Kerman province, Iran

Herein, we presented the first report on bluetongue [BT] disease in 10 pregnant camels in a herd from Kerman province, Iran. All sera samples were tested serologically [AGID, C-ELISA]. We also used the Razi-BK cell line, performed primary culture of ovine kidney and inoculated intravenously the embryonated chicken eggs [ECE] to culture and isolate the BT virus. Efforts to culture and isolation of BT virus have met with very limited success. Following precipitation test [AGID] and C-ELISA, 5 of 10 sera in AGID test, and all in C-ELISA became positive. Further studies are needed on the ecology of camels and vector midges to clarify the reason for infection of the camels in Iran