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Bluetongue, Epizootic Haemorrhagic Disease, and Other Emerging Orbiviruses, 2nd Edition
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Bluetongue, Epizootic Haemorrhagic Disease, and Other Emerging Orbiviruses, 2nd Edition

A special issue of Viruses (ISSN 1999-4915). This special issue belongs to the section "Animal Viruses".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2026 | Viewed by 5276

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Ludovic Martinelle

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
CARE-FEPEX Experimental Station, Fundamental and Applied Research for Animals & Health (FARAH) Center, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Liege, 4000 Liege, Belgium
Interests: veterinary epidemiology; virology; host-pathogen interactions; veterinary public health; smart farming

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The recent emergence of Bluetongue virus serotype 3 (BTV-3) in Europe and the expanding distribution of Epizootic Haemorrhagic Disease virus (EHDV) highlight the ongoing challenges posed by emerging orbiviruses worldwide. These vector-borne pathogens continue to threaten livestock and wildlife, with potentially severe economic and ecological consequences. This special issue aims to gather cutting-edge research focused on various aspects of orbivirus biology, including molecular characterization, epidemiology, pathogenesis, diagnostic advancements, vaccination strategies, and disease control. Studies addressing novel orbiviruses, their ecological and evolutionary dynamics, as well as innovative approaches to surveillance and outbreak response, are particularly welcome. By providing an updated and comprehensive overview of orbivirus research, this issue seeks to contribute to the development of effective control and prevention measures.

Dr. Ludovic Martinelle
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • bluetongue
  • epizootic haemorrhagic disease
  • orbiviruses
  • African horse sickness
  • vector-borne diseases

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Related Special Issue

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

17 pages, 4252 KB  
Article
Visualization of Bluetongue Virus RNA Segment Networks in Infected Cells: Multipartite Genomic RNA Assortment Is Independent of Viral Proteins NS2 and VP6
by Dong-Sheng Luo, Po-Yu Sung and Polly Roy
Viruses 2026, 18(4), 406; https://doi.org/10.3390/v18040406 - 25 Mar 2026
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 546
Abstract
Bluetongue virus (BTV), with a genome of ten double-stranded RNA segments (S1–S10), is an emerging animal pathogen causing major economic losses in livestock worldwide. BTV replication involves RNA-RNA and RNA–protein interactions, with RNA-binding proteins, VP6 and NS2 playing key roles in genome assembly [...] Read more.
Bluetongue virus (BTV), with a genome of ten double-stranded RNA segments (S1–S10), is an emerging animal pathogen causing major economic losses in livestock worldwide. BTV replication involves RNA-RNA and RNA–protein interactions, with RNA-binding proteins, VP6 and NS2 playing key roles in genome assembly and RNA packaging. To explore the dynamics of RNA segment interactions and the roles of VP6 and NS2 in RNA complex formation, we used RNA fluorescence in situ hybridization chain reaction (HCR), along with site-specific mutagenesis and reverse genetics. We found that RNA segments interact sequentially, from the smallest (S10) to the largest (S1), forming a single complex that includes the entire genome. This process is independent of VP6 or NS2, although NS2 enhances the assembly of larger segments. Additionally, we show that VP6 binds to +ssRNAs before their incorporation into viral assembly factories (inclusion bodies/VIBs). These findings reveal that RNA-RNA interactions, rather than primary replicase proteins, govern the sorting and recruitment of genome segments. Our data offer new insights into BTV RNA packaging, showing that genome segments destined for packaging and dsRNA synthesis are segregated through complex formation, distinct from +ssRNAs used in protein synthesis, including those encoding the replicase complex. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bluetongue, Epizootic Haemorrhagic Disease, and Other Emerging Orbiviruses, 2nd Edition)
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22 pages, 1119 KB  
Article
High Seroprevalence of Bluetongue Virus Serotype 3 in Belgian Cattle and Sheep After the 2024 Epidemic
by Mickaël Cargnel, Xavier Simons, Ilse De Leeuw, Nick De Regge and Jean-Baptiste Hanon
Viruses 2026, 18(3), 396; https://doi.org/10.3390/v18030396 - 22 Mar 2026
Viewed by 634
Abstract
To monitor the epidemiological situation of bluetongue virus (BTV) in Belgium, a national surveillance programme was conducted during the 2024–2025 winter season. The objective was to estimate the apparent seroprevalence of BTV-3 following the 2023–2024 epidemic and to prove the absence of active [...] Read more.
To monitor the epidemiological situation of bluetongue virus (BTV) in Belgium, a national surveillance programme was conducted during the 2024–2025 winter season. The objective was to estimate the apparent seroprevalence of BTV-3 following the 2023–2024 epidemic and to prove the absence of active circulation of other BTV serotypes in mixed herds (cattle and sheep). A total of 2551 cattle and 1458 sheep were sampled across Belgium. Serological analyses were performed using ELISA, and molecular detection of BTV-3, BTV-8, and BTV-12 was conducted by RT-qPCR. The majority of cattle and sheep herds showed evidence of exposure to BTV-3, with a very high herd-level apparent seroprevalence (100%; 95% CI: 96.2–100% in cattle and 98.9%; 95% CI: 93.8–99.8% in sheep). Apparent within-herd seroprevalence was also high in cattle (94.6%; 95% CI: 91.8–96.5%) and sheep (85.5%; 95% CI: 80.4–89.5%). No evidence of active circulation of BTV-8 or BTV-12 was detected. A moderate significant positive correlation between Ct values and sampling date was observed both for bovine and ovine samples, consistent with a progressive decline in detectable BTV RNA during winter in the absence of vector activity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bluetongue, Epizootic Haemorrhagic Disease, and Other Emerging Orbiviruses, 2nd Edition)
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13 pages, 3670 KB  
Article
Identification of the First CHeRI Orbivirus 3–5 Strain Isolated from a Dead Farmed White-Tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus) Whose Death Had Been Attributed to an Infection by Mule Deerpox Virus
by Emily DeRuyter, Pacharapong Khrongsee, Kuttichantran Subramaniam, Kristen Wilson, An-Chi Cheng, Zoe S. White, Amira Richardson, Merrie P. Urban, Juan M. Campos Krauer, Samantha M. Wisely and John A. Lednicky
Viruses 2026, 18(3), 305; https://doi.org/10.3390/v18030305 - 28 Feb 2026
Viewed by 622
Abstract
We report the isolation and coding complete genome sequences of a new CHeRI orbivirus from the spleen of a dead farmed white-tailed deer in Florida whose death was attributed to an infection by mule deerpox virus. Phylogenetic and genetic analyses support this new [...] Read more.
We report the isolation and coding complete genome sequences of a new CHeRI orbivirus from the spleen of a dead farmed white-tailed deer in Florida whose death was attributed to an infection by mule deerpox virus. Phylogenetic and genetic analyses support this new virus as the fifth strain of the CHeRI orbivirus 3 species, and we designated it CHeRI orbivirus 3–5. While our previous detections and isolations of CHeRI orbiviruses were from deer spleens that also contained epizootic hemorrhagic disease virus-2, or in one case, Hardee County ephemerovirus 1, no deerpox virus was isolated from the spleen of the animal in this report, marking the first time we have isolated a CHeRI orbivirus without a co-infecting agent. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bluetongue, Epizootic Haemorrhagic Disease, and Other Emerging Orbiviruses, 2nd Edition)
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11 pages, 865 KB  
Article
Semen Quality in Rams Is Severely but Temporarily Affected by Bluetongue Virus Serotype 3 Infection
by Ludovic Martinelle, Sophie Egyptien, Lola Dechene, Marielle Somville, Frédéric Derkenne and Stéfan Deleuze
Viruses 2025, 17(10), 1371; https://doi.org/10.3390/v17101371 - 13 Oct 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 3001
Abstract
Bluetongue virus serotype 3 (BTV-3) emerged in northwestern Europe in 2023–2024, raising concerns about its potential reproductive impact on rams, similar to previous outbreaks with BTV-8. This study assessed the effect of natural BTV-3 infection on the semen quality of 49 rams in [...] Read more.
Bluetongue virus serotype 3 (BTV-3) emerged in northwestern Europe in 2023–2024, raising concerns about its potential reproductive impact on rams, similar to previous outbreaks with BTV-8. This study assessed the effect of natural BTV-3 infection on the semen quality of 49 rams in Belgium using two cross-sectional sampling sessions during the 2024 outbreak. Semen and blood were tested for BTV RNA via RT-qPCR, and a composite semen quality score (SQS) was established based on key sperm parameters. On the first sampling date, 75% of rams were viremic, and 19% presented azoospermia. Rams with BTV RNA detectable in both semen and blood had significantly lower SQS and sperm concentrations than those with viral RNA in blood only or none at all. By the second sampling, 53 days later, semen quality had improved markedly, indicating a transient effect of infection. These findings confirm that BTV-3 can severely but temporarily impair ram fertility, particularly when viral replication occurs in the reproductive tract. Given the seasonal overlap between vector activity and breeding programs, these results underscore the importance of integrating reproductive health monitoring into outbreak response strategies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bluetongue, Epizootic Haemorrhagic Disease, and Other Emerging Orbiviruses, 2nd Edition)
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