THE EPIZOOTIC SITUATION REGARDING BLUTANG IN CATTLE IN CERTAIN REGIONS OF THE REPUBLIC OF KAZAKHSTAN

Although no official cases of bluetongue have been reported in the country, the complex global epidemiological situation and also the risk of disease introduction highlight the utmost importance of monitoring. Therefore, the goal of this study is focusing on assessing the epizootic status of bluetongue in cattle in the Republic of Kazakhstan. This study investigated biological material obtained from cattle raised on farms situated in different regions of the Republic of Kazakhstan in order to evaluate the epizootic status of bluetongue disease. In total, 27 biological samples were analyzed using two modern diagnostic approaches. Sixteen samples were examined for the presence of bluetongue virus RNA by real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). RNA extraction was carried out using the MagMAX™️ Viral RNA Isolation Kit. The remaining 11 samples were analyzed for antibodies to the VP7 protein of bluetongue virus using the ID Screen®️ Bluetongue Competition ELISA Kit manufactured by IDvet, France. During the competitive ELISA procedure, optical density values were determined at 450 nm. RT-qPCR was performed using an Applied Biosystems 7500 Fast Real-Time PCR System. The amplification protocol included reverse transcription at 45°C for 10 minutes, an initial denaturation step at 95°C for 10 minutes, and 40 subsequent cycles consisting of 15 seconds at 95°C and 45 seconds at 60°C. The results obtained from all 27 samples were negative for both viral RNA and antibodies against BTV. Thus, based on highly sensitive diagnostic methods employed at this institution, no evidence of bluetongue virus circulation was detected during examinations of eight livestock farms across five regions of the Republic of Kazakhstan between 2021 and 2025.