In May 2003, we have serologically surveyed the goat herds in Kinmen Island for bluetongue with an cELISA kit, showing 33% (3/9), 81% (13/16), 100% (4/4) and 100% (18/18) seropositive rate, respectively. The tracing-back investigations that were carried out,22 heparinized whole blood samples from seropositive animals were processed for virus isolation by inoculation in embryonated chicken egg and cell cultures. Cell with CPE were were examined by EM showed virus particles with Bluetongue virus morphological characteristics.The virus was submitted to CSIRO Australian Animal Health Laboratory for serotyping, confirming that the virus isolated from Kinmen, named BTV/KM strain, belongs to the serotype 2 of BTV. Sequence analysis and phylogenetic studies with the L2 gene have also showed that the BTV/KM strain was clustered together with the serotype 2 strains from other areas, whereas the V440 strain from China was the closest genetically with approximately 95% nucleotide identity. This is the first isolation of BTV in Taiwan.from clinically healthy goats.
