With regard to a feasible emergence of LSD in Switzerland, the establishment of reliable diagnostic tools as well as the assessment of the vectorial potential of local arthropods is important.
To these aims our project deals with a) the collection of clearly defined diagnostic material from experimentally infected cattle, b) the assessment of current molecular biological methods as well as virus isolation, c) the development and evaluation of serological assays. The second part of the project aims at gaining substantial knowledge on the way of transmission of LSDV (mechanical, biological) by various abundant insects (mosquitoes, Culicoides) in Switzerland and to also investigate the largely unknown population dynamics of biting flies (S. calcitrans, Haematobia spp.) which due to their blood feeding behaviour (very frequent and interrupted blood meals) undoubtedly can act as immediate mechanical vectors.