Bluetongue, so named because it can cause a loss of oxygen and a blue tinge to the tongue, affects sheep, goats, deer, elk and antelope.
Cattle can carry the virus, usually without becoming ill.
Worldwide, there are 24 strains of bluetongue virus. Previous tests were not always definitive, requiring additional testing. The new test, developed by ARS microbiologist William C. Wilson, reduces the time it takes to identify the virus type from several days to a single day. All official bluetongue testing in the U.S. is performed at the USDA's National Veterinary Service Laboratory in Ames, Iowa, and the lab has incorporated Wilson's test into its procedures. Wilson and ARS microbiologist James O. Mecham also developed tests that identify the two types of EHD present in the U.S. and distinguish them from bluetongue viruses.