15Bluetongue caused by the serotype 8 virus These results, together with the extinction of the epidemic following a regional livestock 24 vaccination campaign, lead to hypothesize that wild ungulates were an epiphenomenon and that 25 they had not an important role in the domestic transmission cycle of BTV--8 in the area. In spite of 26 this, wild ruminants appear to be good sentinels of BTV circulation and their monitoring could be 27 useful for surveillance in piedmont areas. 28 29 30

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