Potential Risk Factors Associated with Infection with Bovine Leukaemia Virus in Dairy and Beef Cattle in Taiwan
Bovine leukaemia virus (BLV), which is classified as a <i>Deltaretrovirus</i>, is the aetiologic agent of enzootic bovine leukosis (EBL), a chronic lymphoproliferative disorder with a worldwide distribution. EBL is widespread in dairy herds and causes a direct economic impact due to redu...
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MDPI AG
2021-11-01
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| Series: | Pathogens |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/10/12/1553 |
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| author | Yi-Chen Chen Wen-Yu Chin Chao-Chin Chang Shih-Te Chuang Wei-Li Hsu |
| author_facet | Yi-Chen Chen Wen-Yu Chin Chao-Chin Chang Shih-Te Chuang Wei-Li Hsu |
| author_sort | Yi-Chen Chen |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Bovine leukaemia virus (BLV), which is classified as a <i>Deltaretrovirus</i>, is the aetiologic agent of enzootic bovine leukosis (EBL), a chronic lymphoproliferative disorder with a worldwide distribution. EBL is widespread in dairy herds and causes a direct economic impact due to reduced milk production and the early culling of BLV-infected cattle. The BLV infection status in Taiwan remains largely unknown; a high prevalence of BLV in dairy cows was recently revealed. The present study further investigated BLV infections in beef cattle. Surprisingly, the prevalence of BLV proviral DNA was as low as 11.8% (23/195), which is significantly lower than that noted in dairy cows, which was 42.5% (102/240) (<i>p</i> < 0.001). Factors associated with BLV infections were subsequently investigated. Due to the differences in herd management, an analysis of risk factors for a BLV infection was independently conducted in these two sectors. Several factors associated with a BLV infection were identified. Age was significantly associated with BLV infection status in dairy cows (<i>p</i> < 0.001) but not in beef cattle. A high prevalence of BLV was observed in cattle >15.5 months old (57.8%) compared with those ≤15.5 months old (11.4%). Moreover, after stratification analysis, based on the critical age of 15.5 months, as determined by the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, a significantly higher BLV prevalence was demonstrated in lactating dairy cows, cattle undergoing bull breeding, heifers at older ages, and those undergoing routine rectal palpation. Due to the high prevalence of BLV in Taiwan, the development of an effective control program, based on the identified risk factors, is important for interrupting the routes of BLV transmission within herds. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T03:22:47Z |
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| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T03:22:47Z |
| publishDate | 2021-11-01 |
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| record_format | Article |
| series | Pathogens |
| spelling | doaj.art-c6de0af008d1400890ef69c09d6c39e72023-11-23T10:00:33ZengMDPI AGPathogens2076-08172021-11-011012155310.3390/pathogens10121553Potential Risk Factors Associated with Infection with Bovine Leukaemia Virus in Dairy and Beef Cattle in TaiwanYi-Chen Chen0Wen-Yu Chin1Chao-Chin Chang2Shih-Te Chuang3Wei-Li Hsu4Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taichung 407, TaiwanDepartment of Farm Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, 3584 CS Utrecht, The NetherlandsGraduate Institute of Microbiology and Public Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung 402, TaiwanDepartment of Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung 402, TaiwanGraduate Institute of Microbiology and Public Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung 402, TaiwanBovine leukaemia virus (BLV), which is classified as a <i>Deltaretrovirus</i>, is the aetiologic agent of enzootic bovine leukosis (EBL), a chronic lymphoproliferative disorder with a worldwide distribution. EBL is widespread in dairy herds and causes a direct economic impact due to reduced milk production and the early culling of BLV-infected cattle. The BLV infection status in Taiwan remains largely unknown; a high prevalence of BLV in dairy cows was recently revealed. The present study further investigated BLV infections in beef cattle. Surprisingly, the prevalence of BLV proviral DNA was as low as 11.8% (23/195), which is significantly lower than that noted in dairy cows, which was 42.5% (102/240) (<i>p</i> < 0.001). Factors associated with BLV infections were subsequently investigated. Due to the differences in herd management, an analysis of risk factors for a BLV infection was independently conducted in these two sectors. Several factors associated with a BLV infection were identified. Age was significantly associated with BLV infection status in dairy cows (<i>p</i> < 0.001) but not in beef cattle. A high prevalence of BLV was observed in cattle >15.5 months old (57.8%) compared with those ≤15.5 months old (11.4%). Moreover, after stratification analysis, based on the critical age of 15.5 months, as determined by the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, a significantly higher BLV prevalence was demonstrated in lactating dairy cows, cattle undergoing bull breeding, heifers at older ages, and those undergoing routine rectal palpation. Due to the high prevalence of BLV in Taiwan, the development of an effective control program, based on the identified risk factors, is important for interrupting the routes of BLV transmission within herds.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/10/12/1553bovine leukaemia virusdairy cowsbeef cattleheiferrisk factors |
| spellingShingle | Yi-Chen Chen Wen-Yu Chin Chao-Chin Chang Shih-Te Chuang Wei-Li Hsu Potential Risk Factors Associated with Infection with Bovine Leukaemia Virus in Dairy and Beef Cattle in Taiwan Pathogens bovine leukaemia virus dairy cows beef cattle heifer risk factors |
| title | Potential Risk Factors Associated with Infection with Bovine Leukaemia Virus in Dairy and Beef Cattle in Taiwan |
| title_full | Potential Risk Factors Associated with Infection with Bovine Leukaemia Virus in Dairy and Beef Cattle in Taiwan |
| title_fullStr | Potential Risk Factors Associated with Infection with Bovine Leukaemia Virus in Dairy and Beef Cattle in Taiwan |
| title_full_unstemmed | Potential Risk Factors Associated with Infection with Bovine Leukaemia Virus in Dairy and Beef Cattle in Taiwan |
| title_short | Potential Risk Factors Associated with Infection with Bovine Leukaemia Virus in Dairy and Beef Cattle in Taiwan |
| title_sort | potential risk factors associated with infection with bovine leukaemia virus in dairy and beef cattle in taiwan |
| topic | bovine leukaemia virus dairy cows beef cattle heifer risk factors |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/10/12/1553 |
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