A New Diagnostic Test for the Detection of Bovine Leukemia Virus (BLV) Infection in Cattle

Abstract

Bovine leukemia virus (BLV) is a retrovirus infection of both dairy and beef cattle known to cause bovine leukosis and malignant lymphoma. Clinical signs of the disease, such as weight loss and decreased milk production, yield economic losses. Moreover, trade restrictions are placed on positive animals. Since there is no vaccine or treatment, biosecurity measures can help control the spread of the disease. Current testing methods, although highly sensitive and specific, require the practitioner to send in samples to a specialized laboratory. The turnaround time for results can be on the order of a few days to a few weeks. Tip-Test™: BLV (ImmuCell Corporation, Portland, Maine) has developed an on-site, rapid serological test for the presence of anti-BLV antibodies. The test is based on the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) principle, yet provides results in 25 minutes and can be used with whole blood, serum or plasma. This self-contained kit requires no specialized equipment or laboratory and can be used by practitioners in the clinic or on-site.