Enzootic Bovine Leukosis in family farmers from Uruguay

Abstract

Enzootic Bovine Leukosis (EBL) is a disease caused by a Retrovirus, with high prevalence at worldwide level in dairy production systems. In this study, 689 cows on production from 41 establishments belonging to family farmers located in the dairy regions of the center of the country were studied (Departments of Durazno, Florida and Tacuarembó). The samples were processed by agar gel immunodiffusion (AGID) and the results revealed that a percentage of 10.4% (95% CI 8.3% to 13.0%) of the animals were seropositive. Analyzed by Department, it was found an 11%, 14% and 9% of positive animals in Durazno, Florida and Tacuarembó respectively. The low prevalence of LBE in these basins compared with other studies in Uruguay, with prevalence ranging from 50% to 73%, could be due among others to the sensitivity of the AGID or to differences in the production systems, health management and/or breeding of animals, given that the main routes of horizontal transmission of the disease is iatrogenic, during maneuvers such as vaccination and digital rectal examination. This is the first EBL report in cows from family farmers from Uruguay.