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Infection with Bovine Leukemia Virus (BLV) is fatal in cattle due to the lack of effective treatment options. Despite the implementation of costly health regulations in many countries to eliminate BLV, the virus continues to persist. Alfa Cytology is dedicated to the research of retroviruses and offers BLV testing services for the screening of experimental animals. Detecting animals for BLV status enables the implementation of appropriate biosecurity and management measures, reducing the risk of exposure of uninfected animals to infectious agents.
BLV is a retrovirus that serves as the causal agent of enzootic bovine leukemia. It naturally infects cattle, leading to symptoms such as lymphoma and persistent lymphocytosis. Despite the implementation of effective eradication programs in many European countries, BLV continues to persist globally, and there are currently no available treatments. Effectively testing animals for BLV serves as an important measure to isolate and identify BLV-infected animals within the population, thus minimizing the harm caused by the virus. This proactive approach helps in implementing appropriate management strategies and preventing further transmission of BLV among animals.
Fig. 1. Schematic structure of (a) the bovine leukemia virus (BLV) genome (b) the viral particle. (Marawan, M.A. et al., 2021)
Alfa Cytology provides comprehensive BLV detection development services for the management and therapy of leukemia, including but not limited to the following.
Different testing methods are offered depending on the type of sample being tested, including fresh samples, frozen samples, serum samples, and milk samples. When fresh samples are provided, we can deliver highly accurate and rapid experimental results.
Utilizing advanced biotechnology, we detect and analyze samples for the presence of BLV infection. We offer different serological tests including agar gel immunodiffusion (AGID), enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), radio immunoassay (RIA), and passive hemagglutination assay (PHA).
| Methods | Service Details |
| AGID | Using agar gel immunodiffusion, we perform antigen-antibody immunoprecipitation reactions on agar gel to analyze the presence of the virus in the sample. |
| ELISA | We have specific antibodies for the detection of bovine leukemia, which can analyze a large number of samples and provide you with accurate experimental results. |
| RIA | We created a radioimmunoassay for the detection of BLV using BLV glycoprotein and internal virion antigen (p25). |
| PHA | We developed a PHA to detect the BLV gp51 transmembrane glycoprotein for diagnosing BLV infection. However, the method's detection efficiency is temperature, pH, and trypsin sensitive. |
Through PCR technology, we amplified various target genes using specific primers, such as tax, gag, env, pol, and LTR, and positive samples were screened. We offer a variety of PCR methods for the detection of BLV. Compared with traditional PCR, the real-time and nested PCR we provide can more accurately identify BLV infection from blood and milk samples.
Alfa Cytology specializes in providing advanced detection solutions specifically tailored for the bovine leukemia virus. Our services prioritize the needs of our clients and provide customized development for the detection of BLV, catering to diverse requirements. Feel free to contact us and discuss your specific research requirements.
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