Intrauterine infection with bovine leukemia virus in pregnant dam with highviral load

[摘要] Enzootic bovine leukemia is caused by the bovine leukemia virus (BLV). BLV is transmittedvertically or horizontally through the transfer of infected cells via direct contact,through milk, insect bites and contaminated iatrogenic procedures. However, we lackeddirect evidence of intrauterine infection. The purpose of this study was to confirmintrauterine BLV infection in two pregnant dams with high viral load by cesarean delivery.BLV was detected in cord and placental blood, and the BLV in the newborns showed 100%nucleotide identity with the BLV-env sequence from the dams. Notably, anewborn was seropositive for BLV but had no colostral antibodies. In this study, wepresented a direct evidence of intrauterine BLV transmission in pregnant dam with a highproviral load. These results could aid the development of BLV control measures targetingviral load.

[学科分类] 兽医学

[关键词] bovine leukemia virus;high proviral load;intrauterine infection;vertical transmission