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BLV/EBL

Bovine Leukemia Virus/Enzootic Bovine Leukosis

Bovine leukemia virus (BLV) is a retrovirus that may cause lymphosarcoma in cattle. The virus resides in blood lymphocytes where circulating antibodies are unable to neutralize it. Therefore, once an animal is infected with BLV, it is infected for life.

BLV is economically significant to the producer because of premature culling or death as a result of lymphosarcoma. Another concern is the condemnation of carcasses at slaughter, which has a significant economic impact on the dairy and cattle industries. Losses from export restrictions are another economic concern of BLV infection. Countries that have bovine leukosis control programs require BLV-free certification prior to shipping cattle to their regions. Moreover, exporters of semen are under increasing pressure to ensure that their product is from a BLV-free animal in a BLV-free herd.

Testing Solutions

CHEKIT* Bovine Leukemia Virus Antibody Test Kit

Availability/Distribution: Outside the U.S.

The CHEKIT* Leukotest Screening Milk Test Kit is an enzyme immunoassay for the detection of antibody to bovine leukemia virus (BLV). With this assay it is possible to identify one individual BLV positive animal in a bulk milk sample of 125 animals or in a laboratory pool prepared with up to 250 individual milk samples. Following concentration one BLV positive animal can be identified in a laboratory pool of 400 samples.

The CHEKIT* Leukotest Verification Milk Test Kit is an enzyme immunoassay for the verification of antibody to bovine leukemia virus (BLV). With this assay it is possible to identify one individual BLV positive animal in a bulk milk sample of 125 animals or in a laboratory pool prepared with up to 250 individual milk samples. Following concentration one BLV positive animal can be identified in a laboratory pool of 400 samples.

The CHEKIT-Leucose-Serum ELISA Test Kit is an enzyme immunoassay for the detection of antibody to bovine leukemia virus (BLV) in individual serum and plasma and pools of up to 10 individual sera or plasma samples from cattle.

CHEKIT Leucose Serum Antibody Test Kit Information Sheet

(144 KB)

BLV antibody detection by antigens produced on new cell line
Very high specificity—reduces the need for verification
Excellent sensitivity—fulfills OIE1 prescriptions and EU directives2
Detection of antibodies against viral proteins, including the highly immunogenic early-appearing glycoprotein gp51
Modern kit format—easy to use, with ready-for-use reagents
High sample throughput—automation saves time and cost
Easy data management—can be used with xChek* software

1. OIE Terrestrial Animal Health Code—2005, Chapters 2, 3, 4. Enzootic bovine leukosis. Appendix 3.1.1.
2. EEC directive 88/406/EEC, Annex G

CHEKIT* Leukotest Screening Milk Antibody ELISA:
10 plates (solid), milk samples (individual or pool up to 250), short or overnight protocol, monophasic kit, results in less than three hours with optional overnight protocol, indirect format

CHEKIT* Leukotest Verification Milk Antibody ELISA:
10 plates (solid), milk samples (individual or pool up to 250), biphasic kit

CHEKIT* Leucose Serum Antibody ELISA:
10 plates (strips), serum or plasma samples, monophasic kit

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* xChek, CHEKIT, FlockChek and HerdChek are trademarks or registered trademarks of IDEXX Laboratories, Inc. in the United States and/or other countries. Pourquier is a trademark of Institut Pourquier, a wholly owned subsidiary of IDEXX Laboratories, Inc.