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Antibodies to bovine viral diarrhoea virus ( BVDV ) in water buffalo ( Bubalus bubalis) and cattle from the Northern Territory of Australia
Author(s) -
Evans CA,
Cockcroft PD,
Reichel MP
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
australian veterinary journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.382
H-Index - 59
eISSN - 1751-0813
pISSN - 0005-0423
DOI - 10.1111/avj.12517
Subject(s) - bubalus , water buffalo , veterinary medicine , biology , virus , antibody , virology , zoology , ecology , immunology , medicine
Background Farmed and feral water buffaloes ( Bubalus bubalis ) populations often coexist with cattle in the Northern Territory of Australia, but their level of exposure to bovine viral diarrhoea virus ( BVDV ) is unknown. Methods Water buffalo (n = 245) and cattle (n = 184) serum samples were collected by the NT Government as part of an ongoing disease surveillance scheme at varying intervals between 1993 and 2001. All samples were frozen and stored at −80°C until testing. Water buffalo samples from farming properties were identified as ‘farmed’ animals and the remaining samples as ‘feral’ populations. Serum samples were analysed using commercially available ELISAs to test for the presence of BVDV antibodies. Results Testing of historical water buffalo sera for BVDV antibodies revealed a low level of exposure, with 4.5% (95% CI ± 2.6%) being sero‐positive; cattle from the same geographical area and time period had higher levels of exposure at 74.5% (95% CI ± 6.3%). Discussion This survey showed that water buffalo are susceptible to infection with BVDV . No persistently infected water buffalo were identified in this study.