Abstract
ABSTRACT. Rajão D.S., Bastianetto E., Reis J.K.P., Oliveira D.A.A., Lago L.A. & Leite R.C. [Study of bovine leukemia virus infection in water buffalos (Bubalus bubalis) in Minas Gerais State]. Estudo da Infecção pelo Vírus da Leucose Bovina (BLV) em Bubalinos (Bubalus bubalis) no Estado de Minas Gerais. Revista Brasileira de Medicina Veterinária, 32(1):42-45, 2010. Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva, Escola de Veterinária, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Av. Presidente Antônio Carlos 6627, Caixa Postal 567, Pampulha, Belo Horizonte, MG 30123-970, Brasil. E-mail: romulocleite@vet.ufmg.br Although the natural infection of water buffalos for infectious agents who acometem the bovine species (Bos taurus) and other ruminants can occur, buffalos seemed to be less susceptible to infection for the bovine leukosis virus (BLV). The objective of this study was to evaluate the occurrence of the infection for BLV in buffalos. Blood samples of 670 healthy Murrah buffalos, raised a half-intensive breeding, and were colleted at 10 dairy farms in the State of Minas Gerais. The agar-gel immunodiffusion test (AGID) was carried out to determine antibodies against the BLV, and all the tested animals were negative. Such results indicate that buffalos did not acquire by themselves with the BLV as in the same frequency as bovine, exactly when get in contact with infected animals of same species.