An investigation of enzootic bovine leucosis (EBL) infection by AGAR gel immunodiffusion (AGID), enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) tests and haematological applications on the dairy cows in the burdur region

Haematological tests (alfa nafthyl acetate esterase ANAE activity May Grunwald Giemsa staining and total leucocyte counts) were applied to 469 dairy cows, where the enzootic form of bovine leucosis was investigated. In the same 469 dairy cows, a search for antibodies directed against bovine leucosis virus (BLV) was carried out using agar gel immunodiffusion (AGID) in blood samples and enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in milk samples. Among the 469 animals screened, 90 were positive by ELISA and the haematological tests, while 23 were positive by the AGID test. From these results we would advise heavily infected farms to be eliminated. ELISA and haematological methods, in which ANAE activity, May-Grunwald Giemsa staining and total leucocyte counts were used together, were more reliable and sensitive than the AGID test for detecting EBL.