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-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

  • 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* 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.