title: Association between the strength of serologic recognition of bovine leukosis virus and lymphocyte count in bovine leukosis virus-infected cows.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether strength of serologic recognition of bovine leukosis virus (BLV) by use of ELISA is associated with blood lymphocyte counts.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective study.
  
  
  METHODS
  161 cows with positive results of ELISA for BLV.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sample-to-positive ratio (S:P), which is the ratio between the test sample and a positive control sample, was compared among lymphocytotic and nonlymphocytotic cows. A regression model was constructed to evaluate the association between blood lymphocyte concentration and S:P, age, and the interaction of these terms.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean S:P differed significantly between lymphocytotic (2.58 +/- 0.36) and nonlymphocytotic (2.38 +/- 0.39) cows. Age and S:P were significantly associated with lymphocyte count.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Sample-to-positive ratio and lymphocyte count were related; however, cows with high S:P were not always lymphocytotic. Culling cows on the basis of S:P will reduce the herd load of infectious virus faster than random culling of ELISA-positive cows; however, culling on the basis of lymphocyte count will eliminate a greater proportion of the reservoir of infection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Clinical Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois, Urbana 61802, USA.
authors.forename: Dusty W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Nagy
authors.forename: Jeff W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Tyler
authors.forename: Aaron
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Stoker
authors.forename: Steven B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Kleiboeker
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D002417:Cattle; D016583:Enzootic Bovine Leukosis / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*; D005260:Female; D001909:Leukemia Virus, Bovine / Q000276:immunology*; D018655:Lymphocyte Count / Q000662:veterinary; D008218:Lymphocytosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000662:veterinary*; D011446:Prospective Studies
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral