title: Serological detection systems for identification of cows shedding bovine foamy virus via milk.
abstract: The biology of foamy viruses, their mode of transmission and disease potential in their natural host and after interspecies transmission are largely unknown. To gain insights into the prevalence of bovine foamy virus (BFV) and its zoonotic potential, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) were established to determine antibody responses against Gag, Env, and the non-structural protein Bet in bovine serum and milk. In Polish cattle, strong Gag reactivity was most frequent (41.5%) and strongly associated with Bet antibodies, Env antibodies were less frequent. German cattle showed a low overall BFV antibody prevalence of 6.8%. Besides clearly BFV-positive animals, a substantial number of weakly reacting cattle were identified. BFV-specific antibodies were also detectable in milk. BFV was isolated from PBLs and milk cells of BFV-positive cattle but not from antibody-negative or weakly reacting animals. The implications of these findings for the potential interspecies transmission of BFV to humans will be discussed.
authors.affiliation: Dept. Genome Modifications and Carcinogenesis, Research Program Infection and Cancer, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Fabian
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Romen
authors.forename: Perdita
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Backes
authors.forename: Magda
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Materniak
authors.forename: Reinhard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sting
authors.forename: Thomas W
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: Vahlenkamp
authors.forename: Roland
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Riebe
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pawlita
authors.forename: Jacek
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kuzmak
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Löchelt
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D001483:Base Sequence; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000276:immunology / Q000635:transmission / Q000821:virology*; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000235:genetics; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary; D005260:Female; D015686:Gene Products, env / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D015683:Gene Products, gag / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D008892:Milk / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology*; D011044:Poland; D012192:Retroviridae Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000635:transmission / Q000662:veterinary* / Q000821:virology; D012191:Retroviridae Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D016092:Spumavirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D014779:Virus Replication; D015047:Zoonoses / Q000635:transmission / Q000821:virology
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D017931:DNA Primers; D004279:DNA, Viral; D015686:Gene Products, env; D015683:Gene Products, gag; D012191:Retroviridae Proteins