[Retrospective evaluation of data over five years of the BVDV prevention program using ear notch samples from the autonomous province of Bolzano (Italy)].
In 2005 the Autonomous Province of Bolzano implemented a BVD-Virus control programme by testing all newborn calves for Bovine Viral Diarrhoea Virus (BVDV) antigen by analysing ear notch samples. In eradication programs between November 2005 and October 2010 a total of 344,108 newborn calves were ear notch sampled and analysed for BVDV by an antigen ELISA detecting the E(rns) (HerdCheck BVDV Antigen/Serum Plus, Idexx Laboratories, Switzerland). The tissue samples were collected during calf ear tagging (within the first 20 days of life) using two sampling devices (TypiFix-System, Agrobiogen GmbH [Germany] and Allflex [France]). 0.4% (1400) of the collected samples showed a positive result, and of these, 583 calves were subjected to a follow-up examination, analysing the samples again by ELISA as well blood samples by Reverse transcriptase-PCR. Blood samples were also collected from the dam, if still present on the farm by the time of sampling. These results suggest that a BVDV control programme testing all newborn calves sampled for BVDV antigen by analysing an ear notch sample in principle is practicable. However, due to the low positive predictive value (75%) of the E(rns)-ELISA used, not all persistently infected calves can be detected.
Institut für Tierseuchenbekämpfung der Venetien, Italien.
Alexander
A
Tavella
Paolo
P
Zambotto
Ernst
E
Stifter
Dorotea
D
Lombardo
Michela
M
Rabini
Eva
E
Robatscher
Gottfried
G
Brem
D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D001912:Bovine Virus Diarrhea-Mucosal Disease / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D002417:Cattle; D001908:Diarrhea Viruses, Bovine Viral / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D004431:Ear, External / Q000821:virology*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000662:veterinary; D005260:Female; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000662:veterinary
D000956:Antigens, Viral; D012367:RNA, Viral