Application of antibody titers against bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) as a measure to detect herds with cattle persistently infected with BVDV

• Published in: Journal of veterinary diagnostic investigation Vol. 7; no. 3; p. 327
• Main Authors: Houe, H, Baker, J C, Maes, R K, Ruegg, P L, Lloyd, J W
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.07.1995
• Subjects: Animals; Antibodies, Viral - blood; Antibody Formation; Bovine Virus Diarrhea-Mucosal Disease - epidemiology; Bovine Virus Diarrhea-Mucosal Disease - immunology; Bovine Virus Diarrhea-Mucosal Disease - prevention & control; Cattle; Female; Michigan; Pestivirus - immunology; Probability; Vaccines, Inactivated; Viral Vaccines; Michigan
• ISSN: 1040-6387
• DOI: 10.1177/104063879500700305

Based on the distribution of antibody titers against bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) in 10 Michigan dairy herds, it was calculated that screening of 5 young stock for BVDV antibody titer could be used to distinguish herds with persistently infected (PI) animals from herds without such animals. The herds were selected to represent 3 different herd categories: A, herds without use of vaccination and without PI animals (5 herds); B, herds with use of killed vaccine but no PI animals (2 herds); C, herds with use of killed vaccine and presence of PI animals (3 herds). The animals were described as having high antibody titers (> or = 128) or low antibody titers (< or = 64). For animals from 9 to 18 months of age, the probability of obtaining at least 3 animals with high titers among a screening sample of 5 animals was calculated as < 0.001 for all herds in category A, < 0.01 for the 2 herds in category B, and > 0.99 for all herds in category C. Thus, among herds in this study, by categorizing 9-18-month-old animals as having high titers (> or = 128) or low titers (< or = 64), herds with PI cattle could be distinguished from other herds by testing only 5 animals.