Leucose enzoótica bovina: estudo epidemiológico na bacia leiteira do Estado do Maranhão e aperfeiçoamento do diagnóstico

Abstract

The Bovine Enzootic Leukosis (BL) is a disease caused by bovine leukemia virus (BLV), a Deltaretrovirus of the Retroviridae family, characterized by lymphocyte proliferation and lymphosarcoma, mainly distributed in dairy cattle. Based on national and international literature was found that all continents are affected by BLV, including Brazil. The state of Maranhão is characterized by intense trading of cattle from various regions of the country, where the presence of the EBL was found. This work aimed to study the prevalence and risk factors associated with EBL in the dairy herd of the state of Maranhao and the evaluation of a microimmunediffusion technique (micro-AGID) in agar gel for the diagnosis of EBL. In order to know the seroprevalence and risk factors associated with EBL, a total of 920 blood samples were collected from 92 dairy HZ breed cattle distributed in 23 municipalities of the five that make up the regional dairy farming country. For the diagnosis of EBL, the AGID was used to test (kit produced by the Technological Institute of Parana - TECPAR). The estimated prevalence was of 53.80% of seropositive animals, distributed in98.91% (91/92) of herds, mainly affecting animals over the age of 48 months (P <0.05). The Bacabal, Sao Luis and Pedreiras regionals presented higher seropositive frequencies (63.50%, 61.87, and 60.62%%) respectively; Imperatriz, intermediate (41.18%), and Açailândia, the lowest (30.83%) (P<0.05). All municipalities had seropositive animals, with frequencies ranging from 22.50% (San Francisco Brejao) to 75.00% (Bernardo do Mearim). When analyzing the variables studied as potential risk factors for EBL a statistically significant association (P <0.05) was found between seropositive for EBL and repeated use of the same needle for blood sampling or vaccination (Odds Ratio - OR=2.76; IC – 1,73 - 4,93), repeated use of the same obstetric glove (OR=1.74; IC – 1.2 a 2.49), animal housing (OR=1.97; IC – 1.28 – 3.02 ), and lack of veterinary care (OR=1.42; IC – 1.06 – 1.88), was found. Knowledge of BEL by farmers and the purchase of animals from other farms for breeding did not interfere in seroreactivity to BEL (OR=1.09; IC – 0.82 – 1.44 and OR=0.88; IC – 0.57 – 1.36, respectively) (P> 0.05). In order to improve the development of a diagnostic test for EBL,micro-gel immuno-Agarose (micro-AGID) was used with simple protocol for obtaining the antigen compared to a macro-AGID. A total of 450 serum samples from 92 properties in 23 counties that make up the dairy state of Maranhao were used. The antigen used in micro-AGID was obtained by dialysis of supernatant of FLK cells infected by BLV against the polyethylenogricol. In micro-AGID 10 μl of antigen and positive serum control was used and 30 μl of test serum, in the macro-AGID 25 μl of all reagents wereused. This produced by the Technological Institute of Parana (TECPAR). Of the sera compared, 259 (57.56%) and 245 (54.44%) showed positive results in micro-AGID and macro-AGID, respectively. There was a very good agreement between both techniques (K = 0.91), with sensitivity and specificity of the macro-AGID for micro-AGID of 93.43% and 98.43% with an accuracy of 95.96%. Micro-AGID showed clearer lines than those observed in the macro-AGID and reading can be made 24 hours before the macro-AGID. It is concluded that micro-AGID can be used successfully in the serological diagnosis of EBL, with the advantage of greater speed in issuing the results and obtaining the antigen with a simple technique.