PCR Diagnosis of the Bovine Immunodeficiency-Like Virus

The bovine immunodeficiency-like virus (BIV), also known as the bovine lentivirus or the bovine immunodeficiency virus, causes a persistent viral infection of cattle, and is found in cattle populations around the world (1 ,2 ). A closely related lentivirus, Jembrana disease virus, causes an acute disease in Bos javanicus cattle, and while it also infects Bos taurus and Bos indicus cattle the infection is generally asymptomatic (3 ). Strong evidence has not been presented that links BIV to a specific cattle disease, but BIV has been associated with decreased milk yield and with a variety of disease conditions including clinical immunodeficiency, encephalitis, bovine paraplegic syndrome, skin infections, and emaciation (4 -6 ).