LETTER TO THE EDITOR

 

Seroprevalence of Bovine herpesvirus 4 in bovines and buffaloes in Caquetá, Colombia

 

Seroprevalencia de Herpesvirus bovino 4 en bovinos y búfalos en Caquetá, Colombia

 

 

Dear Sir,

Bovine herpesvirus 4 (BoHV-4) is a member of the Rhadinovirus genus, belonging toGammaherpesvirinae subfamily. It has been isolated worldwide both in healthy animals and in animals with a range of diseases varying from ocular discharge, conjunctivitis, dermatitis, respiratory diseases and abortion. So far, there are no reports of studies on this virus conducted in Colombia.

To know if there was any evidence of BoHV 4 circulation in Colombia, 2 cattle herds, 5 buffalo herds and 3 mixed (cattle and buffaloes together),for a total of 304 cattle and 295 buffaloes, were investigated in Caquetá department. Indirect ELISA Labs BIO-X DIAGNOSTICS was used following the manufacturer's instructions, and processed in the laboratories LABVECA in Barranquilla, Department of Atlántico, Colombia, under the parameters and national licenses established for these cases by the ICA (Colombian Agricultural Institute).

The prevalence in the herds was 100%, and the percentages of seropositives to BoHV- 4 were 72,4% and 84,1% in cattle and buffaloes, respectively. It is emphasized the need for further research on the role of this virus in health problems in cattle and buffaloes in the country.

This finding is the first report of the circulation of BoHV4 in Colombia.

 

 

J.L. Motta Giraldo^I, Indira Waltero García^II, Ma. Antonia Abeledo^III

^IFlorencia, Caquetá, Colombia. E-mail: [e-mail].
^IILaboratorio de Diagnóstico Veterinario ICA, Florencia, Caquetá, Colombia.
^IIIDirección de Salud y Producción Animal, Centro Nacional de Sanidad Agropecuaria (CENSA), Apartado 10, San José de las Lajas, Mayabeque, Cuba.