Serological evidence of enzootic bovine leukosis in the periurban dairy cattle production system of Al Ain, United Arab Emirates

• Published in: Tropical animal health and production 2020-09, Vol.52 (5), p.2327-2332
• Main Authors: Hassan, Nabeeha Abdelgaleel D., Mohteshamuddin, Khaja, Anthony, Asha, Al Aiyan, Ahmad, Mohamed, Mohamed E. H., Abdalla Alfaki, Ibrahim M., Barigye, Robert
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Age; Animals; Antibodies, Viral - blood; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Bovine leukosis; Cattle; Cattle production; Chi-square test; Dairy cattle; Dairy farming; Dairy farms; Enzootic Bovine Leukosis - blood; Enzootic Bovine Leukosis - epidemiology; Enzootic Bovine Leukosis - immunology; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay - veterinary; Farms; Female; Homogeneity; Leukemia Virus, Bovine - immunology; Leukosis; Life Sciences; Livestock; Regular Articles; Serology; Statistical analysis; Statistical tests; United Arab Emirates - epidemiology; Veterinary Medicine/Veterinary Science; Zoology
• ISSN: 0049-4747; 1573-7438
• DOI: 10.1007/s11250-020-02262-1

The serostatus of enzootic bovine leukosis (EBL) was determined at three dairy farms and the Al Ain Livestock Market (AALM), within the Al Ain region of Abu Dhabi, UAE. Of the 957 bovine sera tested by ELISA, 657 were from Holstein-Friesians from three dairy farms, and 300 from Bos indicus cattle at AALM. The chi-square homogeneity test (CSHT) and the Marascuilo multiple comparison procedure (MMCP) assessed the level of significance between the proportions of EBL-seropositive cattle (ESPC) across the study farms and AALM, and between the age groups at farms 1 and 3. Overall, the proportion of ESPC was 25.7% at dairy farms and AALM, 37.0% for farms and 1.0% for AALM. Furthermore, the proportions of ESPC at farms 1, 2 and 3 were 54.7%, 0.0% and 26.3% respectively, and statistically significant differences were seen across the farm/farm and farm/AALM comparisons, and between two age groups at farms 1 and 3. The 37–72-month-old age group showed the highest proportion of ESPC. This is the first serological evidence of EBL in the UAE. As previously reported, the ESPC are comparatively higher in dairy than Bos indicus cattle. Molecular and more extensive serological studies are needed to further corroborate the present data. Meanwhile, the UAE veterinary authorities will need to formulate national EBL control policies.