Diagnostic tests for small ruminant lentiviruses

• Published in: Veterinary microbiology 2005-04, Vol.107 (1), p.49-62
• Main Authors: de Andrés, D., Klein, D., Watt, N.J., Berriatua, E., Torsteinsdottir, S., Blacklaws, B.A., Harkiss, G.D.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Arthritis-Encephalitis Virus, Caprine - immunology; Arthritis-Encephalitis Virus, Caprine - isolation & purification; Biological and medical sciences; Caprine arthritis encephalitis virus; caprine arthritis-encephalitis; Diagnosis; disease diagnosis; enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay - methods; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay - veterinary; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; goat diseases; Goat Diseases - diagnosis; Goats; Immunodiffusion - methods; Immunodiffusion - veterinary; immunologic techniques; laboratory techniques; Lentivirus; Lentivirus Infections - diagnosis; Lentivirus Infections - veterinary; literature reviews; maedi-visna disease; Maedi-visna virus; Microbiology; Miscellaneous; PCR; Pneumonia, Progressive Interstitial, of Sheep - diagnosis; polymerase chain reaction; Polymerase Chain Reaction - methods; Polymerase Chain Reaction - veterinary; Ruminantia; Ruminants - virology; screening; Sensitivity and Specificity; serodiagnosis; Serologic Tests - methods; Serologic Tests - veterinary; Serology; Sheep; sheep diseases; Sheep Diseases - diagnosis; small ruminants; Virology; Visna maedi virus; Visna-maedi virus - immunology; Visna-maedi virus - isolation & purification
• ISSN: 0378-1135; 1873-2542
• DOI: 10.1016/j.vetmic.2005.01.012

Maedi visna virus and caprine arthritis encephalitis virus are closely related retroviruses that cause chronic inflammatory disease in small ruminants. The infections are characterised by insidious onset and slow progression. Diagnosis of infection is usually by serological testing. A variety of assays are available for this purpose, though the relative sensitivity and specificity of these assays has not been compared systematically. Here we review recent developments in laboratory diagnostic methods and their use in field diagnosis. The results suggest that a combination of ELISA and PCR might afford optimal detection of SRLV infection.