STUDIES ON THE SPORADIC AND ENZOOTIC FORMS OF BOVINE LEUKOSIS

The relationship between the skin form of bovine lymphosarcoma (SLS) and bovine leukemia virus (BLV) was studied by a number of immunological techniques. Neither C-type virus expression, BLV antigens in culture cells nor antibody to BLV antigens were found in the SLS case. The percentage of B and T cells in lymphoid cells of the SLS case was lower than that of normal bovine lymphoid cells. On the other hand, anti-BLV antibodies were found in 7 cases of enzootic bovine leukosis (EBL) and BLV was detected in 4 of 6 EBL cases tested. The percentage of B cells in peripheral blood lymphocytes and tumour cells from EBL was higher than that in normal cattle, but loss of B cell surface marker may occur in some cases. No BLV antibodies were found in 65 sera from 3 herds where sporadic leukosis, including the SLS case, had recently occurred. However, antibodies were found in 15 of 63 sera from herds where enzootic leukosis had recently occurred. These results suggest that SLS is not aetiologically related to EBL. © 1979.