Staff Members - Benha University
Quantitative Risk Assessment for the Introduction of Bovine Leukemia Virus-Infected Cattle Using a Cattle Movement Network Analysis.
Pathogens • 2020
Publication Information
Authors
Kosuke Notsu, Anuwat Wiratsudakul, Shuya Mitoma, Hala El Daous, Chiho Kaneko,
Heba M. El-Khaiat, Junzo Norimine and Satoshi Sekiguchi
Keywords
bovine leukemia virus; enzootic bovine leukosis; animal movement network analysis;
cattle introduction; quantitative risk assessment
Journal
Pathogens
Publisher
Not Available
Volume
9
Issue
903
Pages
Not Available
publication.type
Local
Paper Link
Not Available
Supplementary Materials
Not Available
Abstract
The cattle industry is suffering economic losses caused by bovine leukemia virus (BLV)
and enzootic bovine leukosis (EBL), the clinical condition associated with BLV infection. This pathogen
spreads easily without detection by farmers and veterinarians due to the lack of obvious clinical
signs. Cattle movement strongly contributes to the inter-farm transmission of BLV. This study
quantified the farm-level risk of BLV introduction using a cattle movement analysis. A generalized
linear mixed model predicting the proportion of BLV-infected cattle was constructed based on
weighted in-degree centrality. Our results suggest a positive association between weighted in-degree
centrality and the estimated number of introduced BLV-infected cattle. Remarkably, the introduction
of approximately six cattle allowed at least one BLV-infected animal to be added to the farm in
the worst-case scenario. These data suggest a high risk of BLV infection on farms with a high number
of cattle being introduced. Our findings indicate the need to strengthen BLV control strategies,
especially along the chain of cattle movement.
and enzootic bovine leukosis (EBL), the clinical condition associated with BLV infection. This pathogen
spreads easily without detection by farmers and veterinarians due to the lack of obvious clinical
signs. Cattle movement strongly contributes to the inter-farm transmission of BLV. This study
quantified the farm-level risk of BLV introduction using a cattle movement analysis. A generalized
linear mixed model predicting the proportion of BLV-infected cattle was constructed based on
weighted in-degree centrality. Our results suggest a positive association between weighted in-degree
centrality and the estimated number of introduced BLV-infected cattle. Remarkably, the introduction
of approximately six cattle allowed at least one BLV-infected animal to be added to the farm in
the worst-case scenario. These data suggest a high risk of BLV infection on farms with a high number
of cattle being introduced. Our findings indicate the need to strengthen BLV control strategies,
especially along the chain of cattle movement.