Genotyping of Bovine Leukemia Virus Circulating in Yamagata Prefecture and Pathological Study

Abstract

From 2009 to 2011, we genotyped the proviral DNA of bovine leukemia virus (BLV) extracted from the tumor tissue of bovine leukemia (BL) cases in Yamagata prefecture using the PCR-RFLP method. We also confirmed the origin of tumor cells by immunohistochemistry. The results of these studies indicate that most BL cases featured BLV genotypes 1 or 3, and that the tumors of 12 of 13 cases originated from B cells. Based on the present study, it is suggested that BLV genotype 1 or 3 is linked to enzootic bovine leukosis in Yamagata prefecture.