Low numbers of intestinal Shiga toxin-producing E. coli correlate with a poor prognosis in sheep infected with bovine leukemia virus.
- Author:
Witold A FERENS
1
;
Julius HARUNA
;
Rowland COBBOLD
;
Carolyn J HOVDE
Author Information
- Publication Type:Original Article ; Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural ; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't ; Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
- Keywords: bovine leukemia virus; sheep; Shiga toxin-producing; Escherichia coli
- MeSH: Animals; Deltaretrovirus Infections/microbiology/*veterinary; Intestines/*microbiology; Leukemia Virus, Bovine/*physiology; Male; Sheep; Sheep Diseases/*microbiology; Shiga-Toxigenic Escherichia coli/*physiology
- From:Journal of Veterinary Science 2008;9(4):375-379
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
- Abstract: Healthy ruminants carry intestinal Shiga toxin (Stx)-producing Escherichia coli (STEC). Stx has antiviral activities in vitro and STEC numbers correlate with reduced early viremia in sheep experimentally infected with bovine leukemia virus (BLV). This study assessed the impact of intestinal STEC on BLV-induced disease for one year post-BLV-challenge. High STEC scores (CFU/g feces x frequency of STEC-positive samples) correlated with good health, whereas poor weight gain, distress, and tumor development occurred only among animals with low STEC scores. STEC carriage was associated with increased percentages of B cells in peripheral blood.
