Investigation of the Presence of Bovine Papillomavirus in Blood Leukocytes of Cattle in West Mediterranean of Turkey

One hundred Holstein cattle, varying in age from one to ten years, who had warts on different parts of its bodies and had previously had Bovine papillomavirus (BPV) typing had blood samples taken from them from various managements in Burdur-Center and its surroundings. DNA was extracted from leukocytes using the DNeasy Blood & Tissue Kit (Qiagen, Germany). RT-PCR test was performed using consensus and type-specific primers for the detection of BPV types. As a result of the study, RT-PCR test and consensus primers were not detected in blood leukocyte samples. Through the use of type-specific primers in an RT-PCR assay, the viral genome components of BPV-10 (56), BPV-11 (1), BPV-10+BPV-11 (2), BPV-10+BPV-12, and BPV-10+BPV-14 (2) were detected in these samples. BPV-12 was detected for the first time in blood leucocytes. In blood samples taken from animals classified according to the anatomical regions where the warts are located the highest BPV positivity (22,2%) was detected in animals with warts on the teats. Also, the most BPV-10 type was determined in the blood samples of animals with wart lesions on the teat and lobes. When the distribution of BPV PCR positive samples according to age groups was made, BPV PCR positive was found mostly in the between 1 and 47 month age group (71,4%). It was determined that the prevalence of BPV was high in the between 1 and 47 age group, while the rates of 48-83 months and later decreased with increasing age. In this investigation, it was found that BPV type 10 had been prevalent in blood leukocyte samples from cattle with warts in various areas of the body and with variable macroscopic appearance.