Immunological Aspects of Bovine Leukemia and Tuberculosis

The article describes the results of detection of anti-mycobacterial and anti-leukemic antibodies in the blood serum samples of cows. Samples were obtained from tuberculin-responsive and tuberculin non-responsive as well as from BLV-infected and non-infected animals. Data are presented proving that anti-leukemic antibodies are found in more than 30 percent of samples obtained from animals that react to tuberculin. Antimycobacterial antibodies are found in more than 40 percent of samples that are positive in the immunodiffusion reaction. The experiments were carried out in three experimental groups of cows. In the first group, samples were positive for the immunodiffusion reaction and were obtained from cows that did not respond to tuberculin. In the second group, samples were negative in the reaction of immunodiffusion and were received from animals that respond to tuberculin. In the third group, samples were positive in the reaction of immunodiffusion and were obtained from tuberculin-responsive cows. Ten samples were taken from each group. The presented research results allow us to conclude about the possible determinant commonality of the antigens of the bovine leukemia virus and avian mycobacteria. The cause of tuberculin reactions in animals may well be infection with BLV. When carrying out diagnostic measures for leukemia and tuberculosis in cattle, when differentiating nonspecific tuberculin reactions, it is necessary to take into account the epizootic situation for these infections.