Evidence for the presence of two bovine lentiviruses in the cattle population of Bali

Antibodies directed against two bovine lentiviruses, Jembrana disease virus (JDV) and bovine immunodeficiency virus (BIV), were detected in Balinese c attle sera using two new enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) based on the combination of capsid (CA) protein and transmembrane (TM) peptides d erived from JDV or BIV sequences. Twenty eight of the 77 sera tested on the JDV ELISA showed anti-JDV antibod ies with an unequal distribution of seropositive animals throughout the dif ferent districts of Bali. Furthermore, when 17 of the JDV positive sera wer e tested on Western blot, using the same JDV CA antigen, only 13 were judge d positive confirming that the ELISA was a more sensitive technique for the detection of seropositive animals. Finally, 9 of the 49 JDV seronegative a nimals showed anti-BIV antibodies when tested on BIV-specific ELISA. These two ELISAs appeared to be highly sensitive for the detection of anti- JDV and anti-BIV antibodies. Moreover, for the first time, animals showing antibodies against BIV were identified on the main island of Bali and on th e JDV-free Nusa Penida island. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights re served.