Effect of bovine leukemia virus infection and proviral load on the systemic profile of dairy heifers during the transition period

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of bovine leukemia virus (BLV) on the systemic profile of naturally infected dairy heifers during the transition period. Pregnant Holstein and Jersey heifers (n=24) were distributed in pairs into two experimental groups: (BLV+) and (BLV-). Animals in the BLV+ group were divided into two subgroups based on the median BLV proviral load (high and low). The animals were then assessed at weeks -3, -2, -1, calving time (0), +1, +2, and +3. Blood samples were obtained for hematological and biochemical analyses, as well as haptoglobin measurements. Farm BLV screening revealed a herd BLV prevalence of 57.25% and heifer BLV prevalence of 38.7%. Mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration was the only hematological variable for which group interaction was observed, with BLV+ cattle having higher values (33.29 f 3.39%) than BLV- cattle (31.08 f 2.31%). Aspartate aminotransferase activity was higher in the BLV+ heifers. The BLV+ group had greater incidence of inflammation (haptoglobin >= 2.0 mg/dL). Fibrinogen concentrations were also higher at weeks 0 and +1 in BLV+ heifers than in BLV- heifers. A high proviral load affected total leukocyte and lymphocyte count; however, this profile was not observed in the low proviral load and paired BLV- heifers. To our knowledge, this is the first study to report the impact of BLV infection on the health of dairy heifers during the transition period, demonstrating the effect of proviral load on white blood cell changes and inflammation in infected animals.