Prevalencia de seropositividad a Leucosis Enzoótica Bovina en las parroquias de Cumbe, Tarqui y Victoria del Portete del cantón Cuenca de la provincia del Azuay

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of Enzootic Bovine Leukosis (EBL) in dairy cattle from the parishes of Cumbe, Tarqui, and Victoria del Portete, located in Cuenca, Azuay Province, Ecuador. Additionally, georeferencing of the studied herds was conducted, and an analysis of risk factors associated with the disease was performed. EBL is a viral disease caused by a deltaretrovirus of the Retroviridae family, which directly impacts milk production by reducing yield per cow, leading to economic losses for producers. Diagnosis was performed using the ID Screen BLV Competition Kit, based on the indirect ELISA technique, to detect antibodies in blood serum samples from 389 animals distributed across the three parishes. The results revealed an overall disease prevalence of 24%, with the highest prevalence recorded in Tarqui (46%), followed by Cumbe (13%) and Victoria del Portete (10%). Furthermore, georeferencing identified the farms that tested positive in each parish. Of the 56 properties analyzed, 29 tested negative, while 27 tested positive. Finally, the risk factor analysis indicated that the most significant factors influencing the presence of the disease were previous illnesses and abortions.