Systematic Veterinary Virology

ISOLATION AND IDENTIFICATION

• Blood is the ideal material and should be taken during the period of fever and another sample 1-2 weeks later. Samples should be taken from animals in various stages of the disease to facilitate a rapid laboratory confirmation
• Part of the first sample of blood is allowed to clot, and another portion is mixed with anticoagulant. From the uncoagulated blood, a smear is made on a glass slide and allowed to dry in air. The balance is used for virus isolation. When blood taken during illness is allowed to clot, it usually fails to contract on standing, even over several days. It may be streaked with fibrin.
• Cattle are used for isolation of the virus. Blood from infected cattle is used as inoculum for infecting cattle. Exhibition of characteristic clinical symptoms are used to identify BEFV.
• PCR.