Bovine Herpesvirus-1 Infection in Irish Cattle
Author Information
Author(s): Cowley DJ, Clegg Tracy A, Doherty Michael L, More Simon J
Primary Institution: MSD Animal Health, University College Dublin
Hypothesis
What are the aspects of BHV-1 infection and control on Irish farms?
Conclusion
BHV-1 infection is endemic in the cattle population in Ireland, but vaccines are rarely used.
Supporting Evidence
- The herd-level BHV-1 seroprevalence was found to be 74.9%.
- Only 1.8% of farmers reported using BHV-1 marker vaccine.
- There was a significant association between herd size and seroprevalence.
Takeaway
BHV-1 is a virus that makes cows sick, and many cows in Ireland have it, but not many farmers use the vaccine to protect them.
Methodology
The study used a cross-sectional design with a stratified random sample of 1,175 herds and evaluated seroprevalence using an indirect ELISA test.
Potential Biases
Recall bias may have affected the accuracy of vaccine usage data collected from farmers.
Limitations
The study relied on pooled serum samples and did not evaluate individual animal seroprevalence.
Participant Demographics
The study included dairy and beef herds across four provinces in Ireland.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.001
Confidence Interval
95% CI - 69.9%-79.8%
Statistical Significance
p<0.001
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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