Comparative evaluation of bovine immunodeficiency-like virus infection by reverse transcriptase and polymerase chain reaction.

Infection of embryonic bovine lung (EBL) cells by bovine immunodeficiency-like virus (BIV) were monitored by reverse transcriptase (RT), syncytia formation and polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Infection can be detected by PCR at 24 h while the presence of syncytia and RT were not detected until much later. The detection of BIV RT can be optimized by changing the pH and salt conditions. The enzyme is very sensitive to changes in pH but can tolerate a wider range of salt and MgCl2 concentrations. Infection of primary human cell cultures by BIV was monitored by both PCR and RT. No active infection of human cells were detectable.