Species differences in the reaction of cattle to Jembrana disease virus infection.

Jembrana disease virus (JDV), a recently identified bovine lentivirus, causes an acute and severe disease in Bali cattle (Bos javanicus). Clinical Jembrana disease has not been reported in other types of cattle and this has led to the belief that the disease is unique to Bali cattle. This study showed, however, that other types were also susceptible. Infection of Friesian (Bos taurus) and crossbred Bali (Bos javanicus x Bos indicus) cattle induced clinical changes and lesions consistent with those detected in Bali cattle, although they were milder and would consequently have been difficult to detect under field conditions. The inoculated crossbred cattle were viraemic for 3 months and developed an antibody response to the virus that persisted for at least 46 weeks after infection.