Enzootic Bovine Leukosis: Presentation of a Case with Nervous Symptomatology
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.63207/ai.v9i17.195Keywords:
paraplegia, lymphoma, dairy farm, pathologyAbstract
Enzootic bovine leukosis (EBL), caused by the bovine leukemia virus (BLV), is a widely distributed disease in dairy systems in Argentina and is characterized by neoplastic proliferation of lymphocytes. Only a small proportion of infected animals develop lymphoma, which may affect multiple organs, while involvement of the spinal canal is uncommon. The aim of this study was to describe the clinical and anatomopathological features of a case of BLV-associated lymphoma with spinal cord involvement. The case occurred in a dairy farm in Córdoba province, Argentina, where three adult cows developed progressive hindlimb paresis, progressing to recumbency within approximately one week, with no response to conventional treatments. Necropsy of one cow revealed a tumoral mass within the lumbosacral spinal canal, extending through the intervertebral foramina and compressing neural structures. Proliferative lesions were also observed in the abomasum, heart, and lymph nodes. Histopathological examination showed neoplastic lymphocytic infiltration, and hematological analysis revealed leukocytosis with marked lymphocytosis. Serological testing for BLV was positive. It is concluded that EBL should be considered among the differential diagnoses in cattle presenting progressive paresis or downer cow syndrome, particularly in regions with high BLV prevalence, highlighting the potential underdiagnosis of this clinical presentation.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Mauro Mació, Ciro Savoretti, Julián Fernandez, Facundo Tello D’elia, Gabriel Magnano
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