Bovine AIDS

1996/12/01 Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Albaitaritza

In Fantzia there is no officially AIDS of cows or Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, but according to the work of Daniel Lévy of the National Veterinary School of Maissons-Alfort, this statement is not correct.

This infectious agent was first isolated in 1972 by American scientists. In 1986, researchers reported on the relationship between BIV and the AIDS virus. Research showed that 60% of cows in Florida and Louisiana were contaminated. According to surveys conducted in the Netherlands, Germany and Britain, 0.5-5% are contaminated. In France, in the work done with 398 cows by Daniel Lévy, the figure is 5%.

Is there a risk of human contamination through AIDS? It seems that the probability is very low, but since the disease is widespread in Europe, they have already made a request for help to the European Commission to carry out their investigations.