Tweet
Virus in cattle linked to human breast cancer
By Sarah Yang | September 15, 2015
A new study by UC Berkeley researchers establishes for the first time a link between infection with the bovine leukemia virus and human breast cancer.
...
?The association between BLV infection and breast cancer was surprising to many previous reviewers of the study, but it?s important to note that our results do not prove that the virus causes cancer,? said study lead author Gertrude Buehring, a professor of virology in the Division of Infectious Diseases and Vaccinology at UC Berkeley?s School of Public Health. ?However, this is the most important first step. We still need to confirm that the infection with the virus happened before, not after, breast cancer developed, and if so, how.?...
By Sarah Yang | September 15, 2015
A new study by UC Berkeley researchers establishes for the first time a link between infection with the bovine leukemia virus and human breast cancer.
...
?The association between BLV infection and breast cancer was surprising to many previous reviewers of the study, but it?s important to note that our results do not prove that the virus causes cancer,? said study lead author Gertrude Buehring, a professor of virology in the Division of Infectious Diseases and Vaccinology at UC Berkeley?s School of Public Health. ?However, this is the most important first step. We still need to confirm that the infection with the virus happened before, not after, breast cancer developed, and if so, how.?...
...Enzootic bovine leukosis is caused by BLV, an exogenous C-type oncogenic retrovirus of the BLV-human T-lymphotropic virus group.
...The prevalence of BLV infection varies from country to country. Many European countries, Australia, and New Zealand have eradication programs in place that have led to negligible rates of BLV infection. Although voluntary control programs are in place in the USA, prevalence is high compared with much of the rest of the world. The most recent surveys in the USA estimate that 44% of dairy and 10% of beef cattle are infected with the virus. Prevalence tends to increase on dairies with increasing herd size, while the converse is true in beef cattle. In general, the prevalence of viral infection increases with age.
...The prevalence of BLV infection varies from country to country. Many European countries, Australia, and New Zealand have eradication programs in place that have led to negligible rates of BLV infection. Although voluntary control programs are in place in the USA, prevalence is high compared with much of the rest of the world. The most recent surveys in the USA estimate that 44% of dairy and 10% of beef cattle are infected with the virus. Prevalence tends to increase on dairies with increasing herd size, while the converse is true in beef cattle. In general, the prevalence of viral infection increases with age.