The genotype determination and molecular characterization of bovine leukemia virus in Turkey

Bovine leukemia virus (BLV) infection is widespread worldwide and causes significant economic losses in the livestock industry. In this study, to identify the genotypes and to investigate the molecular characterization of BLV strains, we analyzed 25 BLV strains from cattle housed in six herds located in several Turkish geographical regions. Phylogenetic analysis, based on a partial or full-length sequence of the env gp51 gene of BLVs, showed that all Turkish BLVs belonged to genotype 1. The alignment of the deduced amino acid sequences demonstrated fourteen amino acid substitutions in different regions of the env gp51. This study updates our knowledge of BLV in Turkey. Further studies are needed to understand the molecular epidemiology and implement a comprehensive BLV control program in Turkey.