Bovine respiratory syncytial virus antibodies in non-bovine species.

To study the role of non-bovine species in the epidemiology of bovine respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infections, sera obtained from 9 non-bovine animal species and from humans were examined for bovine RSV specific antibodies. Sera were mainly from animals and humans which had been in contact with cattle. Forty sera of each species were tested in an RSV specific whole virus ELISA as well as in a peptide based ELISA, that was developed to measure antibodies specific for bovine RSV. Antibodies directed against RSV were detected in over 50% of sera obtained from sheep, goat, cattle and human beings, and anti-RSV activity was also found in some roe and dogs and one horse. Antibodies to bovine RSV were found in sera of all tested cattle, 11 (27.5%) goats and in some other individual animals: 3 horses, 2 roe, 1 cat and 1 dog. These results indicate that of the investigated species, besides cattle only goats might play a role in the epidemiology of bovine RSV.