Molecular and Serological Surveillance of Bovine Viral Diarrhea Virus in the Dairy Farms of Peshawar, Pakistan

Bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) poses a major threat to the health and productivity of cattle worldwide. This study aimed to determine the incidence and associated risk factors of BVDV in dairy farms in Peshawar, Pakistan. A total of 384 blood samples from cows and buffaloes were taken from 20 dairy farms. Competitive ELISA was used to detect antibodies against BVDV, and reverse transcriptase PCR (RT-PCR) targeting the 5′ UTR region was employed to confirm cases that tested positive with ELISA. Further, the risk factors were examined by using multivariable binary logistic regression. Results showed that out of the 384 samples, 179 (46.6%) of the animals and 14 (70%) of the herds tested positive for antibodies against BVDV. Additionally, there is a significant relationship (p < .05) between BVDV seropositivity and crossbred animals, females, and certain farm management practices. The seroprevalence report revealed that BVDV is highly prevalent in dairy farms in Peshawar. These outcomes provided us with vital information about how diseases thrive and can be used as a preliminary step for developing strategies to control BVDV in the area.

Cite this article as: Hidayat, A., Maqsood, I., Rahman, H. U., Ali, M. I., Khan, F. A., Shah, I. A., & Awaz, S. (2026). Molecular and serological surveillance of bovine viral diarrhea virus in the dairy farms of Peshawar, Pakistan. Acta Veterinaria Eurasia, 52, 0175, doi: 10.5152/actavet.2026.25175.