AHL LabNote 5-Recommendations for testing for bovine viral diarrhea virus in alpacas and llamas

Aborted and stillborn fetuses, cria that die, and any unexplained deaths should be autopsied by a veterinarian so that samples of tissue can be sent to a veterinary diagnostic lab to be tested for disease agents, including BVDV.  If BVDV is identified from any submission, then the herd should be strategically tested to see if there is a persistently infected (PI) animal still present in the herd as the source of the infection. For BVDV herd screening, every animal in the herd should be evaluated for the virus in some way.

Low birth weight cria, poor doing cria, very premature cria, and alpacas with unexplained illness and chronic illnesses should be tested for BVDV. To test live animals of any age for BVDV at the AHL, send 2 mL of EDTA blood for PCR. If the first test in a live animal is positive for BVDV, this may only represent an acute infection. A second blood sample must be collected 3 weeks later and tested to confirm that the animal is indeed persistently infected. This second test is essential before the animal will be euthanized on the basis of this testing. 

Any pregnant females who may have been exposed to BVDV during their pregnancy should have their cria tested for BVDV soon after birth using a blood test.