Hepatopathy in a 4-Month-Old Holstein Calf After Transfusion With Plasma Containing Bovine Bosavirus

We report on the identification of bovine bosavirus associated with a post-transfusion hepatopathy in a 4-month-old Holstein bull calf that was referred for enteritis and fever of unknown origin. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) of post-transfusion blood and liver tissue from the calf, alongside NGS of plasma from the donor, identified a bovine bosavirus. This virus has been previously identified in bovine calf serum, calves with mucosal disease, and the blood of bison but was of uncertain clinical importance. These findings have biosecurity implications for clinicians using bovine whole blood or plasma therapeutically and suggest the need for pre- or postharvest donor screening or biologic processing to prevent infection of recipients. The calf made a full clinical recovery.