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Journal of Clinical Microbiology, August 1999, p. 2498-2507, Vol. 37, No. 8
Federal Research Centre for Virus Diseases of
Animals,
Received 16 November 1998/Returned for modification 18 February
1999/Accepted 27 April 1999
In the present study, we report for the first time on the detection
of bovine herpesvirus type 1 (BHV-1) in whole-blood samples derived
from naturally infected cattle. Sensitive PCR assays specific for
glycoprotein B (gB), gC, and gE of BHV-1 allow the detection of one
BHV-1 DNA copy in 105 to 107 peripheral blood
leukocytes (PBLs). The incidence of BHV-1-positive PBLs in naturally
infected cattle appears to be quite high (92.2% positive PBLs among
all samples tested), although in most cases only between
10
0095-1137/99/$04.00+0
Copyright © 1999, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.
Detection of Bovine Herpesvirus Type 1 in Blood
from Naturally Infected Cattle by Using a Sensitive PCR That
Discriminates between Wild-Type Virus and Virus Lacking
Glycoprotein E
5 and 10
7 positive leukocytes were
present. The results demonstrate that the viral DNA is detectable not
only in the peripheral blood of acutely infected animals but, more
importantly, also in the peripheral blood of subclinically infected
cattle. The gE-specific PCR described in the report allows
discrimination between wild-type (WT) virus-infected and vaccinated
animals, which is of importance for control programs that use the
recently introduced vaccination strategy with a gE-negative virus. The
results further show that doubtful serological results can be verified
or falsified and that individual animals can be monitored for the
presence or absence of WT BHV-1 or gE-negative virus in cattle herds.
The PCR protocols allow the detection of BHV-1 prior to seroconversion
or in BHV-1-seronegative cattle. Finally, the results indicate the
simultaneous presence of WT and gE-negative vaccine virus in the PBLs
of several cattle. Therefore, investigations of viremia in naturally
and experimentally infected cattle and on the identification of
infected cell types of bovine PBLs can be now performed.
*
Corresponding author. Mailing address: Federal Research
Centre for Virus Diseases of Animals, Institute for Vaccines,
Paul-Ehrlich Str. 28, D-72076 Tübingen, Germany. Phone: (49)
7071-967 253. Fax: (49) 7071-967 303. E-mail:
achim.rziha{at}tue.bfav.de.
Journal of Clinical Microbiology, August 1999, p. 2498-2507, Vol. 37, No. 8
0095-1137/99/$04.00+0
Copyright © 1999, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.
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