The use of a polymerase chain reaction assay for the detection of bovine herpesvirus 1 in semen during a natural outbreak of infectious bovine rhinotracheitis
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Abstract
Nasal swabs from two bulls at an artificial insemination (AI) station were submitted
to our laboratory. The animals showed clinical signs of Infectious bovine rhinotracheitis
(IBR), although the station was supposedly free of bovine herpesvirus 1 (BHV1). DNA
of BHV1 was detected using a polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Subsequently nasal swabs
from 100 animals that could have been in contact were submitted. BHV1 DNA was detected
in swabs from 23 animals. Using the PCR, BHV1 could only be detected in a limited
number of semen samples over a period of two months prior to the outbreak or two months
after the outbreak. Also, not all animals that shed BHV1 from the nose harboured detectable
BHV1 in the semen. Finally BHV1 was detected in the semen of one bull, approximately
six weeks before seroconversion. Presently the PCR is being used as a means of quality
control of fresh semen from bulls that are seropositive for BHV1. We are able to produce
a result within 6 h after the semen samples have been submitted, allowing the AI-station
manager to take measures before semen distribution in the event of a positive reaction.
So far 11 out of 318 samples were shown to contain BHV1 DNA. In order to be able to
interpret these results an interlaboratory comparative study is proposed. In countries
endemically infected with BHV1 the PCR can be a cost-effective method to minimize
the risk of transmitting virus by semen.