PCR detection of ovine herpesvirus-2 DNA in Indonesian ruminants--normal sheep and clinical cases of malignant catarrhal fever.
Malignant catarrhal fever (MCF), a fatal viral disease of cattle and other large ruminants, has a worldwide distribution. There are two forms of the disease, one of which, is caused by Alcelaphine herpesvirus-1 (AHV-1) and is derived from wildebeest. The other form is associated with domestic sheep and is caused by ovine herpesvirus-2 (OHV-2). The disease in Indonesia is sheep-associated with the preferred livestock of this area, Balinese cattle (Bos javanicus) and water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis), both highly susceptible to SA-MCF. The incidence in these species is thought to be high but the prevalence and economic losses attributable to SA-MCF have been difficult to assess. a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test, based on a cloned OHV-2 gene sequence, was successfully applied to the detection of OHV-2 DNA in normal sheep and animals affected with SA-MCF. OHV-2 DNA was detected in eleven confirmed cases of SA-MCF and in the peripheral blood leucocyte (PBL) fraction of six latently infected sheep. These findings have confirmed that the PCR can be of value in establishing a diagnosis of MCF and that the aetiological agent of MCF in Indonesia is OHV-2. The amplification of DNA from the PBL of goats suggests that they are infected with a similar or identical herpesvirus.
Research Institute for Veterinary Science (Balitvet), Bogor, Indonesia.
A
A
Wiyono
S I
SI
Baxter
M
M
Saepulloh
R
R
Damayanti
P
P
Daniels
H W
HW
Reid
D000818:Animals; D015139:Blotting, Southern / Q000662:veterinary; D002020:Buffaloes / Q000821:virology; D002417:Cattle; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D006041:Goats / Q000821:virology; D006564:Herpesviridae / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D007214:Indonesia; D008304:Malignant Catarrh / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000821:virology*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000662:veterinary; D012418:Ruminants / Q000821:virology*; D012756:Sheep / Q000821:virology
D004279:DNA, Viral