Population dynamics of bovine herpesvirus 1 infection in a dairy herd.
An induced outbreak of a bovine herpesvirus 1 (BHV1) infection in a dairy herd is described. The outbreak was induced by injecting three BHV1 seropositive cows with dexamethasone. Within 7 weeks all seronegative cows had seroconverted. Also some seropositive animals showed a significant increase in serum antibody titre. Using these data, parameters of population dynamics such as R0, the basic reproduction ratio, could be estimated. The basic reproduction ratio is a threshold value describing infection dynamics in a population. This parameter is defined as the average number of secondary cases generated by one primary case in a wholly susceptible population of defined density. In this population R0 was estimated to be at least 7. The importance of these findings, and implications for eradication of BHV1 are discussed.
Hage
J J
JJ
Animal Health Service in the Netherlands, Drachten, The Netherlands.
Schukken
Y H
YH
Barkema
H W
HW
Benedictus
G
G
Rijsewijk
F A
FA
Wentink
G H
GH
D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000662:veterinary*; D005260:Female; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D007242:Herpesvirus 1, Bovine / Q000254:growth & development; D007241:Infectious Bovine Rhinotracheitis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D007774:Lactation; D011157:Population Dynamics; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary* / Q000821:virology; D014765:Viral Vaccines; D014775:Virus Activation
D014765:Viral Vaccines; D003907:Dexamethasone