title: An association exists between bovine herpesvirus-4 seropositivity and abortion in cows.
abstract: The prevalence of cattle seropositive to bovine herpesvirus-4 (BHV-4) is high in Belgium. In Belgian farms, clinical signs associated with BHV-4 infection essentially involve the genital tract and consist mainly of postpartum metritis or metroperitonitis. The role of BHV-4 in abortion has not been definitively demonstrated but epidemiological and experimental facts suggest its involvement. A seroepidemiological investigation was therefore conducted as a case-control study to compare the seroprevalences of BHV-4 infections in the aborted-cow population and in a randomly selected control group in the province of Liège (Belgium). The seroprevalence (17.2%) in aborted cows was significantly higher than that of the control group (10.0%). The odds ratio (OR) was 1.87 (1.06 < 3.30). BHV-4 infection is therefore considered as a risk factor for abortion in cows.
authors.affiliation: Centre de Dépistage des Maladies Animales, Loncin, Belgium.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Czaplicki
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Thiry
mesh_terms: D000034:Abortion, Veterinary / Q000821:virology*; D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D001530:Belgium / Q000453:epidemiology; D002007:Brucellosis, Bovine / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D004716:Endometritis / Q000662:veterinary / Q000821:virology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000662:veterinary; D005260:Female; D006564:Herpesviridae / Q000276:immunology*; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary* / Q000821:virology; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010538:Peritonitis / Q000662:veterinary / Q000821:virology; D011247:Pregnancy; D015995:Prevalence
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D007074:Immunoglobulin G