Genomic variability of equine herpesvirus-5.
Seventeen New Zealand isolates of equine herpesvirus 5 (EHV-5) were compared to the Australian prototype strain. PCR primers were designed to amplify EHV-5 glycoprotein B (gB) gene, and Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (RFLP) was used to detect differences between cloned PCR products. EHV-5 isolates from different horses showed a high degree of heterogeneity. However, EHV-5 isolates from individual horses remained homogeneous when examined over a period of time or isolated from different sites. A single EHV-5 gB RFLP profile was detected in isolates from each individual horse but one. Two or possibly three different genotypes of EHV-5 were detected in cultures inoculated with a nasal swab of this horse. The heterogeneity observed between EHV-5 isolates from different horses suggests that the use of RFLP may provide a useful epidemiological approach to gain more knowledge about the biology of EHV-5.
Dunowska
M
M
Institute of Veterinary, Animal and Biomedical Sciences, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand.
Holloway
S A
SA
Wilks
C R
CR
Meers
J
J
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D014644:Genetic Variation; D016679:Genome, Viral; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000235:genetics*; D006564:Herpesviridae / Q000235:genetics*; D006736:Horses / Q000821:virology*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins / Q000235:genetics*
D006023:Glycoproteins; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins; C121062:glycoprotein B, Equid herpesvirus 5