title: Experimental infection of sheep with ovine herpesvirus 2 via aerosolization of nasal secretions.
abstract: Ovine herpesvirus 2 (OvHV-2) is the causative agent of sheep-associated malignant catarrhal fever in clinically susceptible ruminants, including cattle, bison and deer. Studies of OvHV-2 have been hampered by the lack of an in vitro propagation system. Here, the use of nasal secretions collected from OvHV-2-infected sheep experiencing intense virus shedding episodes as a source of infectious virus for experimental animal infections was examined. OvHV-2 uninfected sheep were nebulized with nasal secretions containing approximately 10(8) to 10(1) copies of OvHV-2 DNA. The time to detectable viral DNA in peripheral blood leukocytes (7-12 days post-infection) and virus-specific antibody in plasma (9-32 days post-infection) varied with the dose of inocula administered. Here, the use of nasal secretions as a source of infectious OvHV-2 was defined and the minimum infectious dose of a pool of nasal secretions that can be used in further studies of viral pathogenesis and vaccine development was determined.
authors.affiliation: Animal Diseases Research Unit, USDA-Agricultural Research Service, Washington State University, PO Box 646630, Pullman, WA 99164-6630, USA.
authors.forename: Naomi S
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Taus
authors.affiliation: Animal Diseases Research Unit, USDA-Agricultural Research Service, Washington State University, PO Box 646630, Pullman, WA 99164-6630, USA.
authors.forename: Donald L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Traul
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164, USA.
authors.forename: J Lindsay
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Oaks
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164, USA.
authors.forename: Timothy B
authors.initials: TB
authors.lastname: Crawford
authors.affiliation: US Sheep Experiment Station, USDA-Agricultural Research Service, Dubois, ID, USA.
authors.forename: Gregory S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Lewis
authors.affiliation: Animal Diseases Research Unit, USDA-Agricultural Research Service, Washington State University, PO Box 646630, Pullman, WA 99164-6630, USA.
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000336:Aerosols; D000818:Animals; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood; D006564:Herpesviridae / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000635:transmission / Q000662:veterinary / Q000821:virology; D009297:Nasal Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism / Q000821:virology*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000662:veterinary; D012756:Sheep; D012757:Sheep Diseases / Q000635:transmission / Q000821:virology*
chemical_list: D000336:Aerosols; D004279:DNA, Viral