The prevalence of ovine herpesvirus-2 in 4 sheep breeds from different regions in South Africa.
About 90% of bovine malignant catarrhal fever (BMCF) PCR-positive cases in South Africa are caused by alcelaphine herpesvirus-1 (AlHV-1) and the other 10% by ovine herpesvirus-2 (OvHV-2). The prevalence of OvHV-2 in different sheep breeds in South Africa was determined in order to investigate whether the lower incidence of BMCF caused by OvHV-2 in comparison with AlHV-1 can be ascribed to a low incidence of the virus in sheep. A single-tube hemi-nested PCR was developed, evaluated and applied to detect OvHV-2 DNA. The prevalence of the virus in 4 sheep breeds from various regions in South Africa was shown to be 77%. No statistically significant difference was found amongst the sheep breeds tested.
Biotechnology Division, ARC-Onderstepoort Veterinary Institute, Private Bag X05, Onderstepoort, 0110 South Africa. vroonw@arc.zgric.za
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D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000302:isolation & purification; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006564:Herpesviridae / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary* / Q000821:virology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015995:Prevalence; D012756:Sheep; D012757:Sheep Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics / Q000821:virology*; D013019:South Africa
D004279:DNA, Viral