title: Detection of bovine herpesvirus type 4 antibodies and bovine lymphotropic herpesvirus in New Zealand dairy cows.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To detect the presence of bovine herpesvirus (BoHV) type 4 in New Zealand dairy cows with clinical metritis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Serum samples taken from 92 dairy cows with clinical metritis, each from a different farm, were tested for the presence of antibodies against BoHV-4 using a commercially available, indirect ELISA. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were collected from 10 BoHV-4 seropositive cows, and PBMC were examined by a pan-herpesvirus nested PCR to detect herpesvirus. PCR products were sequenced directly and a proportion of the PCR products were cloned and sequenced to identify the virus present.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Antibodies to BoHV-4 were detected in 23/92 (25%) serum samples. The pan-herpesvirus PCR was positive in 8/10 PBMC samples. Cloning and sequencing identified that all of the eight PCR-positive PBMC contained bovine lymphotropic herpesvirus (BLHV); no BoHV-4 DNA was detected.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study reports the finding of the presence of apparent antibodies to BoHV-4, and BLHV DNA in New Zealand dairy cows affected by metritis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Bovine herpesvirus type 4 and BLHV are reported to have the potential to cause reproduction failure in cows. This is the first report of apparent BoHV-4 antibodies, and BLHV in New Zealand. The importance and epidemiology of these viruses in cattle in New Zealand requires further investigation.
authors: a Anexa Animal Health , Cognosco , PO Box 21, Morrinsville , 3300 , New Zealand.
authors: M W
authors: MW
authors: de Boer
authors: T
authors: T
authors: Zheng
authors: B M
authors: BM
authors: Buddle
authors: S
authors: S
authors: McDougall
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D004259:DNA-Directed DNA Polymerase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D003612:Dairying; D004716:Endometritis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary / Q000821:virology; D005260:Female; D015967:Gene Expression Regulation, Viral / Q000502:physiology; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000662:veterinary* / Q000821:virology; D026021:Herpesvirus 4, Bovine / Q000276:immunology*; D009520:New Zealand / Q000453:epidemiology; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D014412:Tumor Virus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000662:veterinary*
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D004279:DNA, Viral; D004259:DNA-Directed DNA Polymerase
keywords: BLHV; BoHV-4; Bovine herpesvirus type 4; ELISA; bovine lymphotropic herpesvirus; cloning; dairy cows; detection; metritis; peripheral blood mononuclear cells