Detection of bovine herpesvirus 1 (BHV 1) in bovine semen by combined polymerase chain reaction and in vitro protein synthesis

Bovine herpesvirus 1 (BHV 1) is a member of the family Herpesviridae, subfamily Alphaherpesvirinae. BHV 1 is an important cause of infectious bovine rhinotracheitis, infectious pustular vulvovaginitis and infectious pustular balanoposthitis. BHV 1 is frequently found in bovine semen and transmitted through artificial insemination. Semen is most likely contaminated during ejaculation by virus that is shed from the infected mucosa. Artificial insemination with BHV 1 contaminated semen can result in markedly reduced conception rates, shortened oestrous cycles, and endometritis. The linear-double stranded DNA genome of BHV 1 consists of approximately 140 kilobase pairs (kbp). Glycoprotein D (gD), a glycoprotein of 71kD, has been identified as a suitable candidate for the production of subunit vaccines, and as a major molecule on the surface of the virion and virus-infected cells. It induces a strong and consistent humoral and cellular immune response to BHV 1. The main objective of this study was to develop an improved method for detecting BHV 1 in bovine semen samples. The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) products amplified from the gD gene region of BHV 1 were transcribed and translated into gD peptides in an attempt to improve the sensitivity of direct virus detection in clinical samples. (Abstract shortened by UMI.).