Latent Herpesvirus Infection in Red Deer: Characterization of a Specific Deer Herpervirus Including Comparison of Genomic Restriction Fragment Patterns

Abstract

Glucocorticoid treatment of imported red deer (Cervus elaphus), seropositive to Infectious Bovine Rhinotracheitis (IBR) virus, reactivated a latent herpesvirus infection, which was transmitted to a seronegative deer with a fatal outcome. However the virus did not spread to cattle housed in close contact with the infected deer, and serological indication og infection in the cattle was observed only on direct nasal installation of virus. The virus isolate had characteristics in common with other Alpha herpesviruses and especially the Bovid Herpesvirus type 1 (BHV-1) but distinguished itself from the latter by its host specificity, serological reaction and genomic restriction fragment pattern (RFP). The host specific red deer herpesvirus was tentatively designated Cervid Herpesvirus type 1 (CHV-1). It was concluded that CHV-1 seropositive deer can be a threat to red deer farming, while in cattle the infection may only cause minor inconvenience through interference with the serological IBR diagnosis.

Sammendrag

Glycocorticoid behandling af importerede krondyr (Cervus elaphus), der var seropositive overfor Infektiøs Bovin Rhinotracheitis (IBR) virus inducerede en opbtussen af en latent herpesvirus infektion med etterfølgende smittespredning til et seronegativt krondyr. Imidlertid spredtes infektionen ikke til kvæg opstaldet i tæt kontakt med disse dyr, og kun ved direkte podning kunne virus til en vis grad etablere sig. Den isolerede virusstamme havde egenskaber tilfelles med andre Alpha herpesvirus og specielt Bovin Herpesvirus type 1 (BHV-1), men adskilte sig fra sidstnævnte ved værtsspecificitet, serologisk reaktion og ved restriktionsfragment mønsteret af virusgenomet. Dette specifikke type 1 herpesvirus foreslås betegnet Cervid Herpesvirus type 1 (CHV-1), Det kan konkluderes, at selvom CHV-1 seropositive krondyr kan give anledning til problemer i dyrefarme, vil infektionen sandsynligvis kun skabe mindre problemer hos kvæg i forbindelse med en aktuel serologisk undersøgelse for IBR.