Epidemiology, disease and control of infections in ruminants by herpesviruses - an overview : review article

Abstract

There are at least 16 recognised herpesviruses that naturally infect cattle, sheep, goats and various species of deer and antelopes. Six of the viruses are recognised as distinct alphaherpesviruses and 9 as gammaherpesviruses. Buffalo herpesvirus (BflHV) and ovine herpesvirus-1 (OvHV-1) remain officially unclassified. The prevalence of ruminant herpesviruses varies from worldwide to geographically restricted in distribution. Viruses in both subfamilies Alphaherpesvirinae and Gammaherpesvirinae cause mild to moderate and severe disease in respective natural or secondary ruminant hosts. Accordingly, the economic and ecological impact of the viruses is also variable. The molecular characteristics of some members have been investigated in detail. This has led to the identification of virulence-associated genes and construction of deletion mutants and recombinant viruses. Some of the latter have been developed as commercial vaccines. This paper aims to give an overview of the epidemiology and pathogenesis of infection by these viruses, immuno-prophylaxis and mechanisms of recovery from infection. Since there are 128 ruminant species in the family Bovidae, it is likely that some herpesviruses remain undiscovered. We conclude that currently known ruminant alphaherpesviruses occur only in their natural hosts and do not cross stably into other ruminant species. By contrast, gammaherpesviruses have a much broader host range as evidenced by the fact that antibodies reactive to alcelaphine herpesvirus type 1 have been detected in 4 subfamilies in the family Bovidae, namely Alcelaphinae, Hippotraginae, Ovibovinae and Caprinae. New gammaherpesviruses within these subfamilies are likely to be discovered in the future

Herpesvirus surveillance and discovery in zoo-housed ruminants

“…(KY612412), Elk GHV (KY612411), Impala HV-1 (AB194012), Oryx rhadinovirus 1 (AY212113), OvHV-2 (HQ450395), Springbok HV-1 (AB194010), Vaal Rhebok HV (AY664876), West Caucasian tur macavirus (HM216457)), and identify 34 novel GHV genotypes in ruminants. This supports many previous observations that GHVs are widespread in asymptomatic hosts and suggests that the potential diversity and host ranges of GHVs are greater than previously known [53].…”

Review of companion animal viral diseases and immunoprophylaxis

“…Distinct herpesviruses cause disease in cats and dogs while rabbits may not be the natural host to significant herpesvirus disease. However, rabbits have been used as models to study disease pathogenesis of some alphaherpesviruses [6] and also gammaherpesvirus [7,8].…”

Herpesvirus type 2 in biopsy of a cow with possible pseudo‐lumpy‐skin disease

“…Generally these herpesviruses cause localised diseases, with barely detectable levels of viraemia. Systemic diseases are of minor concern, as with PLSD (Patel and Didlick 2008).…”