Experimental infection of sheep with ovine herpesvirus 2 via aerosolization of nasal secretions

• Published in: Journal of general virology Vol. 86; no. 3; pp. 575 - 579
• Main Authors: Taus, N.S, Traul, D.L, Oaks, J.L, Crawford, T.B, Lewis, G.S, Li, H
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Reading Soc General Microbiol 01-03-2005; Society for General Microbiology
• Subjects: Aerosols; Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Bison; body fluids; disease transmission; DNA, Viral - analysis; DNA, Viral - blood; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Herpesviridae - genetics; Herpesviridae - growth & development; Herpesviridae Infections - transmission; Herpesviridae Infections - veterinary; Herpesviridae Infections - virology; infection; Microbiology; Miscellaneous; nasal cavity; Nasal Mucosa - metabolism; Nasal Mucosa - virology; nasal secretions; Ovine herpesvirus 2; Polymerase Chain Reaction - veterinary; Ruminantia; Sheep; Sheep Diseases - transmission; Sheep Diseases - virology; viral diseases of animals and humans; Virology; Virus; Vertebrata; Mammalia; Microbiology; Secretion; Herpesviridae; Sheep; Artiodactyla; Veterinary; Ungulata; Virology
• ISSN: 0022-1317; 1465-2099
• DOI: 10.1099/vir.0.80707-0

Ovine herpesvirus 2 (OvHV-2) is the causative agent of sheep-associated malignant catarrhal fever in clinically susceptible ruminants, including cattle, bison and deer. Studies of OvHV-2 have been hampered by the lack of an in vitro propagation system. Here, the use of nasal secretions collected from OvHV-2-infected sheep experiencing intense virus shedding episodes as a source of infectious virus for experimental animal infections was examined. OvHV-2 uninfected sheep were nebulized with nasal secretions containing approximately 10(8) to 10(1) copies of OvHV-2 DNA. The time to detectable viral DNA in peripheral blood leukocytes (7-12 days post-infection) and virus-specific antibody in plasma (9-32 days post-infection) varied with the dose of inocula administered. Here, the use of nasal secretions as a source of infectious OvHV-2 was defined and the minimum infectious dose of a pool of nasal secretions that can be used in further studies of viral pathogenesis and vaccine development was determined.