A sensitive and specific PCR/Southern blot assay for detection of bovine herpesvirus 4 in calves infected experimentally

A PCR/Southern blot assay for detection of bovine herpesvirus 4 (BHV-4) in the background of bovine cellular DNA was developed. A BHV-4 specific sequence within the gene coding for the glycoprotein B (gB) was selected for primer sequences to guarantee the specificity of the assay. With a detection limit of six molecules BHV-4 DNA in the background of 1 μg of cellular DNA (equals about 150 000 bovine cells) this PCR/Southern blot assay represents a highly sensitive method for detection of BHV-4 DNA. At low concentrations of BHV-4 genomes, this assay also allows to estimate the copy number of BHV-4: a distinction between fewer than 6, 6–59 and more than 60 BHV-4 genomes/100 μl DNA suspension was possible. Tissue and blood samples of two calves, infected experimentally with BHV-4 were examined for the prevalence of BHV-4 DNA 130 days post infection. Ten days before taking samples, one of the calves was immuno-suppressed with dexamethasone. In both calves, BHV-4 DNA was detected in the leucocyte fraction of the blood, and beyond that in lower quantities in the spleen and the kidney of the immuno-suppressed calf. It is assumed that a latent BHV-4 infection was activated after application of dexamethasone and that the leucocyte fraction of the blood represents one site of latency of BHV-4 in cattle.