[Biology of bovine herpesviruses]

Cattle are the natural host of herpesviruses. Since now four different bovine viruses have been described as members of the family Herpesviridae. The prototype of the bovine herpesviruses, Bovine Herpesvirus type 1 (BHV-1), is the causative agent of infectious bovine rhinotracheitis (IBR), infectious pustular vulvovaginitis (IPV) and infectious balanoposthitis (IBP). The related BHV-5 is an exotic neurovirulent agent and like BHV-1 a member of the genus Varicellovirus, within the subfamily Alphaherpesvirinae. BHV-2, also an alphaherpesvirus but grouped into the genus Simplexvirus is the causative agent of bovine herpes mammilitis and pseudolumpy skin disease. In contrast, BHV-4, a member of the subfamily Gammaherpesvirinae, is not known to cause any disease. Beside bovine herpesviruses there are few other herpesviruses which can infect cattle. Infections of cattle with these herpesviruses have either clinical or diagnostic importance, based on a close antigenic relationship to BHV-1 of some ruminant herpesviruses. This article deals with the molecular virology of bovine herpesviruses and the pathogenesis of bovine herpesvirus infections and provides an overview over herpesviruses that can infect cattle.