Analysis of bovine herpes virus-type 1 isolates by restriction endonuclease fingerprinting

In an effort to determine whether distinct types of bovine herpesvirus 1 are responsible for causing specific syndromes, the polypeptides and DNA of 93 BHV 1 isolates from the province of Alberta as well as vaccine strains and numerous other Canadian, U.S. and European isolates were analyzed by PAGE and restriction endonuclease fingerprinting, respectively. The polypeptide patterns showed only slight variations: only six isolates contained polypeptides that varied from the norm in their molecular weight, or were absent. Although on the basis of endonuclease patterns the isolates could be categorized into three "strains" and nine "sub-strains", we were unable to associate any of the strains with specific clinical signs. This suggests that the type of disease caused may be determined more by the route of infection and animal management practices than by the inherent properties of certain types of BHV 1. Most of the Albertan isolates were of one BHV 1 type and sub-type.