[Detection of bovine infectious rhinotracheitis virus by hybridization using nonradioactive DNA-probes]

Biotin-labeled DNA probes for infectious bovine rhinotracheitis virus also known as bovine herpesvirus-1 (BHV-1) have been developed. The procedure is based on dot-blot hybridization using biotin-labeled bacteriophage M13 and plasmid probes containing cloned PstI and EcoRI-PstI restriction fragments of viral genome. The probes obtained were used to detect viral nucleic acids in specimens of bovine spermatic fluid or nasal swabs of calves. The method is simple and rapid, taking less than 24 h, and is highly specific and sensitive, this recommending it for practical veterinary.