First isolation of bovine herpesvirus 1 subtype 2 (BoHV-1.2) in Uruguay

Abstract

In Uruguay Bovine herpesvirus type I (BoHV-1) was first isolated in 1981 and another isolate was characterized as BoHV-1.1 in the year 1999. The aim of this work was to perform antigenic and molecular analysis of two new Uruguayan BoHV isolates (Uy2002 and Uy2004). Characterization of isolates was performed by immunoperoxidase with a panel of anti-BoHV monoclonal antibodies as well as by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) followed by a restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis. Results revealed that isolate Uy2004 belongs to subtype 1.2, whereas Uy2002 characterized as BoHV-1.2, could not be classified within any of the existing subtypes "a" o "b". This is the first report of the isolation and characterization of BoHV-1.2 subtype in Uruguay. The possibility of isolate Uy2002 having unique genomic characteristics or being a new BoHV-1.2 subtype is raised.