ENDOMETRITIS IN POSTPARTURIENT CATTLE ASSOCIATED WITH BOVINE HERPESVIRUS-4 INFECTION: 15 CASES

Authors: FRAZIER, KEN - UNIV. OF GEORGIA, TIFTON; PENCE, MEL - UNIV. OF GEORGIA, TIFTON; MAUEL, MICHAEL - UNIV. OF GEORIGA, TIFTON; LIGGETT, ALAN - UNIV. OF GEORGIA, TIFTON; HINES II, MURRAY - UNIV. OF GEORGIA, TIFTON; SANGSTER, LOWELL - UNIV. OF GEORGIA, TIFTON; Lehmkuhl, Howard; MILLER, DEBRA - UNIV. OF GEORGIA, TIFTON; STYER, ELOISE - UNIV. OF GEORGIA, TIFTON; WEST, JOE - UNIV. OF GEORGIA, TIFTON; BALDWIN, CHARLES - UNIV. OF GEORGIA, TIFTON

Submitted to: Journal of Veterinary Diagnostic Investigation
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/4/2000
Publication Date: 11/15/2001
Citation: FRAZIER, K., PENCE, M., MAUEL, M.J., LIGGETT, A., HINES II, M.E., SANGSTER, L., LEHMKUHL, H.D., MILLER, D., STYER, E., WEST, J., BALDWIN, C.A. ENDOMETRITIS IN POSTPARTURIENT CATTLE ASSOCIATED WITH BOVINE HERPESVIRUS-4 INFECTION: 15 CASES. JOURNAL OF VETERINARY DIAGNOSTIC INVESTIGATION. 2001. 13(6); p. 502-508.

Interpretive Summary: Although bovine herpesvirus-4 (BHV-4) has been isolated from cattle with a variety of illnesses, including reproductive, intestinal, and respiratory disease, it has also been isolated from healthy cattle. Viral associated inflammation of the uterus is rarely diagnosed in cattle. We identified a syndrome consisting of pussy ulcerative inflammation of the uterus associated with BHV-4 infection in 15 dairy cows from 5 separate Georgia dairies following calving. This syndrome has not been previously reported in the United States and appears to be an emerging syndrome in Georgia dairy herds. This information is important for veterinary diagnosticians and cattle producers.

Technical Abstract: Suppurative, ulcerative endometritis associated with bovine herpesvirus-4 (BHV-4) infection was identified in 15 postparturient diary cows from 5 separate dairies. Characteristic eosinophilic to amphophilic intranuclear viral inclusion bodies were identifies within degenerate endometrial lining epithelium and endothelial cells. Bovine herpesvirus-4 was confirmed as the etiology by a combination of fluorescent antibody assays, viral isolation, heminested PCR, ultrastructural examination of the uterus and inoculated tissue culture cells, and negative-stain electron microscopy of tissue culture supernatant. Viral particles measuring 70-95 nm were demonstrated in uterine epithelial and endothelial cells by electron microscopy. Bacteria including Arcanobacterium pyogenes, Escherichia coli, and an alpha-Streptococcus isolate were isolated from all uteri. Bovine herpesvirus-4-associated endometritis has been previously reported in sporadic cases in Europe but has not been previously reported in the Unite States. Endometritis associated with BHV-4 appears to be an emerging syndrome in Georgia dairy herds.