Latent herpesvirus infection in red deer: characterization of a specific deer herpesvirus including comparison of genomic restriction fragment patterns.

Glucocorticoid treatment of imported red deer (Cervus elaphus), seropositive to Infectious Bovine Rhinotracheitis (IBR) virus, reactivated a latent herpesvirus infection, which was transmitted to a seronegative deer with a fatal outcome. However the virus did not spread to cattle housed in close contact with the infected deer, and serological indication og infection in the cattle was observed only on direct nasal installation of virus. The virus isolate had characteristics in common with other Alpha herpesviruses and especially the Bovid Herpesvirus type 1 (BHV-1) but distinguished itself from the latter by its host specificity, serological reaction and genomic restriction fragment pattern (RFP). The host specific red deer herpesvirus was tentatively designated Cervid Herpesvirus type 1 (CHV-1). It was concluded that CHV-1 seropositive deer can be a threat to red deer farming, while in cattle the infection may only cause minor inconvenience through interference with the serological IBR diagnosis.