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The genus Macavirus, subfamily Gammaherpesvirinae, comprises ungulate viruses that infect domestic and wild ruminants and swine. They cause asymptomatic latent infections in reservoir hosts and malignant catarrhal fever in susceptible species. Lung, spleen, bronchial lymph node, and tongue were collected from 448 cattle (348 necropsied, 100 slaughtered) in Switzerland, United Kingdom, Finland, Belgium, and Germany to determine their infection with bovine herpesvirus-6 (BoHV-6) and gammaherpesviruses of other ruminants, i.e., ovine herpesvirus-1 and -2, caprine herpesvirus-2, and bison lymphotropic herpesvirus, using quantitative PCR. Only BoHV-6 was detected, with an overall frequency of 32%, ranging between 22% and 42% in the different countries. Infection was detected across all ages, from one day after birth, and was positively correlated with age. There was no evidence of an association with specific disease processes. In positive animals, BoHV-6 was detected in all organs with high frequency, consistently in the lungs or spleen. Viral loads varied substantially. In BoHV-6-positive gravid cows, organs of fetuses tested negative for infection, indicating that the virus is not vertically transmitted. Our results confirm previous data indicating that BoHV-6 is a commensal of domestic cattle not associated with disease processes and confirm that infections with other macaviruses are rare and sporadic.

The Macavirus genus, Gammaherpesvirinae subfamily, Herpesviridae family, contains ovine gammaherpesvirus 2 (OvGHV2), the cause of sheep-associated malignant catarrhal fever (SA-MCF). Members of the Macavirus genus associated with the development of malignant catarrhal fever (MCF) in their respective hosts share the 15A antigenic epitope, are conserved within the DNA polymerase gene and are collectively referred to as the malignant catarrhal fever virus (MCFV) complex. The ability of MCFV and/or OvGHV2 to produce abortions in ruminants is currently unknown, with little documentation of infections by these agents in bovine fetuses. This report presents the findings observed due to the detection of OvGHV2 DNA and MCFV tissue antigens in aborted bovine fetuses from southern Brazil. Four aborted bovine fetuses from three farms, located in a geographical region of Paraná State with elevated immunohistochemical (IHC) prevalence of MCFV tissue antigens, with gestational ages varying between 78 to 208 days were investigated. Significant gross and histopathological alterations were not observed in any of these fetuses. An IHC assay using the 15A-monoclonal antibody (15A-MAb), which is based on the 15A antigenic epitope of Macavirus, identified MCFV tissue antigens in multiple organs from two fetuses (#1 and #4); however, positive immunoreactivity to the 15A-MAb IHC assay was not detected in Fetus #2 and #3. Molecular testing amplified OvGHV2 DNA only from the myocardium and lungs of Fetus #1 that had positive intracytoplasmic immunoreactivity to the 15A-MAb IHC assay in these tissues. Furthermore, infections by Leptospira spp. were confirmed by molecular assays in fetuses #1, #3, and #4, while PCR detected Neospora caninum in the myocardium of Fetus #2. Additionally, molecular assays to identify well-known fetopathy agents of cattle, including bovine viral diarrhea virus, bovine alphaherpesvirus 1, Histophilus somni, and Listeria monocytogenes, did not amplify the nucleic acids of these pathogens. PCR assays to identify bovine gammaherpesvirus 6 (BoGHV6), another Macavirus known to infect cattle in Brazil, were unsuccessful. These findings confirmed that the 15A-MAb IHC assay can be efficiently used to detect MCFV antigens in organs of aborted bovine fetuses. The identification of MCFV antigens with the simultaneous detection of OvGHV2 DNA confirmed that Fetus #1 was infected by OvGHV2 and added to the few descriptions of this infection in aborted fetuses of ruminants worldwide. Moreover, the IHC detection of MCFV in multiple organs of Fetus #4, without the molecular detection of OvGHV2 or BoGHV6, may suggest that this fetus was infected by a Macavirus that was not previously diagnosed in cattle herds from Brazil. These findings strongly suggest that OvGHV2 and MCFV can produce transplacental infections in cattle.

Introduction: Sheep associated-malignant catarrhal fever is a frequently fatal, lymphoproliferative, and vascular disease caused by ovine gammaherpesvirus 2 (OvGHV2), a member of the malignant catarrhal fever virus (MCFV) complex. OvGHV2-related epidemics normally have reduced morbidity with elevated lethality. Methodology: This study investigated the causes of elevated morbidity, mortality, and lethality in cattle maintained on Brachiaria grass pastures and with neurological and enteric disease syndromes from nine farms in Paraná, Southern Brazil. Results: The principal histopathological findings included necrotizing lymphocytic vasculitis, proliferative vascular lesions, and toxic cholangiohepatitis. An immunohistochemical (IHC) assay utilizing the 15A monoclonal antibody (15A-MAb), which is specific for MCFV, revealed positive intracytoplasmic immunoreactivity within the epithelial cells of the lungs, intestine, liver, and kidneys in most animals, confirming infections by MCFV. PCR detected singular infections by OvGHV2 (n = 3) and bovine gammaherpesvirus 6 BoGHV6 (n = 3) in cattle with positive intracytoplasmic immunoreactivity by the 15A-MAb IHC assay. In one animal with positive immunoreactivity to the 15A-MAb IHC assay, neither Macavirus was identified through molecular testing. Conclusions: These findings suggested that these two Macavirus were associated with the positive IHC findings. Additionally, the non-detection of OvGHV2 and BoGHV6 in the organs of one animal, despite typical vascular lesions and with positive IHC results, suggests that another Macavirus may be involved. Moreover, the identification of BoGHV6 DNA in cattle not infected by OvGHV2 but containing MCFV antigens, indicates cross-reactivity of BoGHV6 with the 15A-MAb assay. The possibe role of Bracharia on the occurrence of these infections is discussed.

The virome in genital tract secretion samples collected from 80 dairy cattle in Shanghai, China, was characterized. Viruses detected included members of the families Papillomaviridae, Polyomaviridae, Hepeviridae, Parvoviridae, Astroviridae, Picornaviridae, and Picobirnaviridae. A member of a new species within the genus Dyoxipapillomavirus and six circular Rep-encoding single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) (CRESS-DNA) viral genomes were fully sequenced and phylogenetically analyzed. The prevalence of bovine polyomaviruses 1 and 2 was measured by PCR to be 10% (8/80) and 6.25% (5/80), respectively. PCR screening also indicated that the novel papillomavirus ujs-21015 and bovine herpesvirus 6 were present in three and two out of the 80 samples, respectively.

This study investigated the occurrence of selected pathogens of bovine respiratory disease in fetal pulmonary tissue of cattle and associated these with patterns of disease. Fetal pulmonary (n = 37) tissues were evaluated by histopathology; immunohistochemical assays identified intralesional antigens of bovine alphaherpesvirus 1 (BoAHV1), bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV), bovine parainfluenza virus 3 (BPIV-3), bovine respiratory syncytial virus (BRSV), and Mycoplasma bovis. Molecular assays were performed to amplify reproductive disease pathogens and bovine gammaherpesvirus 6 (BoGHV6) from 12 lungs. The 2 patterns of pulmonary diseases were interstitial pneumonia (12/37) and suppurative bronchopneumonia (1/37). The frequency of the intralesional antigens identified was BRSV (16.2%; 6/37), BVDV (13.5%; 5/37), BoAHV1 (8.1%; 3/37), M. bovis (5.4%; 2/37), and BPIV-3 (2.7%; 1/37). Interstitial pneumonia was associated with BRSV (n = 3), BoAHV1 (n = 3), and BVDV (n = 2); suppurative bronchopneumonia contained a Gram-positive bacterium and BVDV and BRSV. Reproductive pathogens detected included Leptospira spp., (n = 3), BVDV, Neospora caninum, and Brucella abortus (n = 2). BoGHV6 DNA was identified in the lungs of two fetuses with interstitial pneumonia. These findings suggest that these fetuses were infected transplacentally by several pathogens. The role of some of these pathogens herein identified must be further elucidated in the possible participation of fetal disease.

Bovine gammaherpesvirus 6 (BoGHV6), previously known as bovine lymphotropic virus, is a member of the Macavirus genus, subfamily Gammaherpesvirinae. Other members of the genus Macavirus include viruses that produce malignant catarrhal fever (MCF) in mammalian hosts, collectively referred to as the MCF virus (MCFV) complex, and the porcine lymphotropic herpesvirus (PLHV). However, the current role of BoGHV6 in the development of diseases and/or disease syndromes remains uncertain and controversial. This paper investigated the participation of BoGHV6 in the development of pulmonary disease in a cow with interstitial pneumonia by histopathology and molecular testing. Tissue antigens of common viral agents of respiratory diseases and Mycoplasma bovis were not identified by immunohistochemistry. Additionally, molecular assays designed to amplify common bacterial and viral pathogens of pulmonary disease did not amplify the nucleic acids of these agents. However, a pan-PCR assay amplified the DNA of the herpesvirus polymerase gene, while the specific BoGHV6 nested-PCR assay amplified the partial fragment of the BoGHV6 polymerase gene derived from the pulmonary tissue with interstitial pneumonia. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the BoGHV6 strain herein identified had 99.8% nucleotide (nt) sequence identity with reference strains of BoGHV6, but only 72.2–73.5% and 67.9–68.6% nt identity with reference strains of MCFV and PLHV, respectively. Consequently, these results suggest that BoGHV6 was associated with the pulmonary disease observed in this cow.

This study presents the first description of Bovine herpesvirus 6 (BoHV-6) that was isolated from buffaloes of Amazon region in Brazil. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the BoHV-6 Brazilian strains clustered with the sequence of BoHV-6 from elsewhere available at the GenBank. It was observed in some buffaloes with lymphoproliferative disease in one herd, thus the animals were also tested for Bovine leukemia virus (BLV), which has been associated to lymphoma in bovines. All animals were negative to BLV. These results indicate that BoHV-6 is present in buffaloes in Brazil, but the importance and impact of this infection and its association with any illness is still undefined.

Background The presence of lymphoma in buffaloes was first reported in India in the 1960s. The disease is similar to Enzootic Bovine Leucosis (EBL) caused by Bovine leukemia virus (BLV) in cattle; however, according to our results and those of other studies, the etiology of these lymphomas in buffalo do not appear to be associated with BLV. The objectives of this study are to describe four cases of the disease in buffaloes belonging to the same herd in the Amazon region of Brazil and to perform a clinical-anatomopathological, immunohistochemical, and etiological study of the lymphomas. Results Over a period of ten years, four buffaloes were observed presenting progressive weight loss, swelling of peripheral lymph nodes, and nodules in the subcutaneous tissue. Upon necropsy, whitish-colored tumor masses were observed in the form of nodules in the subcutaneous tissue, along with miliary nodules on the serosal surfaces of abdominal and thoracic organs and tumors in lymph nodes and other organs. Neoplastic lymphocyte proliferation was observed through histopathology. An immunohistochemical study revealed that the neoplasias were formed by proliferation of predominantly B lymphocytes. The presence of BLV genome was not detected in the lymphomas when using the real-time PCR technique, nor was it detected through immunohistochemical staining using monoclonal antibodies against two viral proteins. Bovine herpesvirus 6 was not detected in the tumors. However, Bovine immunodeficiency virus (BIV) was detected in samples of lymphoma and in the lymph nodes and kidneys of one of the animals. Conclusions The occurrence of lymphoma in buffaloes is reported for the first time in Brazil and is characterized by B-cell multicentric lymphoma. The etiology of the disease does not appear to be associated with BLV; however, the detection of BIV in samples of lymphoma from one sick animal deserves further study, considering the oncogenic potential of this virus.