Reactivation and shedding of infectious bovine rhinotracheitis virus caused by 3-methylindole

Sudden infant death syndrome and superoxide/nitric oxide

In a sudden infant death syndrome review Valdès-Dapena describes Naeye's report of increased medial muscle mass in walls of small pulmonary arteries and increased weight of cardiac right ventricles. These findings point to cardiorespiratory insufficiency, a problem in fast growing chicks raised at high altitudes. The vascular epithelium lining all blood vessels synthesises nitric oxide which induces relaxation of smooth muscle in vessel walls, and is possibly an important neurotransmitter. Others demonstrate that nitric oxide is involved in regulating vessel calibre, blood pressure and blood flow, as well as falls in ventricular outputs. Superoxide interacts with nitric oxide and removes it from the circulation. Superoxide is thus a vasoconstrictor. Superoxide is produced by activated phagocytes and possibly lymphocytes and other cell types in the immune response. Elevated immunoglobulins in mucus secretions are a hallmark in sudden infant death syndrome and hypoxic chicks. Our approach therefore is that cardiorespiratory insufficiency may be induced by superoxide in small pulmonary arteries preventing nitric oxide from acting as a muscle relaxant in vascular walls.

Risk of infection with bovine herpes virus 1 (BHV1): a review

Bovine Herpes Virus 1 (BHV1) consists of three subtypes, which probably differ in their epizootiological characteristics. BHV1 subtypes 1 and 2a are mainly associated with the respiratory form of the disease (IBR), subtype 2b with IPV/IBP, and subtype 3 with encephalitis. BHV1 subtype 1 is excreted in high titres in nasal secretions and spreads more effectively than the other subtypes. Cattle are the only significant source of viral spread. Although other species may become infected, they probably do not contribute to the spread of BHV1. Airborne transmission or spread of the virus by humans is believed to be of minor importance.

Diagnosis and prophylaxis of infectious bovine rhinotracheitis: the role of virus latency

Efficient methods of diagnosis and prophylaxis of infectious bovine rhinotracheitis must consider the concept of latency of the etiological agent, infectious bovine rhinotracheitis virus (Bovine herpesvirus 1; BHV 1). The identification of BHV 1 in nasal mucus samples or a rise in specific antibodies have to be cautiously interpreted, because they can signify either a primary infection or a reexcretion of the virus after reactivation. The isolated virus can also either be a vaccine or a virulent strain. Another aspect of BHV 1 infection diagnosis is the detection of latent carriers, which are able to transmit the virus to uninfected animals; delayed hypersensitivity test seems to be a good candidate. The classical methods of prophylaxis protect the animal against the disease, but they should also impede the reexcretion of virulent strains by latent carriers. Since, in several countries, attenuated viruses are used as vaccines, a special emphasis has to be laid on the persistence of these vaccine viruses in a latent form in the bovine population.