Screening of bull semen for BHV-1 infection by polymerase chain reaction

Cross breeding using semen from high pedigreed bulls is routine practice followed to achieve better production. Various diseases have been reported to be transmitted through semen including infectious bovine rhinotracheitis (IBR), which is caused by Bovine herpesvirus-1 (BHV-1). BHV-1, which causes latent infection, is not always shed in the semen of bulls; therefore random screening is necessary to avoid the use of contaminated semen in the field. In the present study, we screened around 109 semen samples from various semen collection centers by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using glycoprotein C (gC) gene specific primers. Out of these, 11 samples were found positive for BHV-1 and 3 samples were considered as doubtful (as amplified band was very faint). The technique applied in this study possess the sensitivity to detect BHV-1 as low as 0.01 TCID50 per ml virus, the quantity far lower than that is required to establish infection in cows, and can give conclusive diagnosis in just one day.