Bovine Herpes virus type 1 (BoHV-1): Diagnosis method and its influence on spermatic quality in experimentally infected bulls

ABSTRACT Bovine Herpesvirus type-1 (BoHV-1) is a virus widely distributed in Brazil and worldwide, with a growing number of studies involving diagnostic methods and their impact on animal reproduction. The objective of this work was to identify the genetic material of BoHV-1 in the semen of experimentally infected bulls through the PCR technique, and to evaluate the influence of the virus on the sperm quality of these animals. The PCR technique was satisfactory, allowing for the identification of the presence of the genetic material of the virus in the semen of all the animals from 7 days post infection, with persistence of 21 to 28 days. Despite the presence of the BoHV-1 virus over a long period in the semen of the experimental animals, no deleterious effects were observed on the quality of either fresh semen or semen after the cryopreservation.