Epidemiology and genetic characterization of BVDV, BHV-1, BHV-4, BHV-5 and Brucella spp. infections in cattle in Turkey

The aim of the study was to determine the epidemiological data of bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV), bovine herpesvirus-1 (BHV-1), bovine herpesvirus-4 (BHV-4), bovine herpesvirus-5 (BHV-5) and Brucella–associated cattle that were previously reported to have abortion and infertility problems in Ankara, Corum, Kirikkale and Yozgat provinces, Turkey. Whole blood and sera samples were obtained from 656 cattle, and antibodies against Brucella spp. were detected in 45 (6.86%) and 41 (6.25%) animals by Rose Bengal plate and serum tube agglutination tests, respectively. The seropositivity rates against BVDV, BHV-1 and BHV-4 were 70.89%, 41.3% and 28.78%, respectively. RT-PCR and PCR were performed to detect RNA and DNA viruses in blood samples, respectively. The BVDV 5′-untranslated region and BHV-1 gB gene detected in this study were phylogenetically analyzed. The BVDV strains analyzed in this study were closely related to those previously reported from Turkey. The nucleotide sequence from the BHV-1 strain detected in this study is the first nucleotide sequence of BHV-1 circulating in this area of Turkey deposited in the GenBank. The presence of Brucella spp. and prevalence of BHV-1, BHV-4 and BVDV in cattle should be further investigated throughout these regions.