Herpesviruses of carnivores

This review focuses on felid herpesvirus 1 (FHV-1), the most studied of the carnivore herpesviruses. Canid herpesvirus (CHV-1) and phocid (seal) herpe svirus 1 (PhHV-1) are also included where information is available. FHV-1 i s a member of the Varicellovirus genus of the Alphaherpesvirinae, which app ears to be closely related phylogenetically to both CHV-1 and PhHV-1. FHV-1 infects both domestic and some wild Felidae, such as cheetahs, and is pred ominantly a respiratory pathogen of cats. As in other herpesviruses, infect ion with FHV-1 is characterised by a latent carrier state, during which int ermittent shedding of infectious virus may occur. Typical of an alphaherpes virus, the primary site of FHV-1 latency is neurological tissue (trigeminal ganglion), though recent studies using the polymerase chain reaction have suggested that some latency may occur in non-neurological sites. Latently i nfected carriers are epidemiologically important as sources of infection fo r susceptible animals. Though conventional modified Live and inactivated va ccines have been available for a number of years, they do not protect again st infection nor the development of latency. Recently, work has focused on molecular characterisation of FHV-1, detecting genes such as glycoproteins or regulatory genes. Such work will enable better understanding of the inte raction of FHV-1 with the natural host. Deletion mutants of some of these g enes may also have potential as vaccine strains. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.