Human Tetherin/BST-2 has recently been identified as a cellular antiviral factor that blocks the release of various enveloped viruses. In this study, we cloned a cDNA fragment encoding a feline homolog of Tetherin/BST-2 and characterized the protein product. The degree of amino acid sequence identity between human Tetherin/BST-2 and the feline homolog was 44.4%. Similar to human Tetherin/BST-2,...

An infection with Equine herpesvirus type 1 (EHV-1), officially and by convention now called EQUID Herpesvirus, is the cause for Equine herpesvirus-associated Myeloencephalopathy or EHM. In 2008 the USDA declared this syndrome an ‘emerging disease’ among horse populations in the U.S.A., which indicates that EHM is perceived as an expanding problem that is observed more frequently when compared ...

The acyclic nucleoside phosphonates HPMPC (cidofovir), PMEA (adefovir), and PMPA (tenofovir) have proved to be effective in vitro (cell culture systems) and in vivo (animal models and clinical studies) against a wide variety of DNA virus and retrovirus infections: cidofovir against herpesvirus (herpes simplex virus types 1 and 2 varicella-zoster virus, cytomegalovirus [CMV], Epstein-Barr virus,...

In our studies aimed at assessing the minimum duration of vaccinal immunity (DOI), approximately 1000 dogs have been vaccinated with products from all the major US veterinary biological companies. The DOI for the various products is determined by antibody titers for all dogs and, by challenge studies in selected groups of dogs. Recently, all major companies that make canine vaccines for the U.S...

Feline herpetic keratitis (infectious keratoconjunctivitis), an infection of the conjunctiva and cornea that is common in cats, involves a three-pronged treatment approach: (1) antiviral therapy, (2) immunomodulatory therapy, and (3) antibacterial therapy. Since very few agents have been approved for the treatment of feline herpetic keratitis, and many of the drugs that were approved at one tim...

Immune-mediated hemolytic anemia (IMHA) is characterized by the destruction of erythrocytes or sometimes bone marrow erythroid precursors mediated by immunoglobulins (IgG, IgM), with or without complement (C 3). The main objectives of this study were to assess the laboratory test results of IMHA and to investigate its possible underlying causes in cats referring to the Veterinary Teaching Hosp...

Bovine herpesvirus type 1 (BoHV-1) causes respiratory and reproductive disorders in cattle. Recently, bovine herpesvirus type 5 (BoHV-5) and bovine herpesvirus type 4 (BoHV-4) have been identified to be associated with genital disease. In this study, the presence of the genome of BoHV-1, BoHV-4 and BoHV-5 in bovine semen of Argentinean and international origin was analyzed by PCR assays. The mo...