The role of herpesviruses in gene therapy and a broad introduction to classic and engineered vaccines against herpesviruses are also provided. Epidemiology and diagnostic approaches to herpesvirus infections are presented. CONCLUSIONS: This review covers both the genetics and molecular biology of BHV-1 and its related herpesviruses. Such portals of infections are also important for human herpesviruses, which mainly cause systemic, eye, and genital tract infections, leading even to the development of cancer. It is a major plague in zootechnics and commercial trade, because of its ability to spread through asymptomatic carrier animals, frozen semen, and embryos. RESULTS: BHV-1 is a neurotropic herpesvirus causing infectious rhinotracheitis (IBR) in cattle. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Animal herpesviruses, because of their striking similarity to human ones, are suitable models to study the molecular biology of herpesviruses and develop strategies aimed at designing neurotropic live vectors for gene therapy as well as engineered attenuated vaccines. All of these factors make it difficult to develop diagnostics and vaccines, unless they are based on molecular techniques. Envelope glycoproteins and cytokine inhibitors are two examples of such weapons. However, latency is only one tool that has evolved in herpesviruses to successfully infect their hosts such viruses display a wide (and still incompletely known) panoply of genes and proteins that are able to counteract immune responses of their hosts. Eradication of herpesviruses is extremely difficult because of their ability to establish latent and life-long infections.
BACKGROUND: Herpesviruses are widespread viruses, causing severe infections in both humans and animals.
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