Development of a droplet digital PCR assay to detect bovine alphaherpesvirus 1 in bovine semen

Background Infectious bovine rhinotracheitis (IBR) caused by bovine alphaherpesvirus 1 (BoHV-1) is one of the most important contagious diseases in bovine. This is one of the most common infectious disease of cattle. This has led to high economic losses in the cattle farming industry. BoHV-1 can potentially be transmitted via semen during natural or artificial insemination (AI). Therefore, testing methods for the early diagnosis of BoHV-1 infection are urgently needed for international trade of ruminant semen. In this study, we developed a novel droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) assay for the detection of BoHV-1 DNA in semen samples. Results The ddPCR results showed that the detection limit was 4.45 copies per reaction with high reproducibility. The established method was highly specific for BoHV-1 and did not show cross-reactivity with specify the organisms (BTV, BVDV, Brucella, M . bovis). The results of clinical sample testing showed that the positivity rate of ddPCR (87.8%) was higher than that of qPCR (84.1%). Conclusions The ddPCR assay showed good accuracy for mixed samples and could be a new added diagnostic tool for detecting BoHV-1.

Automated summary

The study developed a novel ddPCR assay for detecting BoHV-1 DNA in semen samples. The assay showed high sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy for mixed samples, providing a new diagnostic tool for BoHV-1 detection.