Etiology of Infectious Bovine Rhinotracheitis

IBR is caused by bovine herpesvirus 1 (BoHV-1).

Family: Herpesviridae
Subfamily: Alphaherpesviridae

There are two subtypes of Bovine Herpesvirus 1:

  • BoHV-1.1
  • BoHV-1.2

Structural proteins

BoHV-1 is a DNA virus with several structural proteins among which at least 11 transmembrane glycoproteins. Glycoproteins play important roles such as virus-cell interactions and interactions with the immune system. Glycoproteins gB, gD, gH, gK, gL are essential for virus replication, while gC, gG, gI, gE, gM and gN are not essential.

herpesvirus

Electromicrograph of a herpesvirus particle.