Recent isolation of ovine herpesvirus 2 from unusual symptomatic infection of sheep in Egypt

Ovine herpesvirus 2(OvHV-2) was recently isolated from unusual symptomatically infected native sheep in Egypt, 2013. The isolated virus was characterized as herpesvirus with negative staining and positive staining electron microscopy (EM). Further identification using agar gel precipitation test (AGPT) and finally confirmation with virus neutralization test (VNT). Based on clinical signs, epidemiological data and laboratory diagnosis with virological methods, our results denoted that the tested sheep were infected with OvHV-2. On conclusion, the current study illustrated that OvHV-2 could be isolated in vitro using specific pathogen free-embryonated chicken eggs (SPF-ECE) and Madden Derby Bovine Kidney (MDBK) cell culture. Further studies as sequencing of OvHV-2 had been isolated from sheep in this study is recommended to know if this virus diverges over time or during circulation among susceptible hosts and comparing its sequence to that had been isolated before from cattle and buffalos in Egypt, 2012.