Kinetics of antibody formation after the reactivation of bovine herpesvirus-1 infection in cattle.

Holstein heifers previously infected with bovine herpesvirus-1 were treated with corticosteroids to reactivate latent infection. The kinetics of serum immunoglobulin (Ig) M, IgG1, and IgG2 antibody formation were determined. The secondary immune response which developed as a consequence of virus reactivation was characterized by an anamnestic IgG antibody response. Secondary IgG1 and IgG2 antibody formation constituted the IgG antibody response. In addition, secondary IgM antibody formation was elicited by this form of bovine herpesvirus-1 antigenic exposure.