Caprine herpesvirus type 1 infection in goat: Not just a problem for females

• A female goat was diagnosed with genital CpHV-1 infection 2 days after mating.
• CpHV-1 infection and disease developed in the billygoat after mating.
• CpHV-1 infection was monitored simultaneously in the female and in the billygoat.
• The CpHV-1 shedding was longer in the male than in the female.
• Animal model for human herpetic genital infection.

Clinical, virological and serological analyses of a natural case of caprine herpesvirus 1 (CpHV-1) infection in a buck are reported. Three days after mating with a CpHV-1-infected female goat, the buck developed lesions referable to genital CpHV-1 infection. In particular, the animal suffered from typical painful ulcerative-crusted lesions associated with hyperemia, edema of the prepuce and healed completely within 15 days post-infection (p.i.). Infectious CpHV-1 was isolated from preputial swabs for 9 days p.i. while the virus was detected by real-time-PCR for 24 days p.i. Neutralizing antibodies were detected 7 days p.i. reaching maximal titers by day 14 p.i.The prolonged shedding of the virus from the preputial route may impact the genital transmission of CpHV-1 in goat flocks during mating.