Patent ID: 8017317

Claim:
A method for determining whether an animal is infected with a wild type Equine Herpes Virus (EHV) or is treated with a modified EHV selected from the group consisting of: (i) an Equine Herpes Virus wherein the nucleotide sequence encoding a protein gM is at least 80% absent and wherein the expression of the gene coding for the UL9 homolog (gene 53) is not affected, (ii) an Equine Herpes Virus: wherein the nucleotides 93254 to 94264 as numbered for the virus strain EHV-1 Ab4p or corresponding thereto in other EHV strains, are deleted, and (iii) the EHV strain HAgM-3b 1 deposited under accession No. 99101536 with the ECACC, said method comprising the steps of: analyzing a nucleic acid encoding protein gM derived from the animal; and comparing the nucleic acid from the animal with a nucleic acid encoding the wild type protein gM and a nucleic acid encoding said protein gM of any of said modified EHV wherein the animal is determined to be infected with a wild type EHV if the wild type gM nucleic acid is detected, or treated with the modified EHV if the gM of the modified virus is detected.