As with all herpes viruses latent infection can occur, with recrudescence at times of stressed and/or immunosuppression.

The disease has been documented in South America, the United States, Australia, Germany and Hungary.

Signs of respiratory disease include tachycardia and tachypnea with pyrexia, dyspnea, mucoid nasal discharge, hypersalivation and abnormal lung sounds.

These signs include opisthotonus, hyperaesthesia, abnormal behaviour, ataxia, head pressing, blindness, proprioceptive deficits, coma and seizures.

To diagnose infection, the virus is identified using specific monoclonal antibodies, PCR or ELISA.