We studied the pathology, epidemiology, and clinical significance of genital herpesvirus infection in a zoo collection of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus). Samples from the genital mucosa of male (n=21) and female (n=15) dolphins were tested by nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) targeting the DNA polymerase of herpesvirus. Herpesvirus infection was significantly associated with the occurrence of mucosal plaques on penis (n=3) or vulva (n=4). Biopsies from a penile plaque showed epithelial hyperplasia by histology, contained herpesvirus-like particles by electron microscopy, and tested positive for herpesvirus by PCR. Herpesvirus was successfully cultivated from penile plaque samples and identified as a member of the Gammaherpesvirinae by DNA sequencing and phylogenetic analysis. We used the newly cultivated bottlenose dolphin herpesvirus (TTHV) to develop a direct enzyme-linked immuno-sorbent assay for anti-TTHV antibodies in banked sera of these dolphins. The percentage of positive samples wa...