Topic:Rotavirus
Rotavirus is a significant viral pathogen affecting the equine population, particularly foals. It is a leading cause of infectious diarrhea in young horses, leading to dehydration and electrolyte imbalances. The virus is highly contagious and spreads through the fecal-oral route, emphasizing the importance of sanitation and biosecurity measures in equine facilities. Diagnosis is typically confirmed through laboratory tests such as ELISA or PCR to detect viral antigens or genetic material. Vaccination strategies are employed to mitigate the impact of rotavirus infections in foals. This page compiles peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the epidemiology, pathogenesis, clinical presentation, and management of rotavirus infections in horses.
Field study of the safety, immunogenicity, and efficacy of an inactivated equine rotavirus vaccine. To determine safety, immunogenicity, and efficacy of an inactivated equine rotavirus vaccine. Methods: Prospective randomized controlled trial. Methods: 316 pregnant Thoroughbred mares during the first year of the study and 311 during the second year. Methods: During the first year, mares received 3 doses of vaccine or placebo, IM, at 8, 9, and 10 months of gestation. Serum neutralizing antibody titers were measured before vaccination and 1 and 35 days after foaling. Antibody titers were measured in foals 1, 7, 35, 60, 90, and 120 days after birth. During the second year, mares that had been v...
Foal diarrhoea between 1991 and 1994 in the United Kingdom associated with Clostridium perfringens, rotavirus, Strongyloides westeri and Cryptosporidium spp. A case control study of foal diarrhoea in the United Kingdom was carried out over a 3-year period. Clostridium perfringens was significantly associated with foal diarrhoea (Odds Ratio (OR) = 3.0), being isolated from 57% of 421 animals with diarrhoea but from only 27% of 223 healthy foals. Also, C. perfringens was significantly associated with fatal diarrhoea (OR = 4.5). About half of diarrhoea with a fatal outcome was attributable to this organism. The other pathogens significantly associated with diarrhoea were rotavirus (OR = 5.6), Cryptosporidium spp. (OR = 3.2) and the nematode Strongyloi...
Evaluation of a one-step test for rapid, in practice detection of rotavirus in farm animals. An immunochromatographic test for the detection of group A rotavirus was evaluated against a reference group A rotavirus ELISA, by using a panel of 161 bovine, porcine and equine faecal samples submitted for routine examination. The sensitivity of the test was 89 per cent and the specificity 99 per cent compared with the ELISA. Its reproducibility was 100 per cent. The simplicity and rapidity of the test procedure make it suitable for use in practice.
Prevalence of G and P serotypes among equine rotaviruses in the faeces of diarrhoeic foals. Variant types of VP4 and VP7 gene segments of faecal rotaviruses from diarrhoeic foals were identified by restriction endonuclease digestion of reverse transcription/polymerase chain reaction (RT/PCR) products. The variants observed were correlated with serotypes by determination of the sequence of representative RT/PCR products (entire coding sequence for VP7 and the VP8 region of VP4) and comparison to published sequences of equine G and P serotype genes. Both G and P serotypes could be predicted for 95/116 (82%) strains, P serotype only for a further 8 (7%) strains and G serotype only for 1...
Survey of equine rotaviruses shows conservation of one P genotype in background of two G genotypes. DIG-labelled ssRNA probes were prepared from variable regions of VP4 and VP7 cognate genes, and used in hybridization assays for P and G genotyping of group A cell culture-adapted equine rotaviruses and fecal samples collected from foals with and without diarrhea. The probes confirmed known P and G serotypes of sixteen cell culture-adapted strains. From one-hundred and twenty-one rotavirus-positive samples, 83 reacted when tested for their P and G genotype specific probes. From these, 71 were found to contain G3 P12 genotypes, and 11 G14 P12 genotypes. No sample reacted with H1 or L338 P and G...
Species-specific and interspecies relatedness of NSP1 sequences in human, porcine, bovine, feline, and equine rotavirus strains. We have sequenced gene 5 encoding NSP1 for three human, two porcine, two bovine, one feline, and five equine rotavirus strains, and compared the nucleotide and deduced amino acid sequences with the published sequences for other various strains. Subgroup I human strains L26, 69M, and DS-1 were found to have a similar NSP1 sequence despite their different G serotypes, VP4 genotypes, and RNA patterns. The NSP1 sequence of the human strain K8 showed a high degree of homology to those of porcine strains OSU and YM. A high degree of homology was found among three equine strains (H2, FI-14, and FI23)...
Effect of enzymes on the growth of human and animal rotaviruses. The growth of group A human, bovine, equine and porcine rotaviruses were enhanced by pretreatment of virus with pancreatin, trypsin, protease, alkaline phosphatase or pepsin and incorporation of these enzymes in maintenance medium. In contrast, alpha-amylase or lipase inhibited the growth of equine and porcine rotaviruses. The other enzymes, adenosine deaminase, lactase, lysozyme, ribonuclease or triose-phosphate isomerase gave little or no change in the growth of all four rotaviruses.
Disinfecting equine facilities. Disinfection of equine premises provides a challenge to farm managers, in view of the variety of surfaces which may be contaminated and the wide variety of horse pathogens. Of the commonly occurring infectious diseases for which disinfection and disease control are especially important, rotavirus diarrhoea, salmonellosis and strangles are the most difficult to control. Phenolic disinfectants have been scientifically demonstrated to be effective in the presence of organic matter and are also virucidal. When used after thorough cleaning and rinsing of stall surfaces, phenolics have proved effect...
Application of organ culture of small intestine to the investigation of enterocyte damage by equine rotavirus. We used organ culture of jejunal mucosal explants obtained from ponies aged between 2 and 12 months to study enterocyte damage by group A strains of equine rotavirus. Electron microscopy of jejunal explants maintained for < or = 48 h in the presence of organ culture medium alone showed that enterocytes were structurally intact and had a densely packed brush border and overlying mucus. Similarly, examination of explants maintained in the presence of rotavirus for 48 h revealed no apparent ultrastructural abnormalities. However, obvious replication and assembly of virus in enterocytes had occ...
Equine rotaviruses with G14 serotype specificity circulate among venezuelan horses. Two group A rotavirus strains isolated from diarrheic foals in Venezuela were classified as belonging to G14 serotype by cross-neutralization tests and on the basis of the homology of the sequenced VP7 gene. This report confirms that rotavirus strains of G14 serotype specificity circulate among equine populations.
Genetic analysis of equine rotavirus by RNA-RNA hybridization. Serotype G3 equine rotaviruses isolated in Japan made up a common genogroup and were classified into two different genotypes. The genomes of serotype G3 equine rotaviruses with an identical electropherotype (isolated from 1982 to 1989) were very closely related to each other regardless of the year in which they were isolated. Serotype G3 equine rotavirus BI originating from England belonged to the same genogroup of serotype G3 equine rotaviruses isolated in Japan, although BI was classified as having a different genotype. The genomes of both serotype G10 equine rotavirus R-22 and serotype G10 ...
Serological and genomic characterization of equine rotavirus VP4 proteins identifies three different P serotypes. A series of viral reassortants was prepared between equine rotaviruses H1 (G5), H2 (G3), and L338 (G13) and human rotavirus ST3 (G4). All contained the VP4 cognate gene segment 4 from the equine parental virus and the VP7 cognate gene segment 9 from ST3. Using these viruses and antisera prepared to them, it was shown that each of the three equine viruses possessed a serologically distinct VP4 or P serotype with a > or = 16-fold difference in reciprocal cross-neutralization titers. H1 VP4 was closely related to that of porcine virus OSU, i.e., P7. L338 gene 4 was sequenced, and the sequence and...
Species specificity and interspecies relatedness in VP4 genotypes demonstrated by VP4 sequence analysis of equine, feline, and canine rotavirus strains. We determined the nucleotide and deduced amino acid sequences of the VP4 genes of five equine, two feline, and two canine rotavirus strains. A high degree of homology (> 97.0%) was found among the VP4 amino acid sequences of the equine strains H2, FI-14, and FI23. Equine strain L338 has a distinct VP4 amino acid sequence from those of the other equine strains (78.1% or less homology), and the L338 VP4 exhibited more than 17.0% divergence at the amino acid level from those of rotavirus strains published so far. The VP4 amino acid sequence of equine strain H1, which showed low homology with t...
Preventive administration of bovine colostral immunoglobulins for foal diarrhea with rotavirus. Foal diarrhea due to serotype 3 rotavirus broke out on a foal-raising farm in the years 1987 and 1989. In 1989, all of the foals, regardless of whether or not they suffered from diarrhea, received bovine colostral immunoglobulin (Ig) powder orally for 3 to 5 days during the epidemic. The morbidity of the diarrhea was lower than that observed in 1987, when the Ig powder was not administered to foals. These data suggested that the administration of Ig powder might partially prevent foal diarrhea with rotavirus infection.
A minor prevalent strain in a severe outbreak of foal diarrhea associated with serotype 3 rotavirus. An epizootic of foal diarrhea due to serotype 3 rotavirus (RV) was observed in 89 of 168 cases (53%) during the period from March to July in 1987. A total of 51 strains of RV were isolated from the 62 diarrheal feces examined, and one isolate (CH-3) showed a unique electropherotype of viral RNA which differed from the others that widely prevailed on this farm. No positive reaction was observed between strain CH-3 and each of the antisera against serotypes 1 to 12 of human and animal RV in neutralization tests. However, dsRNAs of the CH-3 virus were hybridized with a probe prepared from a strai...
Rotaviral diarrhea. Rotavirus poses a challenge each foaling season to farm managers and veterinarians in intensive horse breeding areas throughout the world. By understanding the epidemiology of the disease as well as characteristics of the virus, veterinarians can make sound recommendations on prevention and control of outbreaks. Even when effective prophylactic products are developed, farm management practices, including quarantine, disinfection, and hygiene, will always need to be in force to prevent any contagious disease outbreak.
Electropherotypes, serotypes, and subgroups of equine rotaviruses isolated in Japan. Electropherotypes (ET), serotypes, and subgroups of equine rotaviruses isolated from foals in Japan were determined. The ETs of 136 isolates from 1981 through to 1991 were divided into six groups: ET-A-ET-F. The ET-A, -B, -C, -D, -E, and -F were present in 3, 1, 121, 9, 1, and 1 strains, respectively. Representative viruses of ET-A, -B, -C, and -D were identified as serotype G3. Viruses of ET-E and -F were identified as serotypes G 10 and G 5, respectively. The four representative viruses of serotype G 3 did not belong to either subgroup I or II. The two viruses of serotypes G 5 and G 10 belon...
Comparison of antibody and cell-mediated immune responses in horses following feeding of a novel dietary antigen, ovalbumin, and rotavirus. Adult ponies which were fed ovalbumin (OVA) daily for 2 weeks had significantly greater serum anti-OVA IgG (P = 0.001) and antigen specific lymphocyte responses (P = 0.031) after intramuscular injection with OVA given with saponin than control ponies which had not been fed the antigen. This suggests that, despite the lack of evidence of B- or T-cell activation in peripheral blood during the period of OVA feeding, the animals were primed for an active secondary immune response. Adult ponies were challenged with equine rotavirus, strain H-2, but no statistically significant differences were foun...
Detection of group C rotavirus antigens and antibodies in animals and humans by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) were developed to detect group (gp) C rotavirus antigens and antibodies. Both assays were confirmed to be specific for gp C rotavirus by using serogroup A, B, and C rotaviruses; hyperimmune antisera to these serogroups of rotaviruses; and paired serum specimens from animals infected with gp C rotaviruses. The ELISA for antigen detection reacted not only with porcine gp C rotaviruses but also with human and bovine gp C rotaviruses. Following experimental challenge of gnotobiotic pigs with porcine gp C rotavirus, the virus was found by ELISA in all dia...
Rotavirus infection in horses. Genome profile analysis of a rotavirus isolated from an infected foal. Electrophoretic analysis in polyacrylamide gel (PAGE) of the equine rotavirus 106/88/LI/EQ, isolated from the diarrhea of an 18 day old foal was compared to the bovine strain NCDV. There was a notable difference in the migration of some segments of the viral RNA. Bands 2 and 3 of the equine rotavirus comigrated while there was a clear separation of segments 7, 8 and 9. Moreover, the migration of segments 1, 4 and 5 revealed a lower molecular weight than the corresponding segments of NCDV.
Evidence for two serotype G3 subtypes among equine rotaviruses. Ten cultivable equine rotavirus isolates, two of North American, six of British, and two of Irish origin, were compared with standard rotavirus strains and with each other by cross neutralization, neutralization with a panel of monoclonal antibodies (MAbs), hybridization to a simian rotavirus (SA-11) VP7 gene probe, and reaction with rotavirus subgrouping and serotyping MAbs in enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Six isolates, two of which had previously been serotyped as G3 by other workers, were found to be serotype G3; one was confirmed to be G5, and three were not related to serotypes G1 t...
Rotavirus serotype G3 predominates in horses. Foal fecal group A rotavirus strains were characterized by electropherotype, serotype, and subgroup and shown to be distinctly different from rotaviruses of other mammals. Of 86 strains that were electropherotyped, 98% had similar profiles, with gene segments 3 and 4 close together and segments 7, 8, and 9 widely spaced. Of 70 strains that had sufficient detectable VP7 antigen to be serotyped by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs), 63% were serotype G3 (39% were subtype G3A and 24% were subtype G3B), 4% were serotype G13, and 33% were untypeable. Serotypes G1, G2, G4, G5, G6, G9, G10, ...
Epidemiology of equine rotavirus infection among foals in the breeding region. Rotavirus is one of causative agents for acute diarrhea in infants of several animal species including humans [1]. Detection or isolation of rotavirus from the feces of foals with diarrhea has been reported in England [2], the U.S.A. [3, 5, 6], Australia [14] and Japan [10, 12]. It has been shown through serological surveys in Japan [4, 8, 9] and the U.S.A. [3, 13] that rotavirus is widespread among horses and foals. However, there have been few detailed reports on the occurrence of foal diarrhea caused by rotavirus. This report focuses on the occurrence of foal diarrhea and the isolation of r...
The prevalence of enteric pathogens in diarrhoeic thoroughbred foals in Britain and Ireland. A survey of 77 normal and 326 diarrhoeic foals in Britain and Ireland from 1987 to 1989 revealed a significantly higher prevalence of Group A rotaviruses and Aeromonas hydrophila in diarrhoeic foals. The prevalence of cryptosporidia, potentially pathogenic Escherichia coli, Yersinia enterocolitica and Clostridium perfringens was similar in normal or diarrhoeic foals. Rotaviruses had a similar prevalence in all age groups of scouring foals up to three months of age, with an overall prevalence of 37 per cent among diarrhoeic foals. The number of cases of diarrhoea varied considerably from year t...
Comparative growth of different rotavirus strains in differentiated cells (MA104, HepG2, and CaCo-2). The production of viral antigen after infection of MA104, HepG2 (derived from human liver), and CaCo-2 (derived from human colon) cells with various cultivatable human and animal rotavirus strains was compared using immunofluorescence tests. All rotavirus strains examined expressed antigen in CaCo-2 cells and MA104 cells, but only some virus strains, namely, SA11-Cl3 (simian), RRV (simian), CU-1 (canine), and Ty1 (turkey), produced antigen in numbers of infected HepG2 cells comparable to infections in MA104 and CaCo-2 cells. Fl-14 (equine), OSU (porcine), NCDV (bovine), and Ch2 (chicken) strai...
A novel group A rotavirus G serotype: serological and genomic characterization of equine isolate FI23. Equine rotavirus FI23 was shown to be prototypic of a novel G serotype, provisionally G14, by cross-neutralization and VP7 sequence determination. Although distinct, there are as few as six differing amino acid residues (92, 94, 96, 146, 147, and 221) in the VP7 antigenic regions of FI23 and G3 rotaviruses.
Increased sensitivity of a rotavirus serotyping enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay by the incorporation of CaCl2. The sensitivity of a rotavirus serotyping enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was improved by the addition of 0.5 mM CaCl2 to the washing buffer and reagent diluent. Twenty-nine of 63 (46%) previously untyped bovine and equine faecal rotavirus samples were serotyped in the modified assay. A differential response to Ca2+ ions was noted for different G-serotypes suggesting that serotyping assays performed without the inclusion of CaCl2 in the assay buffers may produce biased results.
Analysis of serotypes and electropherotypes of equine rotaviruses isolated in the United States. Equine group A rotaviruses isolated over a 10-year period in New York State, New Jersey, Kentucky, and Texas were compared serotypically and electropherotypically. All isolates were determined to be serotype 3 by reaction with hyperimmune antiserum to the serotype 3 H-2 strain of equine rotavirus. All displayed RNA electrophoretic migration patterns related to that of the H-2 strain but distinct from that of serotype 5 strain H-1. A serologic survey of 184 mares in Kentucky, which was done to determine the incidence of H-1 and H-2 infections, showed geometric mean serum neutralizing titers to ...
Serological and genomic characterization of L338, a novel equine group A rotavirus G serotype. A group A rotavirus designated L338 was isolated from the faeces of a diarrhoeic foal and was compared to 11 standard G serotype strains of group A rotaviruses by cross-neutralization. It was clearly distinct from serotypes G1 to G11 and thus representative of a novel rotavirus G serotype tentatively designated G13. The nucleic acid sequence of the virion protein 7 (VP7) coding region was determined and the deduced amino acid sequence compared to published sequences. Within VP7 regions A and B, L338 was clearly distinct from serotypes G1 to G12 (excluding G7 which has not been sequenced), but ...
Homotypic and heterotypic serum and milk antibody to rotavirus in normal, infected and vaccinated horses. The homotypic and heterotypic antibody response to rotavirus was determined in three pony mares and their foals. The normal concentrations of anti-rotavirus antibodies in mares' milk and mares' and foals' serum over the first 10 weeks post-partum were measured using IgA, IgG and rotavirus serotype-specific enzyme linked immunosorbent assays. Experimental infection of the foals with serotype 3 equine rotavirus produced a rapid, serotype-specific response which peaked 10 days after infection and a slower heterotypic response which peaked 32 days later. In contrast, vaccination of the mares with ...