Virology in horses encompasses the study of viruses that affect equine species, including their biology, transmission, and impact on horse health. This field investigates viral pathogens that can lead to a range of diseases, from respiratory infections to neurological disorders. Common viruses affecting horses include equine influenza virus, equine herpesvirus, and West Nile virus. Understanding these viruses involves examining their genetic makeup, modes of transmission, and interactions with the equine immune system. This page compiles peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the epidemiology, pathogenesis, and control measures of viral infections in horses.
Saiatov MKh, Beĭsembaeva RU.Profiles of distribution of non-specific gamma-inhibitors of influenza A2/Victoria/35/72 in donkey and horse sera were established by gel chromatography in Sephadex G-200. High and low molecular inhibitors were found in 19S and 4S serum fractions. Highly purified preparations of a2-macroglobulin, transferrine and albumin were isolated by a combination of methods of salt precipitation, gel chromatography on Sephadex G-100, G-200 and ion exchange on DEAE-Sephadex A-50. Heating sera resulted in a considerable increase of the antiviral activity of a2-macroglobulin and transferrine and a reduction ...
Scherer WF, Anderson K, Pancake BA, Dickerman RW, Ordonez JV.Seventy-four strains of Venezuelan encephalitis (VE) virus recovered from sentinel hamsters or mosquitoes at enzootic habitats in Guatemala in the two years following the 1969 epidemic-equine epizootic were examined for ability to produce small plaques in Vero African green monkey kidney cell cultures, like isolates obtained during the epizootic. (a) One strain recovered from a sentinel hamster in late October 1969 at an enzootic habitat near the epicenter of the hemagglutination-inhibition (HI) and equine-virulence properties like epizootic virus; this strain retained its small plaque charact...
Hayes RO, Francy DB, Lazuick JS, Smith GC, Jones RH.A virus surveillance project was established and maintained during 1972 along 10 major river drainages in six states. Mosquitoes, biting flies, and blood specimens from sentinel equines were collected during 83 field trip visits to 141 arthropod collecting sites and 22 sentinel locations from April into December 1972. There were 173,074 mosquitoes tested and 303 arboviruses isolated from 11 of 41 species. From 13,388 biting flies tested, 8 arbovirus isolations were obtained in 1 of 5 species. There was no isolation of Venezuelan equine encephalitis (VEE) virus. Western equine encephalitis (WEE...
Mackenzie RM, de Siger J, Parra D.Two strains of Venezuelan equine encephalitis (VEE) virus were examined for the ability to replicate in, as well as to produce death among donkeys. One, a low passage strain known as strain P676 was originally isolated from mosquitos in Venezuela. The other, strain V-38 was isolated from a horse brain in 1938 and had undergone an unknown number of laboratory passages; it is used extensively for the preparation of inactivated VEE vaccine. Both strains were found to be approximately equal in their ability to infect donkeys. However, a quantity as small as 50% hamster intraperitoneal infectious u...
Wilks CR, Studdert MJ.The immunological and virological status of 3 foals in respect of equine herpesviruses (EHV) was established and the foals were sequentially infected with EHV2, EHV3 and EHV1. Following experimental infection with EHV2, no clinical signs of disease were observed in any foal. The inoculation of EHV3 into the genital tract resulted in lesions of the mucous membrane and perineal skin that were considered typical of equine coital exanthema. Following intransal inoculation of EHV3 extensive ulceration and pustule formation on the nasal mucosa was observed by day 5 accompanied at day 7 by a profuse,...
Wilks CR, Coggins L.Twenty-two ponies were examined for serum-neutralizing (SN) antibody to equine herpesvirus type 1 and for in vitro lymphocyte transformation in the presence of viral antigen. Six ponies had undetectable levels of neutralizing antibody (titer less than 1:2) and had lymphocytes which did not respond in culture with viral antigen (stimulation index less than 2.0). Four ponies which had SN antibody to equine herpesvirus type 1 did not manifest lymphocyte transformation in vitro. The 12 remaining seropositive ponies had lymphocyte transformation with viral antigen in vitro (stimulation indexes from...
Gibbs EP.The most important neurotropic viral infections of the horse are the arthropod-borne encephalitides. These include Venezuelan encephalitis (VE), eastern encephalitis (EE) and western encephalitis (WE), which are found in the Americas, and Japanese B encephalitis which occurs in the Far East. All the viruses cause encephalitis in man. Between 1969 and 1972 an epidemic of VE occurred in Central America. In 1971 the disease was reported in Texas, where it was brought under control by the vaccination of susceptible horses with an attenuated live virus vaccine and by the reduction of the mosquito p...
Matheka HD, Coggins L, Shively JN, Norcross NL.EIA virus was purified from equine fetal kidney cell cultures by PEG-precipitation, two sucrose-gradient sedimentations (5-30 per cent) and (25 to 60 per cent) centrifugation, using the immunodiffusion test to follow the procedure. Purified EIA virus had a density (20 degrees C) of 1.162 and a sedimentation constant of S20w=656. electron microscopy revealed a particle of about 100 nm in diameter with a very flexible but usually spherical shape. The dense core may be at various locations inside the membrane bound particle.
Little PB, Thorsen J.Equine viral rhinopneumonitis type I virus was isolated from spinal cord and brain of a paraparetic horse with disseminated necrotizing myeloencephalitis. Necrotic arteriolitis,nonsuppurative necrotizing myeloencephalitis and Gasserian ganglioneuritis were present. On record were 12 more cases of horses with similar lesions. The horses had been ataxic or paretic for up to several weeks. A field survey indicated that 14 of 24 horses with acute myelitic signs developed them after recent exposure to respiratory disease.
Rott R, Becht H, Orlich .Influenza virus Equine 1 (A/equine/Prague/56) has a hemagglutinin which is antigenically related to the hemagglutinin of fowl plague virus strain Rostock (FPV) and a neuraminidase which cross-reacts with the enzyme of virus N (A/chick/Germany/49). After a single injection of chickens with Equine 1 virus no hemagglutination inhibiting (HI) and neutralizing antibodies against FPV can be demonstrated, although the birds are fully protected against a lethal dose of FPV. HI and neutralizing antibodies against FPV appear after a second injection of Equine 1 virus several weeks after the first one. L...
Calisher CH, Maness KS.During the summer and fall of 1971, epizootic and epidemic Venezuelan equine encephalitis was detected in Texas. Isolates of epizootic (IB) and vaccine (TC-83) strains were distinguished by virulence of the former for guinea pigs. Vaccine virus was isolated from 1 to 14 days after vaccination and neutralization tests demonstrated the appearance of antibody about a week after vaccination. Viremia titers of subtype IB in horses ranged from 2.2 to 8.3 log10 suckling mouse intracranial 50% lethal doses per ml. Of 101 equines from which Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus (IB or TC-83) strains wer...
Robinson NE, Dabney JM, Weidner WJ, Jones GA, Scott JB.The digital circulation was isolated in 12 ponies under pentobarbital anesthesia. Blood flow was either controlled by a pump or measured under natural perfusion. The responses to rapid changes and stoppages of blood flow indicated no evidence of autoregulation or reactive hyperemia. Local administration of acetylcholine, histamine, and prostaglandins E1 and E2 decreased prevenous resistance, whereas epinephrine and serotonin caused prevenous constriction. Large doses of epinephrine and serotonin decreased venous caliber. The effects of prostaglandins A1 and F2alpha were variable. The equine di...
Thorsen J, Little PB.A Standardbred mare became paralyzed shortly after showing signs of an upper respiratory infection. The mare was euthanized and equine herpesvirus type 1 was isolated from the brain and spinal cord.
Whitlock RH, Dellers RW, Shively JN.A three-week-old Arabian filly was admitted to the Large Animal Hospital with a respiratory disorder and died despite symptomatic treatment. The necropsy lesions were suggestive of viral pneumonia. An equine adenovirus were isolated from nasal and pharyngeal swabs and from several tissues after death. Typical adenovirus virions were demonstrated by electron microscopy.
Hemida MG, Alhammadi M, Daleb A, Alnaeem A.African horse sickness virus (AHSV) is one of the most devastating viral diseases of the family Equidae. Infection with AHSV threatens not only the Saudi equine industry but also the equine industry worldwide. This is due to the high morbidity and mortality rates among the infected population of up to 100%. The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) lists AHSV among its notifiable diseases; this requires Member Countries to monitor the situation with regard to AHSV very carefully in order to avoid the spread of the virus. The OIE also suggests the systematic monitoring of AHSV in the equin...