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Topic:Virus
The study of viral infections that affect equine species assesses the relationship between viruses and horses. Infections can lead to a range of clinical symptoms and may impact the health and performance of horses. Common equine viruses include Equine Influenza Virus, Equine Herpesvirus, and West Nile Virus, among others. Understanding the mechanisms of viral transmission, pathogenesis, and host immune responses is essential for developing effective prevention and treatment strategies. This page compiles peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the epidemiology, molecular biology, and clinical management of viral infections in horses.
Characterization of nonprimate hepacivirus and construction of a functional molecular clone. Nonprimate hepacivirus (NPHV) is the closest known relative of hepatitis C virus (HCV) and its study could enrich our understanding of HCV evolution, immunity, and pathogenesis. High seropositivity is found in horses worldwide with ∼ 3% viremic. NPHV natural history and molecular virology remain largely unexplored, however. Here, we show that NPHV, like HCV, can cause persistent infection for over a decade, with high titers and negative strand RNA in the liver. NPHV is a near-universal contaminant of commercial horse sera for cell culture. The complete NPHV 3'-UTR was determined and consists...
Le virus de l’artérite virale équine : de l’épidémiologie moléculaire à l’émergence de variants pathogènes. Equine arteritis virus (EAV) is the causative agent of equine viral arteritis, a disease observed only in equids. EAV is the prototype of the family Arteriviridæ within the order Nidovirales. EAV is an enveloped, positive-sense, single-stranded RNA virus with a considerable variation in the genome as observed in other RNA viruses. During natural infections, EAV may cause abortion and persistent subclinical infections in stallions which can shed the virus in the semen for years, or even lifetime. Chronically infected stallions represent the natural reservoir of the virus. They ensure the persi...
Update on viral diseases of the equine respiratory tract. Many viral agents have been associated with respiratory disease of the horse. The most important viral causes of respiratory disease in horses are equine influenza and the equine alphaherpesviruses. Agents such as equine viral arteritis virus, African horse sickness virus, and Hendra virus establish systemic infections. Clinical signs of disease resulting from infection with these agents can manifest as respiratory disease, but the respiratory tract is not the major body system affected by these viruses. Treatment of viral respiratory disease is generally limited to supportive therapies, where...
Outbreak of henipavirus infection, Philippines, 2014. During 2014, henipavirus infection caused severe illness among humans and horses in southern Philippines; fatality rates among humans were high. Horse-to-human and human-to-human transmission occurred. The most likely source of horse infection was fruit bats. Ongoing surveillance is needed for rapid diagnosis, risk factor investigation, control measure implementation, and further virus characterization.
Virological and serological investigation of Equid herpesvirus 1 infection in New Zealand. Infection with equid herpesvirus 1 (EHV-1) may be asymptomatic, or may result in respiratory disease, abortion, neonatal death, or neurological disease. The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of EHV-1 infection, including differentiation between genotypes with aspartic acid (D) and asparagine (N) at position 752 of the DNA polymerase sequence, within a selected population of New Zealand horses. The second aim was to determine the predictive value of serology for detection of latently infected horses. Retropharyngeal lymph nodes (RLN) and trigeminal ganglia (TG) were dissected fro...
The innate immune response of equine bronchial epithelial cells is altered by training. Respiratory diseases, including inflammatory airway disease (IAD), viral and bacterial infections, are common problems in exercising horses. The airway epithelium constitutes a major physical barrier against airborne infections and plays an essential role in the lung innate immune response mainly through toll-like receptor (TLR) activation. The aim of this study was to develop a model for the culture of equine bronchial epithelial cells (EBEC) in vitro and to explore EBEC innate immune responses in trained horses. Bronchial epithelial biopsies were taken from 6 adult horses during lower airway...
Cloning and nucleotide sequence analyses of 11 genome segments of two American and one British equine rotavirus strains. Group A equine rotavirus (ERV) is the main cause of diarrhea in foals and causes severe economic loss due to morbidity and mortality on stud farming worldwide. Molecular evolution of equine rotaviruses remains understudies. In this study, whole-genomic analysis of 2 group A ERV, FI-14 (G3P[12]), H-2 (G3P[12]) isolated from American, and FI23 (G14P[12]) from British was carried out and genotype constellations were determined as G3-P[12]-I6-R2-C2-M3-A10-N2-T3-E2-H7 for FI-14; G14-P[12]-I2-R2-C2-M3-A10-N2-T3-E2-H7 for FI23; and G3-P[12]-I6-R2-C2-M3-A10-N2-T3-E2-H7 for H-2, respectively. With the ...
Demographics of natural oral infection of mosquitos by Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus. The within-host diversity of virus populations can be drastically limited during between-host transmission, with primary infection of hosts representing a major constraint to diversity maintenance. However, there is an extreme paucity of quantitative data on the demographic changes experienced by virus populations during primary infection. Here, the multiplicity of cellular infection (MOI) and population bottlenecks were quantified during primary mosquito infection by Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus, an arbovirus causing neurological disease in humans and equids.
Voluntary surveillance program for equine influenza virus in the United States from 2010 to 2013. Recent surveillance studies for equine respiratory viruses have shown that equine influenza virus (EIV) continues to be a prevalent respiratory virus of equids throughout the United States and Europe. Objective: To gain a better understanding of the prevalence and epidemiology of EIV shed by horses, mules and donkeys in the United States from March 2010 to November 2013. Methods: 2,605 equids. Methods: Nasal secretions from index cases with acute onset of respiratory disease were tested by qPCR for EIV. Multilevel logistic regression was used to model the association between EIV status and pre...
Quantitative molecular viral loads in 7 horses with naturally occurring equine herpesvirus-1 infection. Data associating quantitative viral load with severity, clinical signs and survival in equine herpesvirus-1 myeloencephalopathy (EHM) have not been reported. Objective: To report the clinical signs, treatment, and temporal progression of viral loads in 7 horses with naturally occurring EHM and to examine the association of these factors with survival. Methods: Retrospective case series. Methods: The population included 7 horses with EHM presented to the University of California, Davis William R. Pritchard Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital from May to September 2011. Horses were graded using...
West Nile virus-specific immunoglobulin isotype responses in vaccinated and infected horses. To compare antibody responses of horses naturally infected with West Nile virus (WNV) and those vaccinated against WNV, to identify whether vaccination interferes with the ability to diagnose WNV infection, and to determine the duration of antibody responses after vaccination. Methods: Sera from horses naturally infected with WNV (n = 10) and adult WNV-naïve horses before and after vaccination with a live canarypox virus-vectored vaccine (7) or a killed virus vaccine (8). Methods: An established WNV IgM capture ELISA was used to measure IgM responses. Newly developed capture ELISAs were used ...
Equid herpesvirus 1 (EHV1) infection of equine mesenchymal stem cells induces a pUL56-dependent downregulation of select cell surface markers. Equid herpesvirus 1 (EHV1) is an ubiquitous alphaherpesvirus that can cause respiratory disease, abortion and central nervous disorders. EHV1 is known to infect a variety of different cell types in vitro, but its tropism for cultured primary equine mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) has never been explored. We report that equine MSC were highly permissive for EHV1 and supported lytic replication of the virus in vitro. Interestingly, we observed that an infection of MSC with EHV1 resulted in a consistent downregulation of cell surface molecules CD29 (β1-integrin), CD105 (endoglin), major histocompat...
[Surveillance of West Nile fever in horses in the Czech Republic from 2011 to 2013]. The West Nile virus (WNV) is an important mosquito-borne flavivirus occurring around the world. Occasionally found in Central Europe, the virus spread massively through whole Hungary between 2008 and 2009. The aim of our study was to determine the recent prevalence of the WNV infection in horses in the Czech Republic. Methods: Overall, 2349 serum samples, collected from healthy unvaccinated adult horses in the Czech Republic between 2011 and 2013, were tested. A commercially available competitive ELISA kit (cELISA) was used for this purpose and positive samples were confirmed by virus neutrali...
Re-emergence of a genetic outlier strain of equine arteritis virus: Impact on phylogeny. Equine arteritis virus (EAV) is the causative agent of equine viral arteritis (EVA), a respiratory and reproductive disease of equids, which is notifiable in some countries including the Great Britain (GB) and to the OIE. Herein, we present the case of a persistently infected stallion and the phylogenetic tracing of the virus strain isolated. Discussing EAV occurrence and phylogenetic analysis we review features, which may aid to harmonise and enhance the classification of EAV.
Role of enhanced vector transmission of a new West Nile virus strain in an outbreak of equine disease in Australia in 2011. In 2011, a variant of West Nile virus Kunjin strain (WNVKUN) caused an unprecedented epidemic of neurological disease in horses in southeast Australia, resulting in almost 1,000 cases and a 9% fatality rate. We investigated whether increased fitness of the virus in the primary vector, Culex annulirostris, and another potential vector, Culex australicus, contributed to the widespread nature of the outbreak. Methods: Mosquitoes were exposed to infectious blood meals containing either the virus strain responsible for the outbreak, designated WNVKUN2011, or WNVKUN2009, a strain of low virulence th...
Equine disease surveillance: quarterly summary. Equine influenza in England and Scotland, Significant numbers of outbreaks of equine herpesvirus 1 neurological disease in the USA, Summary of surveillance testing, April to June 2014. These are among matters discussed in the most recent quarterly equine disease surveillance report, prepared by Defra, the Animal Health Trust and the British Equine Veterinary Association.
Focus on: Hendra virus in Australia. Cases of Hendra virus infection in horses in Australia have been seen regularly since the virus was first isolated in 1994. Kristopher Hughes, associate professor of equine medicine at Charles Sturt University in Australia, gives an overview of how knowledge of the virus has developed in the past 20 years.
Spatial and temporal distribution of West Nile virus in horses in Israel (1997-2013)–from endemic to epidemics. With the rapid global spread of West Nile virus (WNV) and the endemic state it has acquired in new geographical areas, we hereby bring a thorough serological investigation of WNV in horses in a longstanding endemic region, such as Israel. This study evaluates the environmental and demographic risk factors for WNV infection in horses and suggests possible factors associated with the transition from endemic to epidemic state. West Nile virus seroprevalence in horses in Israel was determined throughout a period of more than a decade, before (1997) and after (2002 and 2013) the massive West Nile f...
A unique evolution of the s2 gene of equine infectious anemia virus in hosts correlated with particular infection statuses. Equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV) is a member of the Lentivirus genus in the Retroviridae family that exhibits a genomic structure similar to that of HIV-1. The S2 accessory proteins play important roles in viral replication in vivo and in viral pathogenicity; however, studies on S2 evolution in vivo are limited. This study analyzed the evolutionary characteristics of the S2 gene of a pathogenic EIAV strain, EIAVLN40, in four experimentally infected horses. The results demonstrated that 14.7% (10 of 68 residues) of the stable amino acid mutations occurred longitudinally in S2 during a 150-...
Equine viral arteritis. Equine arteritis virus (EAV), the causative agent of equine viral arteritis (EVA), is a respiratory and reproductive disease that occurs throughout the world. EAV infection is highly species-specific and exclusively limited to members of the family Equidae, which includes horses, donkeys, mules, and zebras. EVA is an economically important disease and outbreaks could cause significant losses to the equine industry. The primary objective of this article is to summarize current understanding of EVA, specifically the disease, pathogenesis, epidemiology, host immune response, vaccination and treat...
Equine viral arteritis. Equine arteritis virus (EAV), the causative agent of equine viral arteritis (EVA), is a respiratory and reproductive disease that occurs throughout the world. EAV infection is highly species-specific and exclusively limited to members of the family Equidae, which includes horses, donkeys, mules, and zebras. EVA is an economically important disease and outbreaks could cause significant losses to the equine industry. The primary objective of this article is to summarize current understanding of EVA, specifically the disease, pathogenesis, epidemiology, host immune response, vaccination and treat...
High prevalence of West Nile virus in equines from the two provinces of Pakistan. This study describes the first large-scale serosurvey on West Nile virus (WNV) conducted in the equine population in Pakistan. Sera were collected from 449 equids from two provinces of Pakistan during 2012-2013. Equine serum samples were screened using a commercial ELISA kit detecting antibodies against WNV and related flaviviruses. ELISA-positive samples were further investigated using virus-specific microneutralization tests (MNTs) to identify infections with Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV), WNV and tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV). Anti-WNV antibodies were detected in 292 samples by E...
Prevalence of antibodies against influenza virus in non-vaccinated equines from the Brazilian Pantanal. The prevalence of antibodies against Equine Influenza Virus (EIV) was determined in 529 equines living on ranches in the municipality of Poconé, Pantanal area of Brazil, by means of the hemagglutination inhibition test, using subtype H3N8 as antigen. The distribution and possible association among positive animal and ranches were evaluated by the chi-square test, spatial autoregressive and multiple linear regression models. The prevalence of antibodies against EIV was estimated at 45.2% (95% CI 30.2 - 61.1%) with titers ranging from 20 to 1,280 HAU. Seropositive equines were found on 92.0% of...
The haemagglutination activity of equine herpesvirus type 1 glycoprotein C. Equine herpesvirus type 1 (EHV-1) has haemagglutination (HA) activity toward equine red blood cells (RBCs), but the identity of its haemagglutinin is unknown. To identify the haemagglutinin of EHV-1, the major glycoproteins of EHV-1 were expressed in 293T cells, and the cells or cell lysates were mixed with equine RBCs. The results showed that only EHV-1 glycoprotein C (gC)-producing cells adsorbed equine RBCs, and that the lysate of EHV-1 gC-expressing cells agglutinated equine RBCs. EHV-1 lacking gC did not show HA activity. HA activity was inhibited by monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) specific ...
Combination of an unbiased amplification method and a resequencing microarray for detecting and genotyping equine arteritis virus. This study shows that an unbiased amplification method applied to equine arteritis virus RNA significantly improves the sensitivity of the real-time reverse transcription-quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) recommended by the World Organization for Animal Health. Twelve viral RNAs amplified using this method were hybridized on a high-density resequencing microarray for effective viral characterization.
Inefficient transmissibility of NS-truncated H3N8 equine influenza virus in dogs. H3N8 equine influenza virus (EIV) causes respiratory diseases in the horse population, and it has been demonstrated that EIV can transmit into dogs owing to its availability on receptors of canine respiratory epithelial cells. Recently, we isolated H3N8 EIV from an EIV-vaccinated horse that showed symptoms of respiratory disease, and which has a partially truncated nonstructural gene (NS). However, it is not clear that the NS-truncated EIV has an ability to cross the host species barrier from horses to dogs as well. Here, we experimentally infected the NS-truncated H3N8 EIV into dogs, and moni...
Antiviral activity of a Bacillus sp. P34 peptide against pathogenic viruses of domestic animals. P34 is an antimicrobial peptide produced by a Bacillus sp. strain isolated from the intestinal contents of a fish in the Brazilian Amazon basin with reported antibacterial activity. The aim of this work was to evaluate the peptide P34 for its in vitro antiviral properties against canine adenovirus type 2 (CAV-2), canine coronavirus (CCoV), canine distemper virus (CDV), canine parvovirus type 2 (CPV-2), equine arteritis virus (EAV), equine influenza virus (EIV), feline calicivirus (FCV) and feline herpesvirus type 1 (FHV-1). The results showed that the peptide P34 exhibited antiviral activity a...
