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Archives of microbiology2023; 206(1); 5; doi: 10.1007/s00203-023-03723-5

Abortion storm of Yili horses is associated with Equus caballus papillomavirus 2 variant infection.

Abstract: Nine different species of Equus caballus papillomavirus (EcPV) and three bovine papillomaviruses (BPVs) have been reported to infect horses. However, there are few descriptions of such infections in China. In our pioneer study on Chinese horses, we identified EcPV-2 in the nasal swabs (4/230, 1.7%) of Yili horses, and the semen (3/18, 16.7%) of thoroughbred horses. This indicated that EcPV is indeed hosted by horses in China, and that EcPV-2 might be transmitted though breeding. Further detection of EcPVs in the lung tissues of aborted fetuses of Yili horses, which were originally negative for equid herpes viruses, demonstrated EcPV-2 positivity in 19 of 50 samples, thereby indicating that EcPV-2 may be a new pathogen responsible for causing abortion. Thereafter, sequence analyses of the L1 genes of 26 EcPV-2 in China were performed, indicating that EcPV-2, which primarily infects horses in China, shared 98.3-99.9% nt identity with the published sequences for EcPV-2. These observations indicated that EcPV-2 identified in the current study were highly similar variants of the previously identified strains of EcPV-2. Phylogenetic analysis based on L1 gene sequences from GenBank showed that the EcPV-2 found in Chinese horses was closely related to and clustered together with an already known EcPV-2a lineage. Our study provides the first evidence related to EcPV-2 infection in Chinese horses, which can serve as a causative agent for Yili horse abortions, and may thus lay the foundation for a systematic and detailed epidemiological study of this infection in Chinese horses.
© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.
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Publication Date: 2023-11-24 PubMed ID: 37999779PubMed Central: 7923415DOI: 10.1007/s00203-023-03723-5Google Scholar: Lookup
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  • Journal Article

Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

Overview

  • This study discovered a variant of Equus caballus papillomavirus type 2 (EcPV-2) infecting horses in China, particularly Yili horses, and found evidence linking this virus to abortions in these horses.

Introduction to Papillomavirus in Horses

  • Equus caballus papillomaviruses (EcPVs) belong to a group of viruses that infect horses, with nine known species identified worldwide.
  • Additionally, three bovine papillomaviruses (BPVs) can also infect horses, though the focus here is on equine-specific viruses.
  • Prior to this study, infections of EcPVs in Chinese horses were not well documented or understood.

Objectives and Significance of the Study

  • The study aimed to identify if EcPV infections occur in Chinese horses and to explore any potential link between EcPV and health issues such as abortion.
  • This is the first reported evidence of EcPV-2 infection in horses in China, providing an important baseline for future research and epidemiological studies.

Methodology and Findings

  • Samples collected:
    • Nasal swabs from 230 Yili horses.
    • Semen samples from 18 thoroughbred horses.
    • Lung tissue samples from 50 aborted fetuses of Yili horses.
  • Detection of EcPV-2:
    • EcPV-2 was detected in 1.7% (4/230) of nasal swabs from Yili horses.
    • In semen samples from thoroughbred horses, a higher positivity rate was observed (16.7%, 3/18), suggesting breeding as a possible transmission route.
    • Among aborted fetuses, 38% (19/50) of lung tissue samples were positive for EcPV-2, despite being negative for other known abortion-causing equine herpesviruses.

Genetic and Phylogenetic Analysis

  • Sequencing was performed on the L1 gene of 26 EcPV-2 samples from China.
  • These sequences showed a high similarity (98.3–99.9% nucleotide identity) to previously reported EcPV-2 strains globally.
  • Phylogenetic analysis placed Chinese EcPV-2 samples in the EcPV-2a lineage, clustering closely with known strains.
  • This suggests that the virus strains in China are not entirely novel but are highly similar variants of the established EcPV-2 strain.

Implications and Conclusions

  • EcPV-2 is present in Chinese horse populations and may be transmitted through breeding practices.
  • The detection of EcPV-2 in aborted fetal lung tissue implicates it as a potential causative agent of abortion in Yili horses, a significant finding for veterinary health.
  • This study lays the groundwork for future epidemiological research on EcPV infections in Chinese equine populations.
  • Understanding the role of EcPV-2 in horse abortions can assist in developing prevention and control strategies to improve animal health and breeding outcomes.

Cite This Article

APA
Tong P, Palidan N, Song X, Tian S, Zhang L, Wu G, Deng H, Jia C, Duan R, Suo Y, Pan J, Dang Y, Kuang L, Xie J. (2023). Abortion storm of Yili horses is associated with Equus caballus papillomavirus 2 variant infection. Arch Microbiol, 206(1), 5. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00203-023-03723-5

Publication

Archives of microbiology
ISSN: 1432-072X
NlmUniqueID: 0410427
Country: Germany
Language: English
Volume: 206
Issue: 1
Pages: 5

Researcher Affiliations

Tong, Panpan
  • Laboratory of Animal Etiology and Epidemiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, 830052, China.
Palidan, Nuerlan
  • Laboratory of Animal Etiology and Epidemiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, 830052, China.
  • Vocational Technical School of Zhaosu, Zhaosu, 835600, China.
Song, Xiaozhen
  • Laboratory of Animal Etiology and Epidemiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, 830052, China.
  • People's Government of Ziniquanzi Town, Ziniquanzi, 831502, China.
Tian, Shuyao
  • Laboratory of Animal Etiology and Epidemiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, 830052, China.
Zhang, Lei
  • Laboratory of Animal Etiology and Epidemiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, 830052, China.
  • Aksu Regional Animal Disease Control and Diagnostic Center, Aksu, 843000, China.
Wu, Guiling
  • Laboratory of Animal Etiology and Epidemiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, 830052, China.
  • Aksu Regional Animal Disease Control and Diagnostic Center, Aksu, 843000, China.
Deng, Haifeng
  • Zhaosu Horse Barn in Yili, Zhaosu, 835602, China.
Jia, Chenyang
  • Laboratory of Animal Etiology and Epidemiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, 830052, China.
Duan, Ruli
  • Laboratory of Animal Etiology and Epidemiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, 830052, China.
Suo, Youtu
  • Zhaosu Horse Barn in Yili, Zhaosu, 835602, China.
Pan, Juanjuan
  • Laboratory of Animal Etiology and Epidemiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, 830052, China.
Dang, Yueyi
  • Laboratory of Animal Etiology and Epidemiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, 830052, China.
Kuang, Ling
  • Laboratory of Animal Etiology and Epidemiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, 830052, China. kuangling62@126.com.
Xie, Jinxin
  • Laboratory of Animal Etiology and Epidemiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, 830052, China. xiejinxin198683@163.com.

MeSH Terms

  • Horses
  • Animals
  • Cattle
  • Phylogeny
  • Horse Diseases
  • Papillomavirus Infections / veterinary
  • Papillomaviridae / genetics
  • Carcinoma, Squamous Cell

Grant Funding

  • 2022D01A167, 2019D01A47 / The Natural Science Foundation of Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region
  • 2022D01A167, 2019D01A47 / The Natural Science Foundation of Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region
  • 32060808 / National Natural Science Foundation of China
  • 2019M653901XB / China Postdoctoral Science Foundation
  • XJAU20180723 / Post-doctoral Science Foundation of Xinjiang Agricultural University

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Citations

This article has been cited 3 times.
  1. Cutarelli A, De Falco F, Serpe F, Izzo S, Fusco G, Catoi C, Roperto S. Ultrasensitive detection and quantification of bovine Deltapapillomavirus in the semen of healthy horses. Sci Rep 2025 Jan 4;15(1):769.
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  2. Cutarelli A, De Falco F, Brunetti R, Napoletano M, Fusco G, Roperto S. Molecular detection of transcriptionally active ovine papillomaviruses in commercial equine semen. Front Vet Sci 2024;11:1427370.
    doi: 10.3389/fvets.2024.1427370pubmed: 39021410google scholar: lookup
  3. Li L, Li S, Ma H, Akhtar MF, Tan Y, Wang T, Liu W, Khan A, Khan MZ, Wang C. An Overview of Infectious and Non-Infectious Causes of Pregnancy Losses in Equine. Animals (Basel) 2024 Jul 2;14(13).
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