FREE SHIPPING over $40
OVER 10000 FIVE-STAR REVIEWS
5% OFF ALL SUBSCRIPTIONS
100% HAPPINESS GUARANTEE
Analyze Diet
0
Veterinary microbiology1992; 33(1-4); 129-142; doi: 10.1016/0378-1135(92)90041-q

African horse sickness in Spain.

Abstract: The aetiology, pathogenesis and epizootiology of African horse sickness (AHS) are reviewed with special reference to recent outbreaks in the Iberian peninsula. AHS is a highly fatal insect-borne viral disease of Equidae. It is caused by an Orbivirus (family Reoviridae) and nine serotypes are recognised. Outbreaks occurred in central Spain in 1987 and in southern regions of the Iberian peninsula in 1988, 1989 and 1990. All were associated with serotype 4 of the virus, whereas other occurrences of AHS outside Africa have all been caused by serotype 9. The clinical picture in the outbreaks was mainly of the acute (pulmonary) form except in 1988 when the subacute (cardiac) form of disease predominated. Several hundred horses died or were destroyed as a result of the outbreaks. Further spread was contained by a combination of slaughter of sick animals, movement controls, and vaccination which was extended over an increasingly wide area in successive years. The 1987 outbreak is believed to be associated with infected zebras imported from Africa. Possible explanations for the recurrence of disease in Spain in successive years are considered to include (a) the climatic conditions in Southern Spain, which could permit continuous vector activity, (b) the relative clinical resistance of mules and donkeys, which may permit subclinical circulation of the virus, (c) incomplete population immunity among horses due to possible gaps in the vaccination strategy.
Get Full Text
Publication Date: 1992-11-01 PubMed ID: 1481352DOI: 10.1016/0378-1135(92)90041-qGoogle Scholar: Lookup
The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
LinkedInCopy
  • Journal Article
  • Review

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.

This research analyzes the cause, progression, and spread of African Horse Sickness (AHS) in Spain, highlighting outbreaks from 1987 to 1990 that were linked to the fourth serotype of the virus. Unlike other instances of AHS outside Africa that primarily involve serotype 9, these outbreaks primarily showed acute symptoms and resulted in numerous horse deaths. Several factors, including climatic conditions and vaccination strategies, could contribute to the recurrence of the disease.

Background of AHS

  • African Horse Sickness (AHS) is an extremely lethal disease that targets equine animals like horses, donkeys, and zebras. This infectious disease is transmitted via insects and is caused by an orbivirus from the family Reoviridae.
  • The disease comes in nine distinct serotypes, with various outbreaks across the globe often associated with either type 4 or type 9. This research specifically examines the prevalence of serotype 4-related diseases in Spain.

AHS in Spain

  • Various outbreaks of AHS were reported across Spain between 1987 and 1990. These outbreaks differed from others reported outside of Africa, as they were tied to serotype 4 of the virus, rather than serotype 9.
  • These Spanish outbreaks yielded predominantly acute (pulmonary) rather than subacute (cardiac) symptoms, and resulted in hundreds of equines being killed or euthanized.

Preventive Measures and Associated Issues

  • To prevent further transmission of AHS, a combination of strategies was employed. Infected animals were sacrificed, strict movement controls were enforced, and vaccination programs were implemented across large territories.
  • The first outbreak in 1987 is believed to have been transmitted by zebras brought from Africa that were infected with AHS.

Potential Factors for Recurrence

  • Despite containment efforts, AHS still resurfaces in Spain. The paper discusses several possible explanations, including the climate in southern Spain, which may facilitate continuous vector activity.
  • Another possibility is the relatively higher resistance to disease symptomatics in donkeys and mules compared to horses, which could allow for the subclinical circulation of the virus.
  • Lastly, potential gaps or inefficiencies in vaccination strategies could lead to incomplete population immunity among horses, creating opportunities for the disease to recur.

Cite This Article

APA
Rodriguez M, Hooghuis H, Castaño M. (1992). African horse sickness in Spain. Vet Microbiol, 33(1-4), 129-142. https://doi.org/10.1016/0378-1135(92)90041-q

Publication

Veterinary microbiology
ISSN: 0378-1135
NlmUniqueID: 7705469
Country: Netherlands
Language: English
Volume: 33
Issue: 1-4
Pages: 129-142

Researcher Affiliations

Rodriguez, M
  • Departamento de Patología Animal-II, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Complutense, Madrid, Spain.
Hooghuis, H
    Castaño, M

      MeSH Terms

      • African Horse Sickness / epidemiology
      • African Horse Sickness / microbiology
      • African Horse Sickness / mortality
      • African Horse Sickness Virus / classification
      • African Horse Sickness Virus / isolation & purification
      • Animals
      • Disease Outbreaks / veterinary
      • Horses
      • Incidence
      • Perissodactyla
      • Spain / epidemiology

      References

      This article includes 23 references

      Citations

      This article has been cited 38 times.
      1. Penzhorn L, Crafford JE, Guthrie AJ. Enhancing African horse sickness virus detection: comparing and adapting PCR assays. J Vet Diagn Invest 2026 Feb 7;:10406387261417355.
        doi: 10.1177/10406387261417355pubmed: 41653013google scholar: lookup
      2. Kim K, Xu T, Kannan Villalan A, Chi T, Yu X, Jin M, Wu R, Ni G, Sui S, Wang Z, Wang X. Environmental and Historical Determinants of African Horse Sickness: Insights from Predictive Modeling. Transbound Emerg Dis 2024;2024:5586647.
        doi: 10.1155/2024/5586647pubmed: 40303017google scholar: lookup
      3. de Klerk J, Tildesley M, Labuschagne K, Gorsich E. Modelling bluetongue and African horse sickness vector (Culicoides spp.) distribution in the Western Cape in South Africa using random forest machine learning. Parasit Vectors 2024 Aug 21;17(1):354.
        doi: 10.1186/s13071-024-06446-8pubmed: 39169433google scholar: lookup
      4. González MA, Magallanes S, Bravo-Barriga D, Monteys VSI, Martínez-de la Puente J, Figuerola J. Sampling of Culicoides with nontraditional methods provides unusual species composition and new records for southern Spain. Parasit Vectors 2024 Aug 12;17(1):338.
        doi: 10.1186/s13071-024-06414-2pubmed: 39135087google scholar: lookup
      5. Pitchers KG, Boakye OD, Campeotto I, Daly JM. The Potential of Plant-Produced Virus-like Particle Vaccines for African Horse Sickness and Other Equine Orbiviruses. Pathogens 2024 May 28;13(6).
        doi: 10.3390/pathogens13060458pubmed: 38921755google scholar: lookup
      6. Ashby M, Moore R, King S, Newbrook K, Flannery J, Batten C. Designing a Multiplex PCR-xMAP Assay for the Detection and Differentiation of African Horse Sickness Virus, Serotypes 1-9. Microorganisms 2024 May 3;12(5).
        doi: 10.3390/microorganisms12050932pubmed: 38792762google scholar: lookup
      7. Villalba R, Tena-Tomás C, Ruano MJ, Valero-Lorenzo M, López-Herranz A, Cano-Gómez C, Agüero M. Development and Validation of Three Triplex Real-Time RT-PCR Assays for Typing African Horse Sickness Virus: Utility for Disease Control and Other Laboratory Applications. Viruses 2024 Mar 20;16(3).
        doi: 10.3390/v16030470pubmed: 38543834google scholar: lookup
      8. de Souza WM, Weaver SC. Effects of climate change and human activities on vector-borne diseases. Nat Rev Microbiol 2024 Aug;22(8):476-491.
        doi: 10.1038/s41579-024-01026-0pubmed: 38486116google scholar: lookup
      9. Jones LM, Hawes PC, Salguero FJ, Castillo-Olivares J. Pathological features of African horse sickness virus infection in IFNAR(-/-) mice. Front Vet Sci 2023;10:1114240.
        doi: 10.3389/fvets.2023.1114240pubmed: 37065248google scholar: lookup
      10. Wang Y, Ong J, Ng OW, Songkasupa T, Koh EY, Wong JPS, Puangjinda K, Fernandez CJ, Huangfu T, Ng LC, Chang SF, Yap HH. Development of Differentiating Infected from Vaccinated Animals (DIVA) Real-Time PCR for African Horse Sickness Virus Serotype 1. Emerg Infect Dis 2022 Dec;28(12):2446-2454.
        doi: 10.3201/eid2812.220594pubmed: 36417933google scholar: lookup
      11. Nelson E, Thurston W, Pearce-Kelly P, Jenkins H, Cameron M, Carpenter S, Guthrie A, England M. A Qualitative Risk Assessment for Bluetongue Disease and African Horse Sickness: The Risk of Entry and Exposure at a UK Zoo. Viruses 2022 Feb 28;14(3).
        doi: 10.3390/v14030502pubmed: 35336912google scholar: lookup
      12. Gao S, Zeng Z, Wang H, Chen F, Huang L, Wang X. Predicting the possibility of African horse sickness (AHS) introduction into China using spatial risk analysis and habitat connectivity of Culicoides. Sci Rep 2022 Mar 10;12(1):3910.
        doi: 10.1038/s41598-022-07512-wpubmed: 35273211google scholar: lookup
      13. Fairbanks EL, Brennan ML, Mertens PPC, Tildesley MJ, Daly JM. Re-parameterization of a mathematical model of African horse sickness virus using data from a systematic literature search. Transbound Emerg Dis 2022 Jul;69(4):e671-e681.
        doi: 10.1111/tbed.14420pubmed: 34921513google scholar: lookup
      14. Clemmons EA, Alfson KJ, Dutton JW 3rd. Transboundary Animal Diseases, an Overview of 17 Diseases with Potential for Global Spread and Serious Consequences. Animals (Basel) 2021 Jul 8;11(7).
        doi: 10.3390/ani11072039pubmed: 34359167google scholar: lookup
      15. Nielsen SS, Alvarez J, Bicout DJ, Calistri P, Depner K, Drewe JA, Garin-Bastuji B, Gonzales Rojas JL, Gortázar Schmidt C, Herskin M, Michel V, Miranda Chueca MÁ, Pasquali P, Roberts HC, Sihvonen LH, Spoolder H, Ståhl K, Velarde A, Viltrop A, Winckler C, De Clercq K, Klement E, Stegeman JA, Gubbins S, Antoniou SE, Broglia A, Van der Stede Y, Zancanaro G, Aznar I. Scientific Opinion on the assessment of the control measures of the category A diseases of Animal Health Law: African Horse Sickness. EFSA J 2021 Feb;19(2):e06403.
        doi: 10.2903/j.efsa.2021.6403pubmed: 33552302google scholar: lookup
      16. Câmara RJF, Bueno BL, Resende CF, Balasuriya UBR, Sakamoto SM, Reis JKPD. Viral Diseases that Affect Donkeys and Mules. Animals (Basel) 2020 Nov 25;10(12).
        doi: 10.3390/ani10122203pubmed: 33255568google scholar: lookup
      17. Castillo-Olivares J. African horse sickness in Thailand: Challenges of controlling an outbreak by vaccination. Equine Vet J 2021 Jan;53(1):9-14.
        doi: 10.1111/evj.13353pubmed: 33007121google scholar: lookup
      18. Folly AJ, Dorey-Robinson D, Hernández-Triana LM, Phipps LP, Johnson N. Emerging Threats to Animals in the United Kingdom by Arthropod-Borne Diseases. Front Vet Sci 2020;7:20.
        doi: 10.3389/fvets.2020.00020pubmed: 32118054google scholar: lookup
      19. Smith RM, Bhoora RV, Kotzé A, Grobler JP, Lee Dalton D. Translocation a potential corridor for equine piroplasms in Cape mountain zebra (Equus zebra zebra). Int J Parasitol Parasites Wildl 2019 Aug;9:130-133.
        doi: 10.1016/j.ijppaw.2019.04.010pubmed: 31080728google scholar: lookup
      20. Chapman GE, Baylis M, Archer DC. Survey of UK horse owners' knowledge of equine arboviruses and disease vectors. Vet Rec 2018 Aug 4;183(5):159.
        doi: 10.1136/vr.104521pubmed: 29764954google scholar: lookup
      21. Durr PA, Graham K, van Klinken RD. Sellers' Revisited: A Big Data Reassessment of Historical Outbreaks of Bluetongue and African Horse Sickness due to the Long-Distance Wind Dispersion of Culicoides Midges. Front Vet Sci 2017;4:98.
        doi: 10.3389/fvets.2017.00098pubmed: 28775987google scholar: lookup
      22. Dennis SJ, Meyers AE, Guthrie AJ, Hitzeroth II, Rybicki EP. Immunogenicity of plant-produced African horse sickness virus-like particles: implications for a novel vaccine. Plant Biotechnol J 2018 Feb;16(2):442-450.
        doi: 10.1111/pbi.12783pubmed: 28650085google scholar: lookup
      23. Conradie AM, Stassen L, Huismans H, Potgieter CA, Theron J. Establishment of different plasmid only-based reverse genetics systems for the recovery of African horse sickness virus. Virology 2016 Dec;499:144-155.
        doi: 10.1016/j.virol.2016.07.010pubmed: 27657835google scholar: lookup
      24. Brugger K, Köfer J, Rubel F. Outdoor and indoor monitoring of livestock-associated Culicoides spp. to assess vector-free periods and disease risks. BMC Vet Res 2016 Jun 4;12:88.
        doi: 10.1186/s12917-016-0710-zpubmed: 27259473google scholar: lookup
      25. Baker T, Carpenter S, Gubbins S, Newton R, Lo Iacono G, Wood J, Harrup LE. Can insecticide-treated netting provide protection for Equids from Culicoides biting midges in the United Kingdom?. Parasit Vectors 2015 Nov 25;8:604.
        doi: 10.1186/s13071-015-1182-xpubmed: 26607993google scholar: lookup
      26. van de Water SG, van Gennip RG, Potgieter CA, Wright IM, van Rijn PA. VP2 Exchange and NS3/NS3a Deletion in African Horse Sickness Virus (AHSV) in Development of Disabled Infectious Single Animal Vaccine Candidates for AHSV. J Virol 2015 Sep;89(17):8764-72.
        doi: 10.1128/JVI.01052-15pubmed: 26063433google scholar: lookup
      27. Faverjon C, Leblond A, Hendrikx P, Balenghien T, de Vos CJ, Fischer EA, de Koeijer AA. A spatiotemporal model to assess the introduction risk of African horse sickness by import of animals and vectors in France. BMC Vet Res 2015 Jun 4;11:127.
        doi: 10.1186/s12917-015-0435-4pubmed: 26040321google scholar: lookup
      28. Verhoef FA, Venter GJ, Weldon CW. Thermal limits of two biting midges, Culicoides imicola Kieffer and C. bolitinos Meiswinkel (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae). Parasit Vectors 2014 Aug 20;7:384.
        doi: 10.1186/1756-3305-7-384pubmed: 25142029google scholar: lookup
      29. Alberca B, Bachanek-Bankowska K, Cabana M, Calvo-Pinilla E, Viaplana E, Frost L, Gubbins S, Urniza A, Mertens P, Castillo-Olivares J. Vaccination of horses with a recombinant modified vaccinia Ankara virus (MVA) expressing African horse sickness (AHS) virus major capsid protein VP2 provides complete clinical protection against challenge. Vaccine 2014 Jun 17;32(29):3670-4.
        doi: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2014.04.036pubmed: 24837765google scholar: lookup
      30. Bachanek-Bankowska K, Maan S, Castillo-Olivares J, Manning NM, Maan NS, Potgieter AC, Di Nardo A, Sutton G, Batten C, Mertens PP. Real time RT-PCR assays for detection and typing of African horse sickness virus. PLoS One 2014;9(4):e93758.
        doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0093758pubmed: 24721971google scholar: lookup
      31. Thompson GM, Jess S, Murchie AK. A review of African horse sickness and its implications for Ireland. Ir Vet J 2012 Jul 5;65(1):9.
        doi: 10.1186/2046-0481-65-9pubmed: 22553991google scholar: lookup
      32. Johnson N, Voller K, Phipps LP, Mansfield K, Fooks AR. Rapid molecular detection methods for arboviruses of livestock of importance to northern Europe. J Biomed Biotechnol 2012;2012:719402.
        doi: 10.1155/2012/719402pubmed: 22219660google scholar: lookup
      33. Backer JA, Nodelijk G. Transmission and control of African horse sickness in The Netherlands: a model analysis. PLoS One 2011;6(8):e23066.
        doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0023066pubmed: 21850252google scholar: lookup
      34. Castillo-Olivares J, Calvo-Pinilla E, Casanova I, Bachanek-Bankowska K, Chiam R, Maan S, Nieto JM, Ortego J, Mertens PP. A modified vaccinia Ankara virus (MVA) vaccine expressing African horse sickness virus (AHSV) VP2 protects against AHSV challenge in an IFNAR -/- mouse model. PLoS One 2011 Jan 26;6(1):e16503.
        doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0016503pubmed: 21298069google scholar: lookup
      35. Maclachlan NJ, Guthrie AJ. Re-emergence of bluetongue, African horse sickness, and other orbivirus diseases. Vet Res 2010 Nov-Dec;41(6):35.
        doi: 10.1051/vetres/2010007pubmed: 20167199google scholar: lookup
      36. Chiam R, Sharp E, Maan S, Rao S, Mertens P, Blacklaws B, Davis-Poynter N, Wood J, Castillo-Olivares J. Induction of antibody responses to African horse sickness virus (AHSV) in ponies after vaccination with recombinant modified vaccinia Ankara (MVA). PLoS One 2009 Jun 22;4(6):e5997.
        doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0005997pubmed: 19543394google scholar: lookup
      37. Patel JR, Heldens JG. Immunoprophylaxis against important virus disease of horses, farm animals and birds. Vaccine 2009 Mar 13;27(12):1797-1810.
        doi: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2008.12.063pubmed: 19402200google scholar: lookup
      38. Martínez-Torrecuadrada JL, Díaz-Laviada M, Roy P, Sánchez C, Vela C, Sánchez-Vizcaíno JM, Casal JI. Serologic markers in early stages of African horse sickness virus infection. J Clin Microbiol 1997 Feb;35(2):531-5.
        doi: 10.1128/jcm.35.2.531-535.1997pubmed: 9003637google scholar: lookup
      Subscribe to our newsletter
      Join 99,928 horse owners like you who receive our email updates on horse health and nutrition.