Application of polymerase chain reaction and virus isolation techniques for the detection of viruses in aborted and newborn foals.

This study investigates the occurrence of two major diseases, equine herpesvirus 1 (EHV1) and equine arteritis virus (EAV), causing abortions, perinatal mortality, and respiratory illness in horses. It uses polymerase chain reaction and virus isolation techniques to inspect samples from 248 horse fetuses in Hungary. The research concludes that despite extensive vaccinations, EHV1 is the main cause of stud abortions and that the highest amount of viruses is found in the lungs compared to other organs in the fetus.

Research Objectives and Methods

• The primary objective of this research was to investigate the occurrence and potential impact of two major equine pathogens, EHV1 and EAV. These pathogens are known to cause abortions, perinatal foal mortality, and respiratory disease.
• To confirm the presence of these abortigenic viruses, the researchers utilized polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and virus isolation techniques on samples taken from 248 horse fetuses in Hungary.

Study Findings

• Results showed the detection of 26 EHV1 and 4 EAV-positive aborted or prematurely born foals from 16 and 4 respective outbreaks. This evidenced that despite extensive use of vaccinations, EHV1 still presents a more significant cause of abortions in studs compared to EAV.
• The research compared virus content in different organs of the fetuses using PCR and isolation techniques. The observations indicate that the quantity of both viruses is highest in the lungs, making lung samples the most likely to return positive results in aborted or newborn foals.
• Counter to common practice, both PCR and virus isolation results suggested that the liver is not the best organ to sample for detecting either EHV1 or EAV.

Epidemiological Insights

• The researchers also examined the epidemiological data to gain insights into the significance of EHV1 and EAV in the Hungarian horse population.
• Through this analysis, the researchers hoped to get a clearer understanding of the scale of these two viruses’ impact on the health of the equine population in Hungary.