Chronic hepatitis in horses with persistent equine hepacivirus infection.
Abstract: Equine hepacivirus (EqHV) is closely related to hepatitis C virus (HCV), which causes persistent infection and chronic hepatitis in people. Information on persistent EqHV infection and hepatitis is limited. Objective: To report 19 cases of chronic hepatitis and persistent EqHV infection. Methods: Mixed retrospective and prospective case series. Methods: Inclusion criteria were: (1) chronic hepatitis, defined as persistently increased serum liver biomarkers, increased serum liver biomarkers accompanied by histopathological evidence of chronicity, for example, fibrosis, or both; (2) positive serum or liver EqHV RT-qPCR; and (3) available liver histopathology. Horses were excluded if they became serum EqHV RT-qPCR undetectable, died, or were euthanised within 6 months of EqHV detection. Liver biopsies were independently reviewed. Results: Twenty-nine horses met inclusion criteria. Ten were subsequently excluded (two cleared EqHV, 8 died within 6 months). For the remaining 19 horses, the median duration of documented hepatitis was 18.4 (range, 5.2-120) months and documented EqHV viremia was 14.8 (range, 6.9-55.6) months. Histopathological findings mirrored those seen in humans with chronic HCV including fibrosis, lymphocytic infiltrate, lymphoid aggregates, and individual hepatocyte necrosis. One horse was diagnosed with bacterial cholangiohepatitis, and the remainder had no definitive etiologic diagnosis. Bacterial infection, equine parvovirus-hepatitis infection, and equine multinodular pulmonary fibrosis were frequent comorbidities. Conclusions: A direct causal link between EqHV viremia and hepatitis cannot be made from these data. Conclusions: Some horses with persistent EqHV infection develop chronic hepatitis and liver failure, with clinical and histopathological findings resembling HCV in humans.
© 2025 The Author(s). Equine Veterinary Journal published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of EVJ Ltd.
Publication Date: 2025-12-25 PubMed ID: 41448947PubMed Central: PMC12892389DOI: 10.1111/evj.70124Google Scholar: Lookup
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Cite This Article
APA
Jager MC, Luethy D, Shallop S, Cathcart J, Divers TJ, Tan JY, Beasley EM, Johnson P, Leduc L, Smith C, Jamieson CA, Magdesian KG, Van de Walle GR, Tomlinson JE.
(2025).
Chronic hepatitis in horses with persistent equine hepacivirus infection.
Equine Vet J, 58(2), 444-457.
https://doi.org/10.1111/evj.70124 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences, Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, Ithaca, New York, USA.
- Department of Clinical Studies, New Bolton Center, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, USA.
- Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences, Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, Ithaca, New York, USA.
- Department of Clinical Studies, New Bolton Center, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, USA.
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, Ithaca, New York, USA.
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Taylor Institute for Teaching and Learning, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
- University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine, Athens, Georgia, USA.
- Equine Internal Medicine and Surgery, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, USA.
- Faculté de médecine vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, Saint Hyacinthe, Quebec, Canada.
- Sound Equine Veterinary Hospital, Pouslbo, Washington, USA.
- Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA.
- Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, Davis, California, USA.
- Baker Institute for Animal Health, Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, Ithaca, New York, USA.
- Baker Institute for Animal Health, Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, Ithaca, New York, USA.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Horses
- Horse Diseases / virology
- Horse Diseases / pathology
- Male
- Hepacivirus / isolation & purification
- Female
- Retrospective Studies
- Prospective Studies
- Hepatitis C, Chronic / veterinary
- Hepatitis C, Chronic / virology
- Hepatitis C, Chronic / pathology
- Hepatitis, Chronic / veterinary
- Hepatitis, Chronic / virology
- Hepatitis, Chronic / pathology
Grant Funding
- 2022-67015-36343 / National Institute of Food and Agriculture
- K08AI141767 / National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
- K08AI63401 / National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
- T32ODO011000 / NIH HHS
- K08 AI141767 / NIAID NIH HHS
- K08 AI163401 / NIAID NIH HHS
- T32 OD011000 / NIH HHS
Conflict of Interest Statement
The authors declare no conflicts of interest.
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