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Veterinary journal (London, England : 1997)2019; 248; 95-100; doi: 10.1016/j.tvjl.2019.05.001

Clinical presentation, diagnostic findings, and outcome of adult horses with equine coronavirus infection at a veterinary teaching hospital: 33 cases (2012-2018).

Abstract: Equine coronavirus (ECoV) is a recently described enteric virus with worldwide outbreaks; however, there are little data available on clinical presentation, diagnosis, and outcome. The study objective was to document case management of ECoV in adult horses presented to a referral hospital and compare to a cohort of horses that tested negative for ECoV. A retrospective case series was performed based on positive real-time quantitative PCR results for ECoV on faeces from horses treated at the UC Davis Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital from 1 March 2012 to 31 March 2018. Horses negative for ECoV were matched to the ECoV-positive group as controls. Data collected included signalment, history, exam findings, diagnostics, treatment, and follow-up. Thirty-three horses (median age, 11 years; range, 2-37 years) tested ECoV-positive, including three horses with co-infections. Presenting complaints for ECoV-infected horses included historic fevers (n = 25/30; 83%), anorexia (n = 14/30; 47%), and colic (n = 13/30; 43%). ECoV-positive horses had significantly lower white blood cell (median, 3.0 × 10/L; range, 0.68-16.2 × 10/L), neutrophil (median, 1.26 × 10/L; range, 0.15-14.4 × 10/L), and lymphocyte (median, 0.86 × 10/L; range, 0.42-3.47 × 10/L) counts than ECoV-negative horses. Electrolyte and metabolic derangements and scant faeces were common. Twenty-seven horses were hospitalised for a median of 5 days (range, 0.5-14 days), with 26/27 (96%) horses surviving to discharge. ECoV infection should be a differential diagnosis for adult horses with fever, colic, anorexia, and leukopenia. The disease has a low mortality rate, but horses may require intensive care to resolve severe leukopenia, systemic inflammation, and metabolic disturbances.
Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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Publication Date: 2019-05-04 PubMed ID: 31113572PubMed Central: PMC7110482DOI: 10.1016/j.tvjl.2019.05.001Google Scholar: Lookup
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  • Journal Article
  • Multicenter Study

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 provides comprehensive data on the clinical presentation, diagnostic findings, and outcomes of adult horses infected with Equine Coronavirus (ECoV). The research employed a retrospective case series from the UC Davis Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, and findings indicate that the condition often presents with fever, anorexia, colic and leukopenia, with a relatively low mortality rate, but requiring intensive care in severe cases.

Objective and Methodology of the Study

  • The main objective of this study was to present detailed information on how Equine Coronavirus (ECoV) affects adult horses, by looking into case histories, diagnostic results, and outcomes of the disease.
  • A retrospective case series was employed, basically using past cases, to gather and analyze this data.
  • The cases considered were those that had been diagnosed with ECoV at the UC Davis Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital over a six year period from March 2012 to March 2018.
  • A control group was also followed. These were horses who tested negative for ECoV. The purpose of this group was to provide a comparison basis for the ECoV-positive horses.

Findings from the Study

  • The research identified a total of 33 horses that tested positive for ECoV, with ages ranging from 2 to 37 years old.
  • The most common symptoms were history of fevers, anorexia, and colic.
  • In comparison with ECoV-negative horses, ECoV-positive horses had significantly lower counts of white blood cells, neutrophils, and lymphocytes. This state is also known as leukopenia.
  • Other common findings in ECoV-positive horses included electrolyte and metabolic imbalances and scant faeces or a decrease in faecal elimination.
  • The majority of the horses hospitalized (27 out of 33) required intensive care due to the severity of the leukopenia, systemic inflammation, and metabolic disturbances. Hospital stays ranged from half a day to two weeks.
  • A significantly high number of the hospitalised horses (26 out of 27), equivalent to 96%, survived and were discharged, indicating relatively low fatality rates.

Implications of the Study

  • The findings suggest that ECoV must be considered as a potential diagnosis in adult horses presenting with fever, colic, anorexia, and leukopenia.
  • While the condition has a relatively low mortality rate, the high incidence of hospitalizations indicates it can have severe impact requiring intensive care.
  • The study arms veterinarians and other medical practitioners with information for diagnosing, treating and managing ECoV in horses, which could assist in controlling future outbreaks and ensuring horse health.

Cite This Article

APA
Berryhill EH, Magdesian KG, Aleman M, Pusterla N. (2019). Clinical presentation, diagnostic findings, and outcome of adult horses with equine coronavirus infection at a veterinary teaching hospital: 33 cases (2012-2018). Vet J, 248, 95-100. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tvjl.2019.05.001

Publication

Veterinary journal (London, England : 1997)
ISSN: 1532-2971
NlmUniqueID: 9706281
Country: England
Language: English
Volume: 248
Pages: 95-100
PII: S1090-0233(18)30328-9

Researcher Affiliations

Berryhill, E H
  • Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, One Shields Ave., Davis, CA, 95616, USA. Electronic address: ehberryhill@vmth.ucdavis.edu.
Magdesian, K G
  • Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, One Shields Ave., Davis, CA, 95616, USA.
Aleman, M
  • Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, One Shields Ave., Davis, CA, 95616, USA.
Pusterla, N
  • Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, One Shields Ave., Davis, CA, 95616, USA.

MeSH Terms

  • Animals
  • Betacoronavirus 1 / isolation & purification
  • California / epidemiology
  • Coronavirus Infections / epidemiology
  • Coronavirus Infections / veterinary
  • Disease Outbreaks / veterinary
  • Female
  • Horse Diseases / epidemiology
  • Horse Diseases / etiology
  • Horses
  • Hospitals, Animal
  • Male
  • Records / veterinary

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