Detection of West Nile Virus and other common equine viruses in three locations from the Leeward Islands, West Indies.
Abstract: Equines in the West Indies are used for recreational purposes, tourism industry, racing and agriculture or can be found in feral populations. Little is known in the Caribbean basin about the prevalence of some major equine infectious diseases, some with zoonotic potential, listed as reportable by the OIE. Our objective was to study the prevalence of antibodies for West Nile Virus (WNV), Equine Herpes Virus-1 and 4 (EHV-1 and EHV-4), Equine Influenza (EI), Equine Viral Arteritis (EVA) and Equine Infectious Anemia Virus (EIAV) using a retrospective serological convenience study. We used 180 equine serum samples, 140 from horses and 40 from donkeys in St. Kitts, Nevis, and Sint Eustatius, collected between 2006 and 2015 that were tested with ELISA kits and virus neutralization (for WNV and EVA). Combining ELISA with virus neutralization testing, 25 (13.8%) equine sera were WNV positive (a mixture of indigenous and imported equines) and 3 sera (1.6%) showed doubtful results. For EHV-1, 41 equines (23.7%), mean age 6.7 years, were seropositive. For EHV-4, 138 equines were found seropositive (82.8%), mean age 6.3 years. For EI, 49 equines (27.2%), mean age 7.5 years, were seropositive on ELISA, some previously vaccinated horses. No antibodies against EAV were found on virus neutralization testing, although one animal (0.6%), was EAV positive on ELISA. All samples were EIAV negative. The seroprevalence for EHV-1 and EHV-4 is similar to other parts of the world. For the first time in the study location serologic evidence of antibodies against WNV and EI is reported. This was found in both indigenous and imported animals, highlighting the need for developing proper surveillance plans based on complementary methods of virus detection. Further studies will be needed to define the prevalence, rates of transmission, characterize local virus strains, and study their impact on these populations.
Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Publication Date: 2017-06-22 PubMed ID: 28648789DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2017.06.023Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
- Disease Surveillance
- Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA)
- Epidemiology
- Equine Diseases
- Equine Health
- Equine Herpesvirus
- Equine Infectious Anemia
- Equine Viral Arteritis
- Horses
- Infectious Disease
- Influenza
- Public Health
- Serological Surveys
- Seroprevalence
- Veterinary Medicine
- Virus
- West Nile Virus
- Zoonotic Diseases
Summary
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This study investigated the prevalence of several major equine infectious diseases in horses and donkeys in the Leeward Islands, West Indies. The results revealed the presence of antibodies against West Nile Virus, Equine Herpes Virus, and Equine Influenza, underscoring the need for better surveillance plans.
Objective of the Study
- The main aim of this research was to examine the prevalence of antibodies for West Nile Virus (WNV), Equine Herpes Virus-1 and 4 (EHV-1 and EHV-4), Equine Influenza (EI), Equine Viral Arteritis (EVA), and Equine Infectious Anemia Virus (EIAV) in the Caribbean basin, specifically in the Leeward Islands, West Indies.
Methodology
- The researchers conducted a retrospective serological convenience study using 180 equine serum samples.
- These samples were collected from 140 horses and 40 donkeys in St. Kitts, Nevis, and Sint Eustatius between 2006 and 2015.
- Tests were performed using ELISA kits and virus neutralization tests (for WNV and EVA).
Findings
- Of the studied samples, 13.8% were found to be positive for West Nile Virus. A further 1.6% of the samples showed doubtful results.
- The study found antibodies to Equine Herpes Virus-1 in 23.7% of the equines and to Equine Herpes Virus-4 in a whopping 82.8% of the subjects. The mean ages of these animals were 6.7 and 6.3 years, respectively.
- Antibodies against Equine Influenza were found in 27.2% of the equines, with a mean age of 7.5 years. Some of these had been previously vaccinated horses.
- No antibodies against Equine Viral Arteritis (EVA) were detected. However, one animal tested positive for EVA on the ELISA test.
- All the samples were negative for Equine Infectious Anemia Virus.
- The seroprevalence for EHV-1 and EHV-4 is comparable to that in other parts of the world.
Study Significance
- These findings are important as this is the first time that serologic evidence of antibodies against WNV and EI has been reported in this location.
- The results indicate that both native and imported animals are exposed to these equine diseases, emphasizing the need for better surveillance plans to detect these viruses.
- The authors recommend further studies to help define the prevalence, rates of transmission, characterize local virus strains, and study the impact of these diseases on equine populations in the region.
Cite This Article
APA
Bolfa P, Jeon I, Loftis A, Leslie T, Marchi S, Sithole F, Beck C, Lecollinet S, Zientara S, Hans A, Issel CJ.
(2017).
Detection of West Nile Virus and other common equine viruses in three locations from the Leeward Islands, West Indies.
Acta Trop, 174, 24-28.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actatropica.2017.06.023 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine, Saint Kitts and Nevis. Electronic address: pompeibolfa@gmail.com.
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine, Saint Kitts and Nevis.
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine, Saint Kitts and Nevis.
- Eastern Caribbean Public Health Foundation, Sint Eustatius, Dutch Caribbean, Netherlands.
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine, Saint Kitts and Nevis.
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine, Saint Kitts and Nevis.
- Université Paris Est (UPE), ANSES Animal Health Laboratory of Maisons-Alfort, UMR 1161 ANSES, INRA, ENVA, Maisons-Alfort, France.
- Université Paris Est (UPE), ANSES Animal Health Laboratory of Maisons-Alfort, UMR 1161 ANSES, INRA, ENVA, Maisons-Alfort, France.
- Université Paris Est (UPE), ANSES Animal Health Laboratory of Maisons-Alfort, UMR 1161 ANSES, INRA, ENVA, Maisons-Alfort, France.
- ANSES-Dozulé Laboratory for Equine Diseases, Virology Unit, Goustranville, France.
- Department of Veterinary Science, Gluck Equine Research Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Antibodies, Viral / blood
- Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / veterinary
- Equidae / virology
- Retrospective Studies
- Seroepidemiologic Studies
- Virus Diseases / epidemiology
- Virus Diseases / veterinary
- Virus Diseases / virology
- West Indies
- West Nile virus / isolation & purification
Citations
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- Mureşan A, Mureşan C, Siteavu M, Avram E, Bochynska D, Taulescu M. An Outbreak of Equine Herpesvirus-4 in an Ecological Donkey Milk Farm in Romania. Vaccines (Basel) 2022 Mar 18;10(3).
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