Distribution of equid herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1) in the respiratory tract of ponies: implications for vaccination strategies.
Abstract: Twelve adult ponies and 2 conventional foals were exposed to 10(6.6) TCID50 of Equid herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1), strain Ab4 and samples of respiratory tract tissues were recovered. Infectious virus in tissue homogenates was detected using susceptible cell monolayers and expression of viral antigens was monitored using indirect immunoperoxidase histochemistry of paraffin sections. The results illustrated the rapid dissemination of EHV-1 throughout the respiratory tract, with early replication in the lungs one day after exposure. Endothelial cell infection was prominent in all areas of the nasopharynx by Day 4 emphasising the role of endotheliotropism and viraemia in dissemination of this virus to sites of secondary replication. Clinical disease in the adult ponies was mild.
Publication Date: 1994-11-01 PubMed ID: 7889920DOI: 10.1111/j.2042-3306.1994.tb04051.xGoogle Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
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The article details an investigation into how Equid herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1), a common equine virus, spreads throughout the respiratory system of ponies, with implications for the creation of vaccination strategies.
Research Purpose
- The research aimed to understand how Equid herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1) disseminates throughout a pony’s respiratory tract. EHV-1 is a common virus affecting horses that can cause a multitude of diseases ranging from respiratory illness, abortion in pregnant mares, to fatal neurological disease.
- The study sought insights that could be helpful for developing vaccination strategies to manage and control the spread of EHV-1 in the equine population.
Research Methodology
- Twelve adult ponies and two foals were deliberately exposed to a particular strain of EHV-1.
- Respiratory tissue samples were taken from the exposed ponies. These tissue samples were then subjected to processing and analysis.
- Research methods employed included the use of susceptible cell monolayers to detect infectious viruses in tissue homogenates, and indirect immunoperoxidase histochemistry of paraffin sections to monitor viral antigen expression.
Study Findings
- The findings showed that EHV-1 quickly distributed throughout the respiratory system of the ponies, with initial replication of the virus taking place in the lungs, just a day after the ponies were exposed.
- Endothelial cell infection was noticeable in the entire nasopharynx area by the fourth day. This signified the importance of endotheliotropism (the capacity of a virus to infect endothelial cells) and viraemia (the presence of viruses in the blood) for the virus to disperse to sites of secondary replication.
- It was also noted that the clinical disease caused by EHV-1 in adult ponies was mild, suggesting that more severe symptoms might be absent in adult ponies, or perhaps they are better equipped to deal with the disease than younger ones.
Implications for Vaccination Strategies
- This understanding of how EHV-1 progresses and replicates in horses could inform vaccination strategies against this virus. The knowledge could potentially aid vaccine developers to target specific areas or stages of viral replication.
- The finding that the virus can spread rapidly may mean that fast-acting or early-intervention vaccines would be beneficial in controlling the infection.
Cite This Article
APA
Kydd JH, Smith KC, Hannant D, Livesay GJ, Mumford JA.
(1994).
Distribution of equid herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1) in the respiratory tract of ponies: implications for vaccination strategies.
Equine Vet J, 26(6), 466-469.
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.2042-3306.1994.tb04051.x Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Animal Health Trust, Newmarket, UK.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Antigens, Viral / analysis
- Female
- Herpesviridae Infections / prevention & control
- Herpesviridae Infections / veterinary
- Herpesvirus 1, Equid / immunology
- Herpesvirus 1, Equid / isolation & purification
- Horse Diseases / prevention & control
- Horse Diseases / virology
- Horses
- Immunoenzyme Techniques / veterinary
- Male
- Respiratory Tract Infections / prevention & control
- Respiratory Tract Infections / veterinary
- Respiratory Tract Infections / virology
- Vaccination / veterinary
- Virion / isolation & purification
Grant Funding
- Wellcome Trust
Citations
This article has been cited 17 times.- Zarski LM, Vaala WE, Barnett DC, Bain FT, Soboll Hussey G. A Live-Attenuated Equine Influenza Vaccine Stimulates Innate Immunity in Equine Respiratory Epithelial Cell Cultures That Could Provide Protection From Equine Herpesvirus 1. Front Vet Sci 2021;8:674850.
- Giessler KS, Samoilowa S, Soboll Hussey G, Kiupel M, Matiasek K, Sledge DG, Liesche F, Schlegel J, Fux R, Goehring LS. Viral Load and Cell Tropism During Early Latent Equid Herpesvirus 1 Infection Differ Over Time in Lymphoid and Neural Tissue Samples From Experimentally Infected Horses. Front Vet Sci 2020;7:621.
- Sutton G, Thieulent C, Fortier C, Hue ES, Marcillaud-Pitel C, Pléau A, Deslis A, Guitton E, Paillot R, Pronost S. Identification of a New Equid Herpesvirus 1 DNA Polymerase (ORF30) Genotype with the Isolation of a C(2254)/H(752) Strain in French Horses Showing no Major Impact on the Strain Behaviour. Viruses 2020 Oct 13;12(10).
- Oladunni FS, Horohov DW, Chambers TM. EHV-1: A Constant Threat to the Horse Industry. Front Microbiol 2019;10:2668.
- Schnabel CL, Babasyan S, Rollins A, Freer H, Wimer CL, Perkins GA, Raza F, Osterrieder N, Wagner B. An Equine Herpesvirus Type 1 (EHV-1) Ab4 Open Reading Frame 2 Deletion Mutant Provides Immunity and Protection from EHV-1 Infection and Disease. J Virol 2019 Nov 15;93(22).
- Wimer CL, Schnabel CL, Perkins G, Babasyan S, Freer H, Stout AE, Rollins A, Osterrieder N, Goodman LB, Glaser A, Wagner B. The deletion of the ORF1 and ORF71 genes reduces virulence of the neuropathogenic EHV-1 strain Ab4 without compromising host immunity in horses. PLoS One 2018;13(11):e0206679.
- Schnabel CL, Wimer CL, Perkins G, Babasyan S, Freer H, Watts C, Rollins A, Osterrieder N, Wagner B. Deletion of the ORF2 gene of the neuropathogenic equine herpesvirus type 1 strain Ab4 reduces virulence while maintaining strong immunogenicity. BMC Vet Res 2018 Aug 22;14(1):245.
- Tallmadge RL, Žygelytė E, Van de Walle GR, Kristie TM, Felippe MJB. Effect of a Histone Demethylase Inhibitor on Equine Herpesvirus-1 Activity In Vitro. Front Vet Sci 2018;5:34.
- Negussie H, Li Y, Tessema TS, Nauwynck HJ. Replication characteristics of equine herpesvirus 1 and equine herpesvirus 3: comparative analysis using ex vivo tissue cultures. Vet Res 2016 Jan 15;47:19.
- Sutton GA, Viel L, Carman PS, Boag BL. Pathogenesis and clinical signs of equine herpesvirus-1 in experimentally infected ponies in vivo. Can J Vet Res 1998 Jan;62(1):49-55.
- Wagner B, Schnabel CL, Rollins A. Increase in Virus-Specific Mucosal Antibodies in the Upper Respiratory Tract Following Intramuscular Vaccination of Previously Exposed Horses Against Equine Herpesvirus Type-1/4. Vaccines (Basel) 2025 Mar 10;13(3).
- Tsujimura K, Bannai H, Kambayashi Y, Nemoto M, Ohta M. Detection of equid alphaherpesvirus 1 in serum samples collected from infected horses. J Vet Diagn Invest 2025 May;37(3):495-498.
- Holmes CM, Babasyan S, Eady N, Schnabel CL, Wagner B. Immune horses rapidly increase antileukoproteinase and lack type I interferon secretion during mucosal innate immune responses against equine herpesvirus type 1. Microbiol Spectr 2024 Oct 3;12(10):e0109224.
- Giessler KS, Goehring LS, Jacob SI, Davis A, Esser MM, Lee Y, Zarski LM, Weber PSD, Hussey GS. Impact of the host immune response on the development of equine herpesvirus myeloencephalopathy in horses. J Gen Virol 2024 May;105(5).
- Eady NA, Holmes C, Schnabel C, Babasyan S, Wagner B. Equine herpesvirus type 1 (EHV-1) replication at the upper respiratory entry site is inhibited by neutralizing EHV-1-specific IgG1 and IgG4/7 mucosal antibodies. J Virol 2024 Jun 13;98(6):e0025024.
- Osterrieder K, Dorman DC, Burgess BA, Goehring LS, Gross P, Neinast C, Pusterla N, Hussey GS, Lunn DP. Vaccination for the prevention of equine herpesvirus-1 disease in domesticated horses: A systematic review and meta-analysis. J Vet Intern Med 2024 May-Jun;38(3):1858-1871.
- Bergmann M, Speck S, Rieger A, Truyen U, Hartmann K. Antibody response to feline herpesvirus-1 vaccination in healthy adult cats. J Feline Med Surg 2020 Apr;22(4):329-338.
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