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Veterinary sciences2025; 12(6); 567; doi: 10.3390/vetsci12060567

Epidemiology of Infectious Pathogens in Horses with Acute Respiratory Disease, Abortion, and Neurological Signs: Insights Gained from the Veterinary Surveillance System for Horses in The Netherlands (SEIN).

Abstract: Monitoring infectious diseases is essential for safeguarding equine health and ensuring the sustainability of the horse industry. In 2019, the Royal Veterinary Association of the Netherlands (KNMvD) and Royal GD (GD Animal Health) launched SEIN (Surveillance of Equine Infectious diseases in the Netherlands), a voluntary surveillance system for laboratory-confirmed outbreaks of equid alphaherpesvirus 1 (EHV-1), equid alphaherpesvirus 4 (EHV-4), equine influenza virus (EIV), and subsp. . This retrospective study analyzed 364 confirmed outbreaks reported through SEIN between June 2019 and April 2023. was the most commonly reported pathogen overall (64%). Among outbreaks involving respiratory disease, accounted for 74% of cases, followed by EHV-4 (16%), EIV (6%), and EHV-1 (4%). The geographical distribution of outbreaks covered 80 of the 90 postal code regions (89%), and approximately half of all participating practices generated at least 1 alert. Vaccination data revealed low coverage against EHV-1/4, EIV, and among both affected horses and premises. Clinical signs overlapped between pathogens, but some were more pathogen-specific, e.g., coughing in EIV, and abscessation in . The SEIN system provided spatiotemporal information on confirmed outbreaks. These results underscore the importance of quick diagnostics and structured surveillance systems in guiding prevention strategies.
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Publication Date: 2025-06-10 PubMed ID: 40559804PubMed Central: PMC12197731DOI: 10.3390/vetsci12060567Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

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This research paper discusses the launch and findings of The Netherlands-based SEIN system, a voluntary surveillance system set up to track outbreaks of various horse diseases. Between 2019 and 2023, the system collected data on 364 confirmed outbreaks, ultimately aiming to improve equine health overall.

Surveillance System – SEIN

  • The Royal Veterinary Association of the Netherlands (KNMvD) and GD Animal Health launched a voluntary surveillance system known as Surveillance of Equine Infectious diseases in the Netherlands (SEIN) in 2019.
  • The purpose of this system was to monitor and track laboratory-confirmed outbreaks of several infectious diseases known to affect horses, including equid alphaherpesvirus 1 and 4 (EHV-1, EHV-4), equine influenza virus (EIV), and others.

Study and Findings

  • This retrospective study analyzed the data collected through SEIN between June 2019 and April 2023, involving 364 confirmed outbreaks of the aforementioned diseases.
  • One pathogen was particularly prevalent and accounted for 64% of reported cases. Furthermore, this pathogen was notably involved in 74% of outbreaks that demonstrated respiratory disease symptoms in horses.
  • In terms of geographical distribution, the outbreaks covered 80 out of the total 90 postal code regions, representing an 89% breadth of coverage.
  • Around half of all participating veterinary practices reported at least one alert during this timeframe.

Vaccination Data Analysis

  • The study also examined vaccination data, revealing relatively low vaccination coverage against EHV-1/4, EIV, and other diseases among affected horses and premises. This highlights the potential need for improved vaccination strategies.

Clinical Signs and Symptoms

  • Although the clinical signs exhibited by affected horses overlapped between the various pathogens, some symptoms were more specific to certain diseases—such as coughing in cases of EIV and abscessation in cases of other diseases.

SEIN System’s Role and Importance

  • The SEIN system provided valuable spatiotemporal information on confirmed outbreaks, thereby offering insights into the patterns and progressions of these equine infectious diseases.
  • The results emphasize the importance of quick diagnostics and structured surveillance systems to shape efficient prevention strategies, ultimately ensuring the safety of equine health and the sustainability of the horse industry.

Cite This Article

APA
van Maanen K, van den Wollenberg L, de Haan T, Frippiat T. (2025). Epidemiology of Infectious Pathogens in Horses with Acute Respiratory Disease, Abortion, and Neurological Signs: Insights Gained from the Veterinary Surveillance System for Horses in The Netherlands (SEIN). Vet Sci, 12(6), 567. https://doi.org/10.3390/vetsci12060567

Publication

Veterinary sciences
ISSN: 2306-7381
NlmUniqueID: 101680127
Country: Switzerland
Language: English
Volume: 12
Issue: 6
PII: 567

Researcher Affiliations

van Maanen, Kees
  • Royal GD, 7418EZ Deventer, The Netherlands.
van den Wollenberg, Linda
  • Royal GD, 7418EZ Deventer, The Netherlands.
de Haan, Tara
  • Royal GD, 7418EZ Deventer, The Netherlands.
Frippiat, Thibault
  • Sporthorse Medical Diagnostic Centre, 5384RC Heesch, The Netherlands.

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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Citations

This article has been cited 2 times.
  1. Rask E, Righetti F, Ruiz A, Bjerketorp J, Frosth S, Frykberg L, Jacobsson K, Guss B, Flock JI, Henriques-Normark B, Hartman E, Gustafsson A, Paillot R, Waller AS. Closing the Stable Door on Strangles: Serological Responses of Vaccinated Horses on a Farm Following the Arrival of a New Horse. Animals (Basel) 2025 Dec 13;15(24).
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  2. Righetti F, Hentrich K, Flock M, Frosth S, Jacobsson K, Bjerketorp J, Pathak A, Ido N, Henriques-Normark B, Frykberg L, Paillot R, Guss B, Wood T, Flock JI, Waller AS. Neutralisation of the Immunoglobulin-Cleaving Activity of Streptococcus equi Subspecies equi IdeE by Blood Sera from Ponies Vaccinated with a Multicomponent Protein Vaccine. Vaccines (Basel) 2025 Oct 17;13(10).
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