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Journal of clinical microbiology2015; 53(7); 2286-2291; doi: 10.1128/JCM.00550-15

Epizootiological Investigation of Getah Virus Infection among Racehorses in Japan in 2014.

Abstract: To clarify the factors causing an outbreak in 2014 of Getah virus infection among racehorses at the Miho training center, Japan, we isolated virus strains and performed an epizootiological investigation of affected horses and related horse populations. Three Getah virus isolates were recovered from clinical samples, and one of them (14-I-605) was used in a virus-neutralizing test. Of the affected horses (n = 33), 20 (60.6%) were 2-year-olds. We investigated the histories of Getah virus vaccination of the affected horses and the whole population at the Miho training center. Among the 2-year-old population, the prevalence of the disease in horses that had been vaccinated once was 14.1%. This was significantly higher than that in horses that had been vaccinated twice or more (1.3%; P < 0.01). Among horses that had entered the training center from farms in Ibaraki Prefecture surrounding the training center and from neighboring Chiba Prefecture, the rate of seropositivity for Getah virus was 13.0% in September 2014 and 42.9% in October 2014; that in the corresponding periods in 2010 and 2013 was 0%. In conclusion, we identified two possible causes of the outbreak of Getah virus infection in the training center in 2014: (i) the existence of susceptible horses that had received only one dose of vaccination before the outbreak and (ii) increased risk of exposure to the virus because of epizootic Getah virus infection among horses on surrounding farms in Ibaraki and Chiba prefectures.
Copyright © 2015, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.
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Publication Date: 2015-05-13 PubMed ID: 25972425PubMed Central: PMC4473224DOI: 10.1128/JCM.00550-15Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

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The study investigates the outbreak of Getah virus among racehorses in Japan in 2014, identifying two probable causes: susceptibility due to inadequate vaccination, and an increased risk of virus exposure from nearby farms.

Methodology and Findings

The research involved an epizootiological investigation, a type of study used in veterinary medicine to understand the behaviour of diseases within animal populations. In this case, the focus was on the outbreak of Getah virus among horses at the Miho training center in Japan in 2014.

  • The team recovered three Getah virus strains from clinical samples and used one of them (14-I-605) in a virus-neutralizing test.
  • An analysis of the affected horses showed that 60.6% were 2-year-olds, and of these, the prevalence of the disease among horses that had been vaccinated just once was significantly higher than those having received two or more vaccinations.
  • The researchers also examined the histories of Getah virus vaccination of the affected horses and compared then with the entire population at the Miho training center.

Implications and Conclusion

Two probable factors were identified as causing the outbreak of Getah virus infection:

  • The presence of susceptible horses that had merely received one dose of vaccination before the outbreak and thus were not adequately immunized against the threat of Getah virus. This finding implies the importance of adhering to proper vaccination protocols to prevent similar virus outbreaks in the future.
  • An increased risk of exposure to the virus due to an existing epizootic Getah virus infection among horses from neighbouring farms in Ibaraki and Chiba prefectures. This highlights the potential risk of infection transmission from neighbouring areas and calls for vigilance and disease control measures beyond individual farms or training centers.

In conclusion, the study provides valuable insights into the factors that contributed to the 2014 outbreak of Getah virus among racehorses in Japan and underscores the importance of vigilant vaccination protocols and farm-level biosecurity measures.

Cite This Article

APA
Bannai H, Nemoto M, Ochi A, Kikuchi T, Kobayashi M, Tsujimura K, Yamanaka T, Kondo T. (2015). Epizootiological Investigation of Getah Virus Infection among Racehorses in Japan in 2014. J Clin Microbiol, 53(7), 2286-2291. https://doi.org/10.1128/JCM.00550-15

Publication

Journal of clinical microbiology
ISSN: 1098-660X
NlmUniqueID: 7505564
Country: United States
Language: English
Volume: 53
Issue: 7
Pages: 2286-2291

Researcher Affiliations

Bannai, Hiroshi
  • Epizootic Research Center, Equine Research Institute, Japan Racing Association, Shimotsuke, Tochigi, Japan bannai@epizoo.equinst.go.jp.
Nemoto, Manabu
  • Epizootic Research Center, Equine Research Institute, Japan Racing Association, Shimotsuke, Tochigi, Japan.
Ochi, Akihiro
  • Epizootic Research Center, Equine Research Institute, Japan Racing Association, Shimotsuke, Tochigi, Japan.
Kikuchi, Takuya
  • Racehorse Clinic, Miho Training Center, Japan Racing Association, Miho, Ibaraki, Japan.
Kobayashi, Minoru
  • Racehorse Clinic, Miho Training Center, Japan Racing Association, Miho, Ibaraki, Japan.
Tsujimura, Koji
  • Epizootic Research Center, Equine Research Institute, Japan Racing Association, Shimotsuke, Tochigi, Japan.
Yamanaka, Takashi
  • Epizootic Research Center, Equine Research Institute, Japan Racing Association, Shimotsuke, Tochigi, Japan.
Kondo, Takashi
  • Epizootic Research Center, Equine Research Institute, Japan Racing Association, Shimotsuke, Tochigi, Japan.

MeSH Terms

  • Alphavirus / isolation & purification
  • Alphavirus Infections / epidemiology
  • Alphavirus Infections / prevention & control
  • Alphavirus Infections / veterinary
  • Alphavirus Infections / virology
  • Animals
  • Disease Outbreaks
  • Horse Diseases / epidemiology
  • Horse Diseases / prevention & control
  • Horse Diseases / virology
  • Horses
  • Japan
  • Neutralization Tests
  • Seroepidemiologic Studies
  • Viral Vaccines / administration & dosage
  • Viral Vaccines / immunology

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Citations

This article has been cited 21 times.
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