Equine arteritis virus: a review of clinical features and management aspects.

The study revolves around the wide prevalence of Equine Arteritis Virus (EAV) across Europe, causing intermittent occurrences of respiratory diseases and abortions in horses. The research emphasizes the need for the identification and effective management of persistently infected stallions to control the virus’s spread.

Overview of Equine Arteritis Virus (EAV)

• The research shines a light on EAV, a highly contagious virus that affects both male and female horses, albeit differently. It causes sporadic cases of respiratory disease and abortion in horses, the incidences of which have shown an increase over the years.
• After acute infection, mares and geldings – female and castrated male horses respectively – can successfully eliminate the virus from their system. But, approximately 30% to 60% of stallions – uncastrated male horses – show a trend of persistent infection.

Impact of EAV on Stallions

• Stallions, afflicted with this persistent infection, maintain the EAV within their reproductive tract. The virus is then continuously shed in their semen.
• Despite this, stallions do not show any noticeable decrease in fertility.

Impact of EAV on Mares

• Mares, on the other hand, when inseminated with virus-contaminated semen, contract acute infections.
• They then shed considerable amounts of the virus via respiratory secretions and urine, thereby facilitating the lateral spread of EAV to other susceptible horses.
• The gravity of the situation escalates when mares, while in the later stages of gestation, contract this virus and it leads to abortions.

Controlling the Spread of EAV

• In order to effective control EAV spread, the identification of virus-shedding stallions proves integral.
• Persistently infected stallions should either be barred from breeding or only allowed to breed with seropositive mares, mares that have been tested positive for EAV.
• Lastly, the research also suggests that mares inseminated by shedding stallions should be isolated from other animals for a minimum period of 3 weeks following insemination. This is an attempt to curb the lateral spread of EAV to other horses.