Equine Infectious Anemia Virus (EIAV): Evidence of Circulation in Donkeys from the Brazilian Northeast Region.
Abstract: Equine infectious anemia (EIA) is listed by the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) as one of the equine diseases that must be notified. No effective treatment or vaccine is available. EIA control is based on segregation and euthanasia of positive equids. The disease is caused by the equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV), a member of the genus Lentivirus of the Retroviridae family. Despite the importance of this disease in equids, EIA has been poorly studied in donkeys (Equus asinus). We evaluate the sanitary conditions related to EIAV in donkeys from a shelter of abandoned animals captured on the roads of the Ceará. A total of 124 donkeys were randomly selected, and three horses lived at the same shelter. The animals were clinically evaluated, and a group of the 20 animals was submitted to hematological tests. Three diagnostic tests for EIA were used, agar gel immunodiffusion (AGID), enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using EIAV recombinant protein gp90 (rgp90) and recombinant protein p26 (rp26) ELISA, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for detection of the EIAV tat-gag gene. From the donkeys, only 1 animal was positive using AGID 0.81% (1/124), compared to 21.8% (27/124) in the rgp90 and 10.5% (13/124) in the rp26 ELISA. Proviral DNA was detected by PCR tat-gag in 8.8% (11/124), and phylogenetic analysis confirms that the EIAV sequences of donkeys from the Brazilian Northeast grouped with Pantanal Brazilian sequences. Thus, in light of the results, we conclude that donkeys are carriers of EIAV and could be sources of infection.
Copyright © 2021. Published by Elsevier Inc.
Publication Date: 2021-10-15 PubMed ID: 34800799DOI: 10.1016/j.jevs.2021.103795Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
- Animal Health
- Diagnosis
- Diagnostic Technique
- Disease control
- Disease Diagnosis
- Disease Etiology
- Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA)
- Epidemiology
- Equine Diseases
- Equine Health
- Equine Infectious Anemia
- Euthanasia
- Immunology
- Infection
- Infectious Disease
- Polymerase Chain Reaction
- Veterinary Care
- Veterinary Medicine
- Veterinary Research
- Virus
Summary
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This research study investigates the presence of Equine Infectious Anemia virus (EIAV) in donkeys from Brazil’s Northeastern region; its findings reveal that these donkeys are indeed carriers of EIAV and could be potential sources of infection.
Objectives and Methodology
- The study aimed to examine the prevalence and impact of EIA—a disease with no effective treatment or vaccine—within donkeys, an area that has previously seen little research. EIA is a disease of importance to the equine community and is obligated to be reported by the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE).
- Researchers selected a total of 124 donkeys and 3 horses from an abandoned animal shelter in Ceará for evaluation. Twenty of these animals were further subjected to hematological tests.
- Three different diagnostic tests were used to assess for EIA: agar gel immunodiffusion (AGID), enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using EIAV recombinant protein gp90 (rgp90) and recombinant protein p26 (rp26) ELISA, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for detecting the EIAV tat-gag gene.
Findings
- Results showed that just one donkey out of the total 124 was found to be positive using the AGID method. Yet, when using the other methods, EIA presence spiked to 21.8% (rgp90 ELISA) and 10.5% (rp26 ELISA).
- PCR detected the proviral DNA in 8.8% of the sample, suggesting EIAV presence. A phylogenetic analysis confirmed such presence as the donkey EIAV sequences were similar to those found in the Pantanal Brazilian sequences.
- Conclusively, it was found that the donkeys can indeed be carriers of EIAV and potentially act as infectious sources.
Significance of the Study
- The significant prevalence of EIAV in donkeys points towards a larger, less understood issue of disease circulation within the equine community. This necessitates further research and disease management strategies to prevent its spread.
- The results also underscore the importance of routine screening and health evaluation of animals, including those from abandoned shelters, to effectively control disease transmission.
Cite This Article
APA
Costa VMD, Cursino AE, Franco Luiz APM, Braz GF, Cavalcante PH, Souza CA, Simplício KMMG, Drumond BP, Lima MT, Teixeira BM, Kroon EG.
(2021).
Equine Infectious Anemia Virus (EIAV): Evidence of Circulation in Donkeys from the Brazilian Northeast Region.
J Equine Vet Sci, 108, 103795.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jevs.2021.103795 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Laboratório de Vírus - Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (ICB/UFMG), Av. Antonio Carlos, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
- Laboratório de Vírus - Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (ICB/UFMG), Av. Antonio Carlos, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
- Laboratório de Vírus - Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (ICB/UFMG), Av. Antonio Carlos, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
- Centro Universitário INTA - UNINTA, Sobral, Ceará.
- Centro Universitário INTA - UNINTA, Sobral, Ceará.
- Centro Universitário INTA - UNINTA, Sobral, Ceará.
- Universidade Federal de Sergipe (UFS/ Campus do Sertão), Nossa Senhora da Glória, Sergipe.
- Laboratório de Vírus - Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (ICB/UFMG), Av. Antonio Carlos, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
- Instituto de Pesquisa Clínica Carlos Borborema, Fundação de Medicina Tropical Dr. Heitor Vieira Dourado, Manaus, Amazonas.
- Centro Universitário INTA - UNINTA, Sobral, Ceará.
- Laboratório de Vírus - Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (ICB/UFMG), Av. Antonio Carlos, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Equidae
- Equine Infectious Anemia / diagnosis
- Euthanasia, Animal
- Horses
- Infectious Anemia Virus, Equine / genetics
- Phylogeny
Citations
This article has been cited 4 times.- Wang XF, Zhang X, Ma W, Li J, Wang X. Host cell restriction factors of equine infectious anemia virus. Virol Sin 2023 Aug;38(4):485-496.
- Anderson C, Baha H, Boghdeh N, Barrera M, Alem F, Narayanan A. Interactions of Equine Viruses with the Host Kinase Machinery and Implications for One Health and Human Disease. Viruses 2023 May 13;15(5).
- Costa VMD, de Aguiar Filho RN, Braz GF, Paz CFR, Drumond BP, Teixeira BM, Kroon EG. Equine infectious anemia in Brazilian equestrian tourism horses: serological, molecular, and biochemical assessment showing high EIAV seroprevalence and elevated gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) levels. Vet Res Commun 2025 Nov 27;50(1):52.
- Li L, Li S, Ma H, Akhtar MF, Tan Y, Wang T, Liu W, Khan A, Khan MZ, Wang C. An Overview of Infectious and Non-Infectious Causes of Pregnancy Losses in Equine. Animals (Basel) 2024 Jul 2;14(13).
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