FREE SHIPPING over $40
OVER 9000 FIVE-STAR REVIEWS
5% OFF ALL SUBSCRIPTIONS
100% HAPPINESS GUARANTEE
Analyze Diet
0
Home / Equine Research Bank / Equine Vet J / Equine parvovirus hepatitis.
Equine veterinary journal2021; 53(5); 886-894; doi: 10.1111/evj.13477

Equine parvovirus hepatitis.

Abstract: Equine parvovirus hepatitis (EqPV-H) was first described in 2018 in a fatal case of Theiler's disease which followed the administration of an equine-origin biological product. The virus has since been frequently identified in serum and liver tissue of horses affected by Theiler's disease-an acute, severe hepatitis characterised by fulminant hepatic necrosis with a fatal outcome in most cases. EqPV-H is hepatotropic, appears to be associated with subclinical to severe hepatitis in horses, and is a likely cause of Theiler's disease. Although this disease is most frequently reported following the administration of equine-origin biological products, it can also occur among in-contact horses. Horizontal transmission may be iatrogenic, via contaminated equine-origin biological products such as equine serum, botulism or tetanus antitoxin, and mesenchymal stem cells or by means of the oral route of infection. Other horizontal transmission routes, for example, arthropod vectors, warrant further investigation. A worldwide prevalence of EqPV-H antibodies and DNA has been reported in asymptomatic horses. EqPV-H-positive horses suffering from acute, severe hepatitis have reportedly developed clinical signs including icterus, lethargy, inappetence, and neurological abnormalities and have had increased liver-associated biochemistry parameters recorded. The most common histopathological abnormalities of the liver have been hepatocellular necrosis, collapse of the lobular architecture, and lymphocytic infiltration. Most horses infected experimentally with EqPV-H have developed subclinical hepatitis, and close temporal associations between peak viraemia, seroconversion, and the onset of hepatitis have been observed. Based on strong evidence indicating that EqPV-H causes hepatitis in horses, veterinarians should consider this virus an important differential diagnosis in such cases. Potential risks associated with the administration of equine-origin biological products must be emphasised.
© 2021 The Authors. Equine Veterinary Journal published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of EVJ Ltd.
Get Full Text
Publication Date: 2021-07-04 PubMed ID: 34101906PubMed Central: PMC8457058DOI: 10.1111/evj.13477Google Scholar: Lookup
The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
LinkedInCopy
  • Journal Article
  • Review

Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

The study discusses Equine parvovirus hepatitis (EqPV-H), a recently discovered virus that affects horses’ liver and is a probable cause of a severe disease known as Theiler’s disease. The virus has been found in horses affected by this disease and has been spread through tainted equine-origin biological products or possibly through other methods still under investigation.

Introduction to Equine Parvovirus Hepatitis (EqPV-H)

  • EqPV-H is a newly identified virus that affects horses, first described in 2018. It was discovered in a fatal case of Theiler’s disease that occurred after a horse received an equine-origin biological product.
  • The virus has frequently been found in the serum and liver tissue of horses affected by Theiler’s disease, which is an acute, severe type of hepatitis, characterized by fulminant hepatic necrosis.
  • EqPV-H is hepatotropic, meaning it specifically targets the liver, and is thought to be responsible for both subclinical and severe forms of hepatitis in horses.
  • The virus is now widely accepted as a likely cause of Theiler’s disease.

Transmission of EqPV-H

  • While the disease is most commonly reported following the administration of equine-origin biological products, it can also occur among horses that are kept in close contact.
  • The virus may be transmitted horizontally, either through iatrogenic means (i.e., it is accidentally introduced into the horse as a result of medical procedures), via contaminated equine-origin biological products – such as equine serum, botulism or tetanus antitoxin, and mesenchymal stem cells, or through ingestion of the virus.
  • Other potential methods of horizontal transmission, such as through arthropod vectors (disease-carrying insects), are currently under review.

Impact and Diagnosis of EqPV-H

  • EqPV-H infection has been reported worldwide in horses showing no symptoms.
  • Severely ill horses infested with EqPV-H have presented clinical symptoms including jaundice (icterus), sleepiness (lethargy), loss of appetite (inappetence), and neurological abnormalities, and have exhibited unusually high liver-related biochemical parameters.
  • The most frequent abnormalities observed in the liver tissue of EqPV-H-positive horses include necrosis, collapse of the lobular architecture, and infiltration of the liver by lymphocytes.

Significance of the Study

  • Most horses that have been intentionally infected in experimental conditions have developed a form of hepatitis that doesn’t show any symptoms.
  • There’s been a noted close temporal correlation between peak viremia (presence of virus in the blood), seroconversion (the time period during which a specific antibody develops and becomes detectable in the blood), and the onset of hepatitis.
  • Veterinarians are advised to consider EqPV-H in differential diagnoses for liver diseases in horses due to substantial evidence suggesting that EqPV-H leads to hepatitis in horses.
  • The study emphasizes the risks associated with administering equine-origin biological products and the need for improved monitoring and regulation of these products.

Cite This Article

APA
Ramsauer AS, Badenhorst M, Cavalleri JV. (2021). Equine parvovirus hepatitis. Equine Vet J, 53(5), 886-894. https://doi.org/10.1111/evj.13477

Publication

Equine veterinary journal
ISSN: 2042-3306
NlmUniqueID: 0173320
Country: United States
Language: English
Volume: 53
Issue: 5
Pages: 886-894

Researcher Affiliations

Ramsauer, Anna Sophie
  • Department for Companion Animals and Horses, University Equine Clinic - Internal Medicine, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
Badenhorst, Marcha
  • Department for Companion Animals and Horses, University Equine Clinic - Internal Medicine, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
Cavalleri, Jessika-M V
  • Department for Companion Animals and Horses, University Equine Clinic - Internal Medicine, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria.

MeSH Terms

  • Animals
  • Hepatitis
  • Hepatitis, Viral, Animal
  • Horse Diseases
  • Horses
  • Parvoviridae Infections / veterinary
  • Parvovirus

Conflict of Interest Statement

No competing interests have been declared.

References

This article includes 46 references
  1. Carlson KL. Chapter 66 – hepatic diseases in the horse. In: Sprayberry KA, Robinson NE, eds. Robinson's current therapy in equine medicine. 7th ed. St Louis: W.B. Saunders; 2015:287‐93.
  2. Tomlinson JE, Van de Walle GR, Divers TJ. What do we know about hepatitis viruses in horses?. Vet Clin North Am Equine Pract 2019;35:351–62.
    pubmed: 31084975
  3. Theiler AA. Acute Liver‐Atrophy and Parenchymatous Hepatitis in Horses. Union of South Africa. Dept. of Agriculture. 5th and 6th Repts. of the Director of Veterinary Research. p. 7–164.
  4. Marsh H. Losses of undetermined cause following an outbreak of equine encephalomyelitis. J Am Vet Med Assoc 1937;91:88–93.
  5. Hjerpe C. Serum hepatitis in the horse. J Am Vet Med Assoc 1964;144:734–40.
    pubmed: 14156990
  6. Johnson P. Serum hepatitis in two brood mares. J Am Vet Med Assoc 1994;204:1790–2.
    pubmed: 8063602
  7. Thomsett L. Acute hepatic failure in the horse. Equine Vet J 1971;3:15–9.
    pubmed: 5161355
  8. Step D, Blue J, Dill S. Penicillin‐induced hemolytic anemia and acute hepatic failure following treatment of tetanus in a horse. Cornell Vet 1991;81:13–8.
    pubmed: 1993388
  9. Messer N, Johnson P. Idiopathic acute hepatic disease in horses: 12 cases (1982–1992). J Am Vety Med Assoc 1994;204:1934–7.
    pubmed: 8077140
  10. Guglick M, MacAllister C, Ely R, Edwards W. Hepatic disease associated with administration of tetanus antitoxin in eight horses. J Am Vet Med Assoc 1995;206:1737–40.
    pubmed: 7782247
  11. Aleman M, Nieto JE, Carr EA, Carlson GP. Serum hepatitis associated with commercial plasma transfusion in horses. J Vet Intern Med 2005;19:120–2.
    pubmed: 15715060
  12. Panciera RJ. Serum hepatitis in the horse. J Am Vet Med Assoc 1969;155:408–10.
    pubmed: 5816124
  13. Chandriani S, Skewes‐Cox P, Zhong W, Ganem DE, Divers TJ, Van Blaricum AJ. Identification of a previously undescribed divergent virus from the Flaviviridae family in an outbreak of equine serum hepatitis. Proc Natl Acad Sciences 2013;110:E1407–E1415.
    pmc: PMC3625295pubmed: 23509292
  14. Tomlinson JE, Kapoor A, Kumar A, Tennant BC, Laverack MA, Beard L. Viral testing of 18 consecutive cases of equine serum hepatitis: a prospective study (2014–2018). J Vet Intern Med 2019;33:251–7.
    pmc: PMC6335536pubmed: 30520162
  15. Tomlinson JE, Tennant BC, Struzyna A, Mrad D, Browne N, Whelchel D. Viral testing of 10 cases of Theiler's disease and 37 in‐contact horses in the absence of equine biologic product administration: a prospective study (2014–2018). J Vet Intern Med 2019;33:258–65.
    pmc: PMC6335540pubmed: 30520132
  16. Divers TJ, Tennant BC, Kumar A, McDonough S, Cullen J, Bhuva N. New parvovirus associated with serum hepatitis in horses after inoculation of common biological product. Emerg Infect Dis 2018;24:303–10.
    pmc: PMC5782890pubmed: 29350162
  17. Burbelo PD, Dubovi EJ, Simmonds P, Medina JL, Henriquez JA, Mishra N. Serology‐enabled discovery of genetically diverse hepaciviruses in a new host. J Virol 2012;86:6171–8.
    pmc: PMC3372197pubmed: 22491452
  18. Kapoor A, Simmonds P, Cullen JM, Scheel TK, Medina JL, Giannitti F. Identification of a pegivirus (GB virus‐like virus) that infects horses. J Virol 2013;87:7185–90.
    pmc: PMC3676142pubmed: 23596285
  19. Tomlinson JE, Wolfisberg R, Fahnoe U, Sharma H, Renshaw RW, Nielsen L. Equine pegiviruses cause persistent infection of bone marrow and are not associated with hepatitis. PLoS Pathog 2020;16:e1008677.
    pmc: PMC7375656pubmed: 32649726
  20. Pfaender S, Cavalleri JMV, Walter S, Doerrbecker J, Campana B, Brown RJP. Clinical course of infection and viral tissue tropism of hepatitis C virus‐like nonprimate hepaciviruses in horses. Hepatology 2015;61:447–59.
    pubmed: 25212983
  21. Tomlinson JE, Jager M, Struzyna A, Laverack M, Fortier LA, Dubovi E. Tropism, pathology, and transmission of equine parvovirus‐hepatitis. Emerg Microbes Infect 2020;9:651–63.
    pmc: PMC7144241pubmed: 32192415
  22. Reuter G, Maza N, Pankovics P, Boros A. Non‐primate hepacivirus infection with apparent hepatitis in a horse – Short communication. Acta Vet Hung 2014;62:422–7.
    pubmed: 25038950
  23. Tegtmeyer B, Echelmeyer J, Pfankuche VM, Puff C, Todt D, Fischer N. Chronic equine hepacivirus infection in an adult gelding with severe hepatopathy. Vet Med Sci 2019;5:372–8.
    pmc: PMC6682795pubmed: 31267690
  24. Elia G, Lanave G, Lorusso E, Parisi A, Trotta A, Buono R. Equine hepacivirus persistent infection in a horse with chronic wasting. Transbound Emerg Dis 2017;64:1354–8.
    pubmed: 28707785
  25. Baird J, Tegtmeyer B, Arroyo L, Stang A, Bruggemann Y, Hazlett M. The association of Equine Parvovirus‐Hepatitis (EqPV‐H) with cases of non‐biologic‐associated Theiler's disease on a farm in Ontario, Canada. Vet Microbiol 2020;242:108575.
    pubmed: 32122586
  26. Vengust M, Jager MC, Zalig V, Cociancich V, Laverack M, Renshaw RW. First report of equine parvovirus‐hepatitis‐associated Theiler's disease in Europe. Equine Vet J 2020;52:841–47.
    pmc: PMC7483838pubmed: 32145096
  27. Kopper JJ, Schott HC, Divers TJ, Mullaney T, Huang L, Noland E. Theiler's disease associated with administration of tetanus antitoxin contaminated with nonprimate (equine) hepacivirus and equine parvovirus‐hepatitis virus. Equine Vet Educ 2018;32:e5–e9.
  28. Pénzes JJ, Söderlund‐Venermo M, Canuti M, Eis‐Hübinger AM, Hughes J, Cotmore SF. Reorganizing the family Parvoviridae: a revised taxonomy independent of the canonical approach based on host association. Adv Virol 2020;165:2133–46.
    pubmed: 32533329
  29. Berns KI. Parvovirus replication. Microbiol Rev 1990;54:316–29.
    pmc: PMC372780pubmed: 2215424
  30. Deng X, Yan Z, Cheng F, Engelhardt JF, Qiu J. Replication of an autonomous human parvovirus in non‐dividing human airway epithelium is facilitated through the DNA damage and repair pathways. PLoS Pathog 2016;12:e1005399.
    pmc: PMC4713420pubmed: 26765330
  31. Deng X, Xu P, Zou W, Shen W, Peng J, Liu K. DNA damage signaling is required for replication of human bocavirus 1 DNA in dividing HEK293 cells. J Virol 2017;91:e0183116.
    pmc: PMC5165215pubmed: 27733644
  32. Lu G, Sun L, Ou J, Xu H, Wu L, Li S. Identification and genetic characterization of a novel parvovirus associated with serum hepatitis in horses in China. Emerg Microbes Infect 2018;7:170.
    pmc: PMC6198012pubmed: 30348940
  33. Badenhorst M, de Heus P, Auer A, Tegtmeyer B, Stang A, Dimmel K. Active equine parvovirus‐hepatitis infection is most frequently detected in Austrian horses of advanced age. Equine Vet J 2021;10.1111/evj.13444.
    doi: 10.1111/evj.13444pmc: PMC9292856pubmed: 33704819google scholar: lookup
  34. Altan E, Li Y, Sabino‐Santos G Jr, Sawaswong V, Barnum S, Pusterla N. Viruses in horses with neurologic and respiratory diseases. Viruses 2019;11:942.
    pmc: PMC6832430pubmed: 31614994
  35. Meister TL, Tegtmeyer B, Bruggemann Y, Sieme H, Feige K, Todt D. Characterization of equine parvovirus in thoroughbred breeding horses from Germany. Viruses 2019;11:965.
    pmc: PMC6833105pubmed: 31635426
  36. Lu G, Wu L, Ou J, Li S. Equine parvovirus‐hepatitis in China: characterization of its genetic diversity and evidence for natural recombination events between the Chinese and American Strains. Front Vet Sci 2020;7:121.
    pmc: PMC7076910pubmed: 32211433
  37. Meister TL, Tegtmeyer B, Postel A, Cavalleri JV, Todt D, Stang A. Equine parvovirus‐hepatitis frequently detectable in commercial equine serum pools. Viruses 2019;11:461.
    pmc: PMC6563276pubmed: 31117220
  38. Li L, Giannitti F, Low J, Keyes C, Ullmann LS, Deng X. Exploring the virome of diseased horses. J Gen Virol 2015;96:2721.
    pmc: PMC4635498pubmed: 26044792
  39. Linden A, Gilliaux G, Paternostre J, Benzarti E, Rivas JF, Desmecht D. A novel parvovirus, Roe deer copiparvovirus, identified in Ixodes ricinus ticks. Virus Genes 2019;55:425–8.
    pubmed: 30945175
  40. Wong F, Spearman J, Smolenski M, Loewen P. Equine parvovirus: initial isolation and partial characterization. Can J Comp Med 1985;49:50.
    pmc: PMC1236116pubmed: 2985215
  41. Wang J, Yu M, Valdeter S, Walker S, Riddell S, Broz I. A novel parvovirus from horse with polysynovitis. Italy: EAVLD Pisa; 2014.
  42. Divers TJ, Tomlinson JE. Theiler's disease. Equine Vet Educ 2019;32:63–5.
  43. Corcioli F, Zakrzewska K, Rinieri A, Fanci R, Innocenti M, Civinini R. Tissue persistence of parvovirus B19 genotypes in asymptomatic persons. J Med Virol 2008;80:2005–11.
    pubmed: 18814251
  44. Soderlund‐Venermo M, Hokynar K, Nieminen J, Rautakorpi H, Hedman K. Persistence of human parvovirus B19 in human tissues. Pathol Biol (Paris) 2002;50:307–16.
    pubmed: 12116849
  45. Norja P, Hokynar K, Aaltonen LM, Chen R, Ranki A, Partio EK. Bioportfolio: lifelong persistence of variant and prototypic erythrovirus DNA genomes in human tissue. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 2006;103:7450–3.
    pmc: PMC1464359pubmed: 16651522
  46. Walter S, Rasche A, Moreira‐Soto A, Pfaender S, Bletsa M, Corman VM. Differential infection patterns and recent evolutionary origins of equine hepaciviruses in donkeys. J Virol 2017;91:e0171116.
    pmc: PMC5165184pubmed: 27795428
Subscribe to our newsletter
Join 99,357 horse owners like you who receive our email updates on horse health and nutrition.