Equine viral arteritis in breeding and sport horses in central Spain.

The research focuses on the occurrence and distribution of Equine viral arteritis (EVA), a disease causing economic loss amongst breeding stud farms, in central Spain. It compares the prevalence of EVA in Spanish Purebred breeding horses and sport horses and found that while the disease is more common in breeding horses, the primary use of the horses (breeding vs. sport) does not significantly impact the prevalence of the disease.

Objective of the Study

• The overarching goal of this research is to investigate the prevalence—or seroprevalence—of Equine viral arteritis (EVA) in two specific horses populations in central Spain. The two groups under investigation are the Spanish Purebred (SP) breeding horses and sport horses. The findings of this study were aimed at evaluating the impact and distribution of EVA in these populations and identifying the associated risk factors.

Methodology

• A total of 260 horses were sampled for the study. These horses were either SP breeding horses from 16 stud farms or sport horses from 12 riding clubs. The breed of sport horses was varied.
• Serum samples were collected between September 2011 and November 2013.
• The samples were tested using a commercial EVA antibody ELISA test, which can identify the disease with 100% sensitivity, and confirmed by a seroneutralisation (SN) test.

Findings

• The seroprevalence, or the level of individuals in a population who test positive for a specific disease based on blood serology surveys, of EVA in SP breeding horses was higher at 21.1% compared to sport horses which was at 6.7%.
• The study found that the primary use of the horses—meaning whether they were used for breeding or as sport horses—was not significantly linked with testing positive for Equine Arteritis Virus (EAV), the virus responsible for EVA.
• This suggests that different management factors for these two horse populations do not significantly impact the circulation of EVA in these groups.

Implications of the Study

• This study paints a picture of the EVA disease status in central Spain among breeding and sport horses. Knowledge of such prevalence is essential for designing strategic controls and preventive measures.
• The findings suggest that regardless of the primary use of the horse, the risk of EVA infection remains. This should encourage all horse handlers or owners to adopt adequate preventive and treatment measures against EVA.