Experimental reactivation of equid herpesvirus 1 (EHV 1) following the administration of corticosteroids.
Abstract: Eight ponies were experimentally infected with equid herpesvirus 1 (EHV 1) (subtype 1). All animals showed clinical and serological evidence of infection and virus was isolated from nasal swabs and leucocytes. These ponies were kept in isolation for a further three months during which time complement fixing antibody decreased at least four-fold. Following immunosuppression with dexamethasone and prednisolone subtype 1 virus was recovered from six of the eight animals within 14 days. Five of these six ponies were viraemic and three of them shed virus in nasal secretions; only four displayed significant rises in complement fixing antibody and only two in neutralising antibody. Clinical abnormalities were not detected during reactivation.
Publication Date: 1985-09-01 PubMed ID: 2996879DOI: 10.1111/j.2042-3306.1985.tb02524.xGoogle Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
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This research pertains to an experiment conducted on eight ponies infected with equid herpesvirus 1 (EHV 1). Corticosteroids were administered to these ponies after a period of isolation. The study found that the virus reactivated in six of the eight ponies, with varying clinical responses.
Experiment Overview
- The researchers infected eight ponies with equid herpesvirus 1 (EHV 1), a strain of the herpes virus that specifically affects members of the Equidae (horse) family.
- Following the infection, the animals showed both clinical and serological (observable through blood tests) evidence of infection. The virus was also isolated from both nasal swabs and white blood cells (leucocytes).
- These ponies were then kept isolated for three months, during which their antibody levels to fight the virus dropped significantly. This is a likely sign that their immune system response was diminishing.
Corticosteroid Administration and Results
- Following the isolation period, the ponies were immunosuppressed using the corticosteroids dexamethasone and prednisolone. This was done to reduce their immune system’s response and create a more conducive environment for the virus to reactivate.
- After 14 days of the corticosteroids administration, the subtype 1 virus was found to have reactivated in six out of the eight animals. This implies that the administration of these corticosteroids may facilitate the reactivation of the EHV 1 virus in infected animals.
- However, the reactivation did not manifest uniformly in all ponies. Five of the six reactivated ponies were viraemic, meaning the virus was present in their blood. Among these, three were shedding the virus in nasal secretions, indicating active viral replication and potential for spreading the infection.
- Only four of the six reactivated ponies showed significant increases in complement fixing antibodies, a type of immune response. An even lesser number, two ponies, showed an increased presence of neutralising antibodies, antibodies that neutralise the activity of the virus.
- Interestingly, none of the six reactivated ponies showed observable clinical abnormalities. This suggests that reactivation of the virus doesn’t necessarily correlate with visible signs of illness.
Cite This Article
APA
Edington N, Bridges CG, Huckle A.
(1985).
Experimental reactivation of equid herpesvirus 1 (EHV 1) following the administration of corticosteroids.
Equine Vet J, 17(5), 369-372.
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.2042-3306.1985.tb02524.x Publication
Researcher Affiliations
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Dexamethasone / pharmacology
- Herpesviridae Infections / microbiology
- Herpesviridae Infections / veterinary
- Herpesvirus 1, Equid / drug effects
- Herpesvirus 1, Equid / isolation & purification
- Horse Diseases / microbiology
- Horses / microbiology
- Prednisolone / pharmacology
- Virus Activation / drug effects
Citations
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