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Epidemiology and infection2024; 152; e67; doi: 10.1017/S0950268824000554

Exposure dynamics of Ross River virus in horses – Horses as potential sentinels (a One Health approach).

Abstract: Ross River virus (RRV), the most medically and economically important arbovirus in Australia, has been the most prevalent arbovirus infections in humans for many years. Infected humans and horses often suffer similar clinical symptoms. We conducted a prospective longitudinal study over a 3.5-year period to investigate the exposure dynamics of RRV in three foal cohorts (n = 32) born in a subtropical region of South East Queensland, Australia, between 2020 and 2022. RRV-specific seroconversion was detected in 56% (n = 18) of foals with a median time to seroconversion, after waning of maternal antibodies, of 429 days (95% CI: 294-582). The median age at seroconversion was 69 weeks (95% CI: 53-57). Seroconversion events were only detected between December and March (Southern Hemisphere summer) over the entire study period. Cox proportion hazards regression analyses revealed that seroconversions were significantly (  0.05) associated with seroconversion, except for relative humidity ( = 0.036 at 2-month time-lag). This is in contrast to research results of RRV infection in humans, which peaked between March and May (Autumn) and with a 0-3 month time-lag for various meteorological risk factors. Therefore, horses may be suitable sentinels for monitoring active arbovirus circulation and could be used for early arbovirus outbreak detection in human populations.
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Publication Date: 2024-04-12 PubMed ID: 38606586PubMed Central: PMC11062785DOI: 10.1017/S0950268824000554Google Scholar: Lookup
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  • Journal Article
  • Research Support
  • Non-U.S. Gov't

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.

Overview

  • This study investigates how Ross River virus (RRV) exposure develops over time in horses, specifically young foals, in a subtropical part of Australia.
  • The researchers explore whether horses can serve as early indicators (“sentinels”) of RRV activity that might predict human outbreaks.

Background on Ross River Virus (RRV)

  • RRV is the most prevalent mosquito-borne virus impacting humans in Australia, leading to significant medical and economic burdens.
  • RRV infection symptoms in humans and horses are often similar, suggesting shared patterns of exposure and disease progression.
  • Understanding how horses acquire RRV can give insights into virus transmission dynamics relevant to both animal and human health, emphasizing the One Health approach that links environment, animals, and human health.

Study Design and Methods

  • A prospective longitudinal study was conducted over 3.5 years, from 2020 to 2022.
  • Three cohorts of foals (total n=32) born in a subtropical region of South East Queensland, Australia, were monitored.
  • The researchers tracked RRV-specific seroconversion, which indicates when foals develop antibodies due to infection, marking exposure to the virus rather than just maternal antibody presence.
  • Seroconversion was detected using blood samples taken periodically to measure antibody levels.
  • Statistical analysis involved Cox proportional hazards regression to examine associations between seroconversion timing and meteorological variables such as air temperature and relative humidity.

Key Findings on Exposure Dynamics

  • 56% of foals (18 out of 32) seroconverted, indicating they were exposed to RRV during the study period.
  • Median time to seroconversion after the decline of maternal antibodies was approximately 429 days (around 14 months), demonstrating the likely window of infection risk in young horses.
  • The median age at which foals seroconverted was about 69 weeks (approximately 16 months).
  • All seroconversion events occurred within December to March, corresponding to the Australian summer months when mosquito activity is highest.

Associations with Environmental Factors

  • Seroconversion was significantly linked (p<0.05) with air temperature during the month in which infection was detected, implying warmer temperatures facilitate virus transmission.
  • Time lags of 0-3 months for meteorological variables (temperature, rainfall) were not significantly associated with foal seroconversion, except relative humidity at a 2-month lag (p=0.036), suggesting a more immediate environmental effect on infection risk in horses.
  • This contrasts with RRV infection patterns in humans, where peak human cases occur from March to May (autumn) and meteorological factors show a 0-3 month lag effect.

Implications and Conclusions

  • The timing difference between horse and human cases suggests horses may experience active RRV transmission earlier in the season.
  • This earlier seroconversion pattern in horses supports their use as sentinel animals to detect active RRV transmission before human outbreaks peak.
  • Using horses as sentinels could improve early warning systems and public health responses to impending RRV outbreaks in humans.
  • The study highlights the value of integrating animal health surveillance into broader One Health frameworks to monitor and control arbovirus transmission dynamics effectively.

Cite This Article

APA
Yuen NKY, Bielefeldt-Ohmann H, Coyle MP, Henning J. (2024). Exposure dynamics of Ross River virus in horses – Horses as potential sentinels (a One Health approach). Epidemiol Infect, 152, e67. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0950268824000554

Publication

Epidemiology and infection
ISSN: 1469-4409
NlmUniqueID: 8703737
Country: England
Language: English
Volume: 152
Pages: e67
PII: e67

Researcher Affiliations

Yuen, Nicholas K Y
  • School of Veterinary Science, Faculty of Science, The University of Queensland, Gatton, Queensland, Australia.
Bielefeldt-Ohmann, Helle
  • School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, Faculty of Science, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia.
  • Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia.
Coyle, Mitchell P
  • Equine Unit, Office of the Director Gatton Campus, Faculty of Science, The University of Queensland, Gatton, Queensland, Australia.
Henning, Joerg
  • School of Veterinary Science, Faculty of Science, The University of Queensland, Gatton, Queensland, Australia.

MeSH Terms

  • Animals
  • Ross River virus / isolation & purification
  • Horses
  • Horse Diseases / epidemiology
  • Horse Diseases / virology
  • Alphavirus Infections / epidemiology
  • Alphavirus Infections / veterinary
  • Alphavirus Infections / virology
  • Queensland / epidemiology
  • Prospective Studies
  • Longitudinal Studies
  • Female
  • Seroconversion
  • Male
  • Seasons
  • Antibodies, Viral / blood

Conflict of Interest Statement

Helle Bielefeldt-Ohmann is the proprietor of the consultancy firm BIOHMPATHOLOGY. All other authors declare no conflict of interest.

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Citations

This article has been cited 1 times.
  1. Yuen NKY, Harrison JJ, Wang ASW, McMahon IE, Habarugira G, Coyle MP, Bielefeldt-Ohmann H. Orthoflavivirus circulation in South-East Queensland, Australia, before and during the 2021-2022 incursion of Japanese encephalitis virus assessed through sero-epidemiological survey of a sentinel equine population.. One Health 2024 Dec;19:100930.
    doi: 10.1016/j.onehlt.2024.100930pubmed: 39802065google scholar: lookup
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