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Fatal neurologic disease and abortion in mare infected with lineage 1 West Nile virus, South Africa.
Abstract: In 2010, lineage 1 West Nile virus was detected in South Africa in the brain of a pregnant mare that succumbed to neurologic disease and in her aborted fetus, suggesting an association with abortion in horses. All West Nile virus strains previously detected in horses and humans in South Africa were lineage 2.
Publication Date: 2011-08-02 PubMed ID: 21801644PubMed Central: PMC3381566DOI: 10.3201/eid1708.101794Google 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.
- Case Reports
- 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.
This research discusses the incident of a pregnant mare in South Africa contracting lineage 1 West Nile virus, resulting in severe neurological disease and an aborted fetus. The study suggests a link between this virus strain and abortion in horses, which is notable given that all previous human and equine instances in South Africa were linked to lineage 2 of the virus.
Introduction
- The research paper discusses a novel case of West Nile virus in South Africa involving a pregnant mare.
- In this incident, the mare contracted lineage 1 West Nile virus, which lead to neurological disease and an aborted fetus.
West Nile Virus in South Africa
- Prior to this case, all detected strains of West Nile virus in horses and humans in South Africa were of lineage 2, making this a unique occurrence.
- West Nile virus typically causes fever, headache, vomiting, or rashes. In serious cases, the virus can cause severe illness leading to neurological disease or meningitis.
Infection in Pregnant Mare
- The pregnant mare in this study contracted lineage 1 West Nile virus and showed symptoms of severe neurological disease.
- The infection apparently led to the abortion of the fetus.
Implications
- This case study suggests an association between lineage 1 West Nile virus and abortion in horses, although more research is needed to confirm this link.
- The emergence of lineage 1 West Nile virus in South Africa signifies the need for ongoing surveillance and disease management strategies in the region’s animal and human populations.
Cite This Article
APA
Venter M, Human S, van Niekerk S, Williams J, van Eeden C, Freeman F.
(2011).
Fatal neurologic disease and abortion in mare infected with lineage 1 West Nile virus, South Africa.
Emerg Infect Dis, 17(8), 1534-1536.
https://doi.org/10.3201/eid1708.101794 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa. marietjiev@nicd.ac.za
MeSH Terms
- Abortion, Veterinary / virology
- Animals
- Brain / virology
- Fatal Outcome
- Female
- Horse Diseases / virology
- Horses
- Pregnancy
- Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / veterinary
- Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / virology
- RNA, Viral / analysis
- RNA, Viral / isolation & purification
- Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
- South Africa
- West Nile Fever / veterinary
- West Nile Fever / virology
- West Nile virus / classification
- West Nile virus / genetics
- West Nile virus / isolation & purification
References
This article includes 15 references
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Citations
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