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Veterinary microbiology2018; 223; 51-58; doi: 10.1016/j.vetmic.2018.07.015

First detection and frequent occurrence of Equine Hepacivirus in horses on the African continent.

Abstract: Since the discovery of equine hepacivirus (EqHV) in 2011, the virus has been detected in horse populations from more than twelve countries across five continents. EqHV seroprevalence has been reported to be as high as 61.8% and EqHV ribonucleic acid (RNA) prevalence to range between 0.9% and 34.1%. Molecular and serological indications of EqHV infection have never been reported in equids on the African continent. Therefore, investigation of EqHV prevalence in South African horses and subsequent viral genetic characterization contribute to a better understanding of the global epidemiology of this virus. In a cross-sectional study, serum samples from 454 Thoroughbred foals (aged 58-183 days) were analysed for anti-EqHV non-structural protein 3 (NS3)-specific antibodies (abs) with a luciferase immunoprecipitation system (LIPS) and for EqHV RNA by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Farms of origin (n = 26) were situated in South Africa's Western Cape Province. The associations between EqHV infection state and farm of origin, foal gender and foal age were subsequently described. Furthermore, nested PCRs were performed on parts of the 5'UTR, NS3 and NS5B genes of 17 samples. Samples were sequenced and phylogenetic analyses were conducted. The population's seroprevalence was 83.70% and RNA was detected in 7.93% of samples. Increasing foal age was associated with decreasing ab prevalence and increasing prevalence of EqHV RNA. Sequences from South African EqHV strains did not show in-depth clustering with published sequences of EqHV isolates from particular continents. In conclusion, EqHV is present in the South African Thoroughbred population and appears more prevalent than reported in other horse populations worldwide.
Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
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Publication Date: 2018-07-21 PubMed ID: 30173752DOI: 10.1016/j.vetmic.2018.07.015Google Scholar: Lookup
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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 paper focuses on the detection and prevalence of Equine Hepacivirus (EqHV) in horses from South Africa, marking the first time that such infection is reported in Africa. Significantly, this virus was found to be more common among the South African Thoroughbred population than previously reported in other global horse populations.

Research Objectives and Methodology

  • The main aim of this study was to examine the level of EqHV in South Africa and contribute to the overall global understanding of the virus’s epidemiology.
  • The researchers conducted a cross-sectional study, using serum samples from 454 Thoroughbred foals (horses aged 58-183 days) from 26 different farms in South Africa’s Western Cape Province.
  • These samples were analyzed for anti-EqHV non-structural protein 3 (NS3)-specific antibodies (abs) using a luciferase immunoprecipitation system (LIPS), and for EqHV RNA through quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR).
  • Furthermore, nested PCRs were conducted on parts of the 5’UTR, NS3 and NS5B genes of 17 samples, which were later sequenced and underwent phylogenetic analysis.

Research Findings

  • The research found an 83.70% seroprevalence (i.e., the level of a population that has developed antibodies against a virus) and detected RNA in 7.93% of samples, implying that the virus is actively replicating.
  • Crucially, there was an evident association between foal age and EqHV infection, with younger foals having a higher prevalence of antibodies (suggesting past infection) and older foals exhibiting an increase in RNA detection (indicating active infection).
  • The analysis of the genetic sequences of the South African EqHV strains did not correlate with published sequences of EqHV isolates from other continents, indicating a diverse viral population.

Conclusions

  • Overall, the study confirmed the presence of EqHV in the South African Thoroughbred population, and it was found to be more prevalent than reported in other horse populations across the globe.
  • This significant finding underscores the need for further studies to establish the potential factors contributing to this high local prevalence rate and the implications for equine health globally.

Cite This Article

APA
Badenhorst M, Tegtmeyer B, Todt D, Guthrie A, Feige K, Campe A, Steinmann E, Cavalleri JMV. (2018). First detection and frequent occurrence of Equine Hepacivirus in horses on the African continent. Vet Microbiol, 223, 51-58. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vetmic.2018.07.015

Publication

Veterinary microbiology
ISSN: 1873-2542
NlmUniqueID: 7705469
Country: Netherlands
Language: English
Volume: 223
Pages: 51-58
PII: S0378-1135(18)30435-8

Researcher Affiliations

Badenhorst, Marcha
  • Department of Companion Animal Clinical Studies, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X04, Onderstepoort, 0110, Pretoria, South Africa; Department for Companion Animals and Horses, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Veterinärplatz 1, 1210, Vienna, Austria.
Tegtmeyer, Birthe
  • Institute for Experimental Virology, TWINCORE Centre for Experimental and Clinical Infection Research, Medical School Hannover (MHH) - Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI), Feodor-Lynen-Strasse 7, 30625, Hannover, Germany.
Todt, Daniel
  • Institute for Experimental Virology, TWINCORE Centre for Experimental and Clinical Infection Research, Medical School Hannover (MHH) - Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI), Feodor-Lynen-Strasse 7, 30625, Hannover, Germany; Department of Molecular and Medical Virology, Ruhr-University Bochum, 44801, Bochum, Germany.
Guthrie, Alan
  • Equine Research Centre, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X04, Onderstepoort, 0110, Pretoria, South Africa.
Feige, Karsten
  • Clinic for Horses, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, Bünteweg 9, 30559, Hannover, Germany.
Campe, Amely
  • Department of Biometry, Epidemiology and Information Processing (IBEI), WHO-Collaborating Centre for Research and Training for Health at the Human-Animal-Environment Interface, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, Bünteweg 2, 30559, Hannover, Germany.
Steinmann, Eike
  • Institute for Experimental Virology, TWINCORE Centre for Experimental and Clinical Infection Research, Medical School Hannover (MHH) - Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI), Feodor-Lynen-Strasse 7, 30625, Hannover, Germany; Department of Molecular and Medical Virology, Ruhr-University Bochum, 44801, Bochum, Germany. Electronic address: eike.steinmann@ruhr-uni-bochum.de.
Cavalleri, Jessika M V
  • Department of Companion Animal Clinical Studies, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X04, Onderstepoort, 0110, Pretoria, South Africa; Department for Companion Animals and Horses, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Veterinärplatz 1, 1210, Vienna, Austria; Clinic for Horses, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, Bünteweg 9, 30559, Hannover, Germany. Electronic address: jessika.cavalleri@vetmeduni.ac.at.

MeSH Terms

  • Animals
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Female
  • Hepacivirus / genetics
  • Hepacivirus / isolation & purification
  • Hepatitis C / epidemiology
  • Hepatitis C / veterinary
  • Hepatitis C / virology
  • Horse Diseases / epidemiology
  • Horse Diseases / virology
  • Horses
  • Male
  • Phylogeny
  • Prevalence
  • Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction / veterinary
  • Seroepidemiologic Studies
  • South Africa / epidemiology

Citations

This article has been cited 10 times.
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  9. Fortier C, El-Hage C, Normand C, Hue ES, Sutton G, Marcillaud-Pitel C, Jeffers K, Bamford N, Oden E, Paillot R, Hartley C, Gilkerson J, Pronost S. Detection of Equine Parvovirus-Hepatitis Virus and Equine Hepacivirus in Archived Sera from Horses in France and Australia. Viruses 2024 May 28;16(6).
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