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Virology journal2022; 19(1); 10; doi: 10.1186/s12985-021-01738-2

Identification of equine herpesvirus 8 in donkey abortion: a case report.

Abstract: Equine herpesvirus-8 (EHV-8) is one of the most economically significant viruses that infect mammals of the genus Equus worldwide, which cause severe respiratory diseases and abortion in horses. However, there is no report of abortion caused by EHV-8 in donkeys. The present case report is about a 4-year-old donkey having an abortion and showing a serious respiratory issue on the 296th day of pregnancy. Bacteriological and molecular tests were used to screen possible bacterial/viral pathogens to detect the etiological agent. Salmonella abortus equi, EHV-1, EHV-4, and EAV were all negative in the current study. EHV-8, on the other hand, was the only agent that was isolated and identified. This was for the first time that EHV-8 had been isolated from a donkey in China. EHV-8 infection can cause abortion in donkeys; therefore, veterinarians and breeders should be aware of it.
© 2022. The Author(s).
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Publication Date: 2022-01-06 PubMed ID: 34991640PubMed Central: PMC8734136DOI: 10.1186/s12985-021-01738-2Google 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 article reports the first known case of abortion in a donkey caused by Equine herpesvirus-8 (EHV-8), a virus previously known to cause severe respiratory diseases and abortion only in horses. This discovery was made in China, and suggests that donkeys are also at risk from this economically significant virus.

Background

  • The Equine herpesvirus-8 (EHV-8) is part of a group of viruses that impact the Equus genus, a group that includes horses and donkeys. These viruses pose economic implications owing to their effect on these animals.
  • Traditionally, EHV-8 was recognized for causing severe respiratory infections and abortion in horses.
  • There was no previous evidence indicating that EHV-8 could cause similar problems in donkeys, making this case the first of its kind in existing literature.

The Case

  • The case presented in this study involves a 4-year-old donkey that aborted on its 296th day of pregnancy and exhibited serious respiratory issues.
  • To identify the cause, bacteriological and molecular tests were conducted to screen potential bacterial or viral pathogens.
  • The bacteriological and molecular screens included checks for Salmonella abortus equi, EHV-1, EHV-4, and EAV. These tests were all negative, eliminating these as potential causes.

The Findings and Conclusion

  • The EHV-8 virus was the only agent discovered in the tests. This findings firmly link the virus to the abortion and respiratory troubles the donkey suffered from.
  • The significance of this case is the discovery that EHV-8, previously thought to widely affect just horses, can also cause significant health issues in donkeys, including abortion.
  • Based on these findings, there now exists a pressing need for veterinarians and breeders to be aware of the risks that EHV-8 poses to donkeys, which might have previously been overlooked.

Cite This Article

APA
Wang T, Hu L, Wang Y, Liu W, Liu G, Zhu M, Zhang W, Wang C, Ren H, Li L. (2022). Identification of equine herpesvirus 8 in donkey abortion: a case report. Virol J, 19(1), 10. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12985-021-01738-2

Publication

Virology journal
ISSN: 1743-422X
NlmUniqueID: 101231645
Country: England
Language: English
Volume: 19
Issue: 1
Pages: 10
PII: 10

Researcher Affiliations

Wang, Tongtong
  • Research Institute of Donkey High-Efficiency Breeding and Ecological Feeding, College of Agronomy, Liaocheng University, Liaocheng, China.
Hu, Leyu
  • College of Veterinary Medicine, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, China.
Wang, Yonghui
  • Research Institute of Donkey High-Efficiency Breeding and Ecological Feeding, College of Agronomy, Liaocheng University, Liaocheng, China.
Liu, Wenqiang
  • Research Institute of Donkey High-Efficiency Breeding and Ecological Feeding, College of Agronomy, Liaocheng University, Liaocheng, China.
Liu, Guiqin
  • Research Institute of Donkey High-Efficiency Breeding and Ecological Feeding, College of Agronomy, Liaocheng University, Liaocheng, China.
Zhu, Mingxia
  • Research Institute of Donkey High-Efficiency Breeding and Ecological Feeding, College of Agronomy, Liaocheng University, Liaocheng, China.
Zhang, Wei
  • Dairy Cattle Research Center, Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Ji'nan, 250100, China.
Wang, Changfa
  • Research Institute of Donkey High-Efficiency Breeding and Ecological Feeding, College of Agronomy, Liaocheng University, Liaocheng, China. wangchangfa@lcu.edu.cn.
Ren, Huiying
  • College of Veterinary Medicine, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, China. renren0228@sina.com.
Li, Liangliang
  • Research Institute of Donkey High-Efficiency Breeding and Ecological Feeding, College of Agronomy, Liaocheng University, Liaocheng, China. lifeiyang2017@163.com.

MeSH Terms

  • Animals
  • China
  • Equidae
  • Female
  • Herpesviridae Infections / veterinary
  • Herpesvirus 1, Equid
  • Horse Diseases / diagnosis
  • Horses
  • Pregnancy
  • Varicellovirus

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

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This article has been cited 18 times.
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