Investigation of the Frequency of Detection of Common Respiratory Pathogens in Nasal Secretions and Environment of Healthy Sport Horses Attending a Multi-Week Show Event during the Summer Months.
Abstract: Little information is presently available regarding the frequency of the silent shedders of respiratory viruses in healthy sport horses and their impact on environmental contamination. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the detection frequency of selected respiratory pathogens in nasal secretions and environmental stall samples of sport horses attending a multi-week equestrian event during the summer months. Six out of fifteen tents were randomly selected for the study with approximately 20 horse/stall pairs being sampled on a weekly basis. Following weekly collection for a total of 11 weeks, all samples were tested for the presence of common respiratory pathogens (EIV, EHV-1, EHV-4, ERAV, ERBV, and ss ()) using qPCR. A total of 19/682 nasal swabs (2.8%) and 28/1288 environmental stall sponges (2.2%) tested qPCR-positive for common respiratory pathogens. ERBV was the most common respiratory virus (17 nasal swabs, 28 stall sponges) detected, followed by EHV-4 (1 nasal swab) and (1 nasal swab). EIV, EHV-1, EHV-4 and ERAV were not detected in any of the study horses or stalls. Only one horse and one stall tested qPCR-positive for ERBV on two consecutive weeks. All the other qPCR-positive sample results were related to individual time points. Furthermore, only one horse/stall pair tested qPCR-positive for ERBV at a single time point. The study results showed that in a selected population of sport horses attending a multi-week equestrian event in the summer, the frequency of the shedding of respiratory viruses was low and primarily restricted to ERBV with little evidence of active transmission and environmental contamination.
Publication Date: 2023-05-24 PubMed ID: 37376525PubMed Central: PMC10301589DOI: 10.3390/v15061225Google 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.
- 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.
The research study investigates the rate of prevalent respiratory viruses found in nasal secretions and environmental conditions of healthy sport horses, focusing on the connection between shedding silent carriers and environmental pollution during a multi-week equestrian event.
Objective and Methodology
- The researchers wanted to understand more about the frequency of ‘silent shedders’ of respiratory viruses in healthy horses participating in sport events and how this impacts the environment around them.
- Their samples were taken from horses attending a multi-week equestrian event during the summer months.
- A total of 15 tents were in use for the event, out of which 6 were selected randomly for the study with an average of 20 horse/stall pairs being sampled per week, with the collection lasting for a total of 11 weeks.
- They tested the samples with quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction (qPCR) which is a widely used method for the detection of viruses, looking specifically for the presence of common respiratory pathogens (EIV, EHV-1, EHV-4, ERAV, ERBV).
Findings
- From the 682 nasal swabs and 1288 environmental stall sponges tested, 2.8% of nasal swabs and 2.2% of the environmental stall samples tested positive for the common respiratory pathogens.
- ERBV was the most commonly detected respiratory virus in both nasal swabs and environmental stall samples.
- EHV-4 was also detected but only in one nasal swab, and another virus was found in one other nasal swab.
- The main common respiratory viruses – EIV, EHV-1, EHV-4, and ERAV – were not detected in any of the horses or stalls studied.
- Only one horse and one stall were found to have ERBV for two consecutive weeks. However, all other qPCR-positive sample results were singular and did not persist over time.
- Another significant find was that only one horse/stall pair was positive for ERBV at a single time point.
Conclusion
- The researchers concluded from their study that the frequency of respiratory viruses, specifically silent shedders, amongst healthy sport horses participating in a multi-week equestrian event in summer, was low.
- Furthermore, the primary virus found was ERBV with little or no active transmission and minimal pollution in the environment.
- This suggests that healthy sport horses, whilst they might carry and shed a respiratory virus, do not significantly impact their environment with viruses nor easily transmit them.
- This is significant for managing health in equestrian events and general understanding of transmission and environmental impact of these common respiratory viruses in horses.
Cite This Article
APA
Pusterla N, Kalscheur M, Peters D, Bidwell L, Holtz S, Barnum S, Lawton K, Morrissey M, Schumacher S.
(2023).
Investigation of the Frequency of Detection of Common Respiratory Pathogens in Nasal Secretions and Environment of Healthy Sport Horses Attending a Multi-Week Show Event during the Summer Months.
Viruses, 15(6), 1225.
https://doi.org/10.3390/v15061225 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA.
- East-West Equine Sports Medicine, Lexington, KY 40583, USA.
- East-West Equine Sports Medicine, Lexington, KY 40583, USA.
- East-West Equine Sports Medicine, Lexington, KY 40583, USA.
- East-West Equine Sports Medicine, Lexington, KY 40583, USA.
- Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA.
- Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA.
- Morrissey Management Group, LLC, Wellington, FL 33414, USA.
- US Equestrian Federation, Lexington, KY 40511, USA.
MeSH Terms
- Horses
- Animals
- Horse Diseases
- Viruses
- Herpesvirus 1, Equid
- Seasons
- Herpesviridae Infections
Conflict of Interest Statement
The authors declare no conflict of interest.
References
This article includes 22 references
- Pusterla N, Mapes S, Madigan JE, Maclachlan NJ, Ferraro GL, Watson JL, Spier SJ, Wilson WD. Prevalence of EHV-1 in adult horses transported over long distances.. Vet Rec 2009 Oct 17;165(16):473-5.
- McBrearty KA, Murray A, Dunowska M. A survey of respiratory viruses in New Zealand horses.. N Z Vet J 2013 Sep;61(5):254-61.
- Taktaz Hafshejani T, Nekoei S, Vazirian B, Doosti A, Khamesipour F, Anyanwu MU. Molecular Detection of Equine Herpesvirus Types 1 and 4 Infection in Healthy Horses in Isfahan Central and Shahrekord Southwest Regions, Iran.. Biomed Res Int 2015;2015:917854.
- Doubli-Bounoua N, Richard EA, Léon A, Pitel PH, Pronost S, Fortier G. Multiple molecular detection of respiratory viruses and associated signs of airway inflammation in racehorses.. Virol J 2016 Nov 29;13(1):197.
- Stasiak K, Dunowska M, Rola J. Prevalence and sequence analysis of equid herpesviruses from the respiratory tract of Polish horses.. Virol J 2018 Jul 11;15(1):106.
- Smith FL, Watson JL, Spier SJ, Kilcoyne I, Mapes S, Sonder C, Pusterla N. Frequency of shedding of respiratory pathogens in horses recently imported to the United States.. J Vet Intern Med 2018 Jul;32(4):1436-1441.
- Pusterla N, Rice M, Henry T, Barnum S, James K. Investigation of the Shedding of Selected Respiratory Pathogens in Healthy Horses Presented for Routine Dental Care.. J Vet Dent 2020 Jun;37(2):88-93.
- Couetil L, Ivester K, Barnum S, Pusterla N. Equine respiratory viruses, airway inflammation and performance in thoroughbred racehorses.. Vet Microbiol 2021 Jun;257:109070.
- Stout AE, Hofmar-Glennon HG, André NM, Goodman LB, Anderson RR, Mitchell PK, Thompson BS, Lejeune M, Whittaker GR, Goodrich EL. Infectious disease surveillance of apparently healthy horses at a multi-day show using a novel nanoscale real-time PCR panel.. J Vet Diagn Invest 2021 Jan;33(1):80-86.
- Pusterla N, Kass PH, Mapes S, Johnson C, Barnett DC, Vaala W, Gutierrez C, McDaniel R, Whitehead B, Manning J. Surveillance programme for important equine infectious respiratory pathogens in the USA.. Vet Rec 2011 Jul 2;169(1):12.
- Pusterla N, Mapes S, Wademan C, White A, Hodzic E. Investigation of the role of lesser characterised respiratory viruses associated with upper respiratory tract infections in horses.. Vet Rec 2013 Mar 23;172(12):315.
- Bernardino P, James K, Barnum S, Corbin R, Wademan C, Pusterla N. What have we learned from 7 years of equine rhinitis B virus qPCR testing in nasal secretions from horses with respiratory signs.. Vet Rec 2021 May;188(10):e26.
- Sherman J, Thorsen J, Barnum DA, Mitchell WR, Ingram DG. Infectious causes of equine respiratory disease on Ontario standardbred racetracks.. J Clin Microbiol 1977 Mar;5(3):285-9.
- Kemen MJ, Frank RA, Babish JB. An outbreak of equine influenza at a harness horse racetrack.. Cornell Vet 1985 Apr;75(2):277-88.
- Traub-Dargatz JL, Pelzel-McCluskey AM, Creekmore LH, Geiser-Novotny S, Kasari TR, Wiedenheft AM, Bush EJ, Bjork KE. Case-control study of a multistate equine herpesvirus myeloencephalopathy outbreak.. J Vet Intern Med 2013 Mar-Apr;27(2):339-46.
- Lesté-Lasserre C. Deadly viral outbreak ravages European horses.. Science 2021 Mar 26;371(6536):1297.
- Wilcox A, Barnum S, Wademan C, Corbin R, Escobar E, Hodzic E, Schumacher S, Pusterla N. Frequency of Detection of Respiratory Pathogens in Clinically Healthy Show Horses Following a Multi-County Outbreak of Equine Herpesvirus-1 Myeloencephalopathy in California.. Pathogens 2022 Oct 8;11(10).
- Pusterla N, James K, Barnum S, Bain F, Barnett DC, Chappell D, Gaughan E, Craig B, Schneider C, Vaala W. Frequency of Detection and Prevalence Factors Associated with Common Respiratory Pathogens in Equids with Acute Onset of Fever and/or Respiratory Signs (2008-2021).. Pathogens 2022 Jul 2;11(7).
- Dynon K, Black WD, Ficorilli N, Hartley CA, Studdert MJ. Detection of viruses in nasal swab samples from horses with acute, febrile, respiratory disease using virus isolation, polymerase chain reaction and serology.. Aust Vet J 2007 Jan-Feb;85(1-2):46-50.
- Pusterla N, Sandler-Burtness E, Barnum S, Hill LA, Mendonsa E, Khan R, Portener D, Ridland H, Schumacher S. Frequency of Detection of Respiratory Pathogens in Nasal Secretions From Healthy Sport Horses Attending a Spring Show in California.. J Equine Vet Sci 2022 Oct;117:104089.
- Woo PC, Lau SK, Choi GK, Huang Y, Wernery R, Joseph S, Wong EY, Elizabeth SK, Patteril NA, Li T, Wernery U, Yuen KY. Equine rhinitis B viruses in horse fecal samples from the Middle East.. Virol J 2016 Jun 7;13:94.
- Horsington J, Lynch SE, Gilkerson JR, Studdert MJ, Hartley CA. Equine picornaviruses: well known but poorly understood.. Vet Microbiol 2013 Nov 29;167(1-2):78-85.
Citations
This article has been cited 0 times.Use Nutrition Calculator
Check if your horse's diet meets their nutrition requirements with our easy-to-use tool Check your horse's diet with our easy-to-use tool
Talk to a Nutritionist
Discuss your horse's feeding plan with our experts over a free phone consultation Discuss your horse's diet over a phone consultation
Submit Diet Evaluation
Get a customized feeding plan for your horse formulated by our equine nutritionists Get a custom feeding plan formulated by our nutritionists
