Latent equine herpesvirus-1 in trigeminal ganglia and equine idiopathic headshaking.
Abstract: Trigeminal neuralgia or neuropathic pain has been regarded as a putative cause of idiopathic headshaking in horses. Equine herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1) infection and resultant postherpetic pain have been suggested as a possible cause of such neuropathic pain. Objective: To determine the presence of EHV-1 in the trigeminal ganglia of horses with idiopathic headshaking. Methods: Nineteen horses: control (n = 11, 9 geldings, 2 mares, median age 11 years) and headshaking (n = 8, all geldings, median age 11.5 years) horses were sourced from the equine research herd and caseload at the Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital. Methods: Prospective study to determine the presence of EHV-1 latency in trigeminal ganglia of horses with idiopathic headshaking by real-time PCR detection of the glycoprotein B (gB) gene and the DNA polymerase (ORF 30) gene of EHV-1 in the absence of detectable late structural protein gene (gB gene) mRNA. Control horses were used for comparison. A house keeping gene (equine GAPDH) and positive and negative samples for EHV-1 were used for quality control. Results: All samples from control horses and 7 of 8 headshaking horses were negative for EHV-1. One headshaking horse tested positive for a single copy of EHV-1 gene. Conclusions: This study does not support a role for EHV-1 infection and presumed postherpetic pain in the etiopathogenesis of equine headshaking.
Copyright © 2011 by the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine.
Publication Date: 2011-12-23 PubMed ID: 22211434DOI: 10.1111/j.1939-1676.2011.00855.xGoogle Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
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This study investigates whether equine herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1) could be a potential cause of idiopathic headshaking in horses, a condition believed to be due to neuropathic pain. However, the results do not support a significant role of EHV-1 infection in the cause of this condition in horses.
Objective of the Study
- The main goal of this research was to determine if EHV-1 is present in the trigeminal ganglia of horses suffering from idiopathic headshaking. This was investigated since EHV-1 infection and the subsequent postherpetic pain have been suggested as a possible origin of neuropathic pain.
Methods
- The study involved 19 horses divided into two groups: control horses (11 horses) and headshaking horses (8 horses). The horses were chosen from the equine research herd and caseload at the Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital.
- The researchers carried out a prospective study to find out if EHV-1 latency occurred in the trigeminal ganglia of horses with idiopathic headshaking by using real-time PCR detection.
- This detection was based on the glycoprotein B (gB) gene and the DNA polymerase (ORF 30) gene of EHV-1. The absence of detectable late structural protein gene (gB gene) mRNA was noted.
- For the sake of comparison, control horses were analyzed in the same way. The quality of the experiment was maintained by using a housekeeping gene (equine GAPDH) and established positive and negative samples for EHV-1.
Results
- The results revealed that all samples from control horses and seven out of eight from the headshaking horses were negative for EHV-1.
- However, one headshaking horse tested positive for a single copy of the EHV-1 gene.
Conclusion
- Based on these findings, the study concluded that EHV-1 infection and the assumed postherpetic pain do not seem to contribute significantly to the development of equine headshaking. The small sample size and detection of the virus in only one horse did not support the hypothesis that EHV-1 could be a major cause of this condition in horses.
Cite This Article
APA
Aleman M, Pickles KJ, Simonek G, Madigan JE.
(2011).
Latent equine herpesvirus-1 in trigeminal ganglia and equine idiopathic headshaking.
J Vet Intern Med, 26(1), 192-194.
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1939-1676.2011.00855.x Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, University of California, Davis, CA, USA. mraleman@ucdavis.edu
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- DNA, Viral / chemistry
- DNA, Viral / genetics
- Female
- Herpesviridae Infections / pathology
- Herpesviridae Infections / veterinary
- Herpesviridae Infections / virology
- Herpesvirus 1, Equid / genetics
- Herpesvirus 1, Equid / isolation & purification
- Horse Diseases / pathology
- Horse Diseases / virology
- Horses
- Male
- Prospective Studies
- Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction / veterinary
- Trigeminal Ganglion / pathology
- Trigeminal Ganglion / virology
- Virus Latency / physiology
Citations
This article has been cited 8 times.- de la Cuesta-Torrado M, Velloso Alvarez A, Neira-Egea P, Cuervo-Arango J. Long-term performance of show-jumping horses and relationship with severity of ataxia and complications associated with myeloencephalopathy caused by equine herpes virus-1. J Vet Intern Med 2024 May-Jun;38(3):1799-1807.
- Stange LM, Krieter J, Czycholl I. Comparison of the Current Situation of Equine Headshaking Syndrome in France and Switzerland Based on an Online Survey. Animals (Basel) 2022 May 28;12(11).
- Sutton G, Garvey M, Cullinane A, Jourdan M, Fortier C, Moreau P, Foursin M, Gryspeerdt A, Maisonnier V, Marcillaud-Pitel C, Legrand L, Paillot R, Pronost S. Molecular Surveillance of EHV-1 Strains Circulating in France during and after the Major 2009 Outbreak in Normandy Involving Respiratory Infection, Neurological Disorder, and Abortion. Viruses 2019 Oct 4;11(10).
- Roberts V. Trigeminal-mediated headshaking in horses: prevalence, impact, and management strategies. Vet Med (Auckl) 2019;10:1-8.
- Bell C, Hnenny L, Torske K. Internal neurolysis of the maxillary branch of the trigeminal nerve for the treatment of equine trigeminal mediated headshaking syndrome. Can Vet J 2018 Jul;59(7):763-769.
- Roberts VL, Fews D, McNamara JM, Love S. Trigeminal Nerve Root Demyelination Not Seen in Six Horses Diagnosed with Trigeminal-Mediated Headshaking. Front Vet Sci 2017;4:72.
- Abdelgawad A, Damiani A, Ho SY, Strauss G, Szentiks CA, East ML, Osterrieder N, Greenwood AD. Zebra Alphaherpesviruses (EHV-1 and EHV-9): Genetic Diversity, Latency and Co-Infections. Viruses 2016 Sep 20;8(9).
- Aleman M, Rhodes D, Williams DC, Guedes A, Madigan JE. Sensory evoked potentials of the trigeminal nerve for the diagnosis of idiopathic headshaking in a horse. J Vet Intern Med 2014 Jan-Feb;28(1):250-3.
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