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Home / Equine Research Bank / Vet Med Int / Molecular and Serological Investigation of Equine Herpesviru...
Veterinary medicine international2025; 2025; 1661949; doi: 10.1155/vmi/1661949

Molecular and Serological Investigation of Equine Herpesvirus Type 1 (EHV-1) and Type 4 (EHV-4) in Horses In Ibagué, Tolima.

Abstract: EHV-1 is one of the most prevalent viral pathogens in horses; however, its prevalence is not well defined by cross-reactions of serological tests. Thus, this study aims to determine EHV-1/-4 prevalence in Colombian creole horses from Ibagué, Tolima, using molecular techniques, as well as to determine possible risk factors associated with viral infection. A cross-sectional study was carried out in 110 equines blood, serum, and semen samples from Ibagué, Tolima. Antibodies against EHV-1/-4 were determined through indirect ELISA. EHV-1 was detected by amplifying the glycoprotein H gene through heminested PCR, and risk factors were calculated with chi-square, odds ratio, and fisher test. EHV-1/-4 antibodies were found in 11.8% of the horses. Moreover, the presence of EHV-1 and EHV-4 was determined in blood, serum, and semen of healthy clinical equines, with a prevalence infection in horses of 43.36% for EHV-1 and 2.7% for EHV-4. Sex, age, births number, abortions, natural breeding, and artificial insemination did not show significance as risk factors. This study determined a high prevalence of EHV-1 and low prevalence of EHV-4 in horses from Ibagué, Tolima. Furthermore, the possibility of finding the infectious agent in blood, serum, and semen was demonstrated. We recommend the use of blood and serum samples for virus detection and the development of new studies to assess EHV-1 infection feasibility in venereal transmissions.
Copyright © 2025 Julieth Michel Petano-Duque et al. Veterinary Medicine International published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
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Publication Date: 2025-01-29 PubMed ID: 39949613PubMed Central: PMC11824386DOI: 10.1155/vmi/1661949Google Scholar: Lookup
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  • Journal Article

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 investigates the prevalence of Equine Herpesvirus (EHV-1) and EHV-4, potential risk factors for infection, and the detection of these virus types in blood, serum, and semen samples of horses in Ibagué, Tolima.

Objective and Methodology

  • The main goal of this study is to identify the prevalence of EHV-1 and EHV-4 in horses from Ibagué, Tolima, primarily Colombian creole horses. The study also seeks to identify possible risk factors linked to these viral infections.
  • The team used molecular techniques to detect the herpes viruses. This involved a cross-sectional study of 110 horses, where blood, serum, and semen samples were collected.
  • The presence of antibodies against EHV-1 and EHV-4 was determined through an indirect ELISA test. EHV-1 was detected by amplifying the glycoprotein H gene through heminested PCR(modified PCR technique).
  • The study also looked at various potential risk factors, including the horse’s sex, age, number of births, incidents of abortions, and methods of breeding, and whether these showed any significance in relation to infection.

Results and Findings

  • The results showed the presence of EHV-1/-4 antibodies in approximately 11.8% of the horses.
  • The EHV-1 and EHV-4 were identified in blood, serum, and semen samples of healthy clinical equines. EHV-1 showed a higher prevalence infection rate at 43.36%, whereas EHV-4 had a lower rate at 2.7%.
  • Interestingly, the tested risk factors— such as sex, age, number of births, abortions, natural breeding, and artificial insemination—were not identified as significant for the viral infection. This suggests that other factors not studied here might be contributing to the horses’ susceptibility to these viral infections.

Implications

  • The study established that there is a high prevalence of EHV-1 infection and a lower prevalence of EHV-4, in the studied horse population in Ibagué, Tolima.
  • The authors recommend the use of blood and serum samples for effective virus detection, and they propose that further studies should be conducted to investigate the possibilities of venereal transmission of EHV-1.

Cite This Article

APA
Petano-Duque JM, Urueña-Martinez E, Cabezas-Callejas LL, Perilla-Amaya J, Rueda-García V, Rondón-Barragán IS, Lopera-Vásquez R. (2025). Molecular and Serological Investigation of Equine Herpesvirus Type 1 (EHV-1) and Type 4 (EHV-4) in Horses In Ibagué, Tolima. Vet Med Int, 2025, 1661949. https://doi.org/10.1155/vmi/1661949

Publication

Veterinary medicine international
ISSN: 2090-8113
NlmUniqueID: 101524203
Country: United States
Language: English
Volume: 2025
Pages: 1661949

Researcher Affiliations

Petano-Duque, Julieth Michel
  • Research Group in Immunobiology and Pathogenesis, Laboratory of Immunology and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Zootechnics, Universidad del Tolima, Santa Helena Highs, Ibagué-Tolima 730006299, Colombia.
Urueña-Martinez, Edwin
  • Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Zootechnics, Universidad Cooperativa de Colombia, Ibagué-Tolima, Colombia.
Cabezas-Callejas, Laura Liliana
  • Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Zootechnics, Universidad Cooperativa de Colombia, Ibagué-Tolima, Colombia.
Perilla-Amaya, Jorge
  • Research Group in Immunobiology and Pathogenesis, Laboratory of Immunology and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Zootechnics, Universidad del Tolima, Santa Helena Highs, Ibagué-Tolima 730006299, Colombia.
Rueda-García, Valentina
  • Research Group in Immunobiology and Pathogenesis, Laboratory of Immunology and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Zootechnics, Universidad del Tolima, Santa Helena Highs, Ibagué-Tolima 730006299, Colombia.
Rondón-Barragán, Iang Schroniltgen
  • Research Group in Immunobiology and Pathogenesis, Laboratory of Immunology and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Zootechnics, Universidad del Tolima, Santa Helena Highs, Ibagué-Tolima 730006299, Colombia.
  • Poultry Research Group, Laboratory of Immunology and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Zootechnics, Universidad del Tolima, Santa Helena Highs, Ibagué-Tolima 730006299, Colombia.
Lopera-Vásquez, Ricaurte
  • Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Zootechnics, Universidad Cooperativa de Colombia, Ibagué-Tolima, Colombia.
  • Impronta Research Group, Universidad Cooperativa de Colombia, Ibagué-Tolima, Colombia.

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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