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Molecular testing for equine herpesviruses 1 (EHV-1) in healthy postpartum broodmares.
Abstract: Our objective was to determine whether equine herpesviruses 1 (EHV-1) viral nucleic acids could be detected immediately after foaling from nasal and vaginal swabs, whole blood, and placental tissue of healthy mares. Unassigned: Nasal and vaginal swabs, EDTA blood, and placental tissue (296 samples) were collected from 74 clinically healthy postpartum broodmares within 24 h after giving birth to live, clinically healthy foals. All samples were tested (PCR) for nucleic acids of neuropathogenic and non-neuropathogenic strains of EHV-1, and all were negative. Unassigned: As EHV-1 was not detected in the immediate postpartum period in healthy mares with uncomplicated foaling, we inferred that EHV-1-positive samples from aborting mares and/or EHV-1 detection in fetal membranes indicate EHV-1-associated abortion. Tests moléculaires pour l’herpèsvirus équin 1 (EHV-1) chez des juments poulinières post-partum en bonne santé. Unassigned: Notre objectif était de déterminer si les acides nucléiques viraux de l’herpèsvirus équin 1 (EHV-1) pouvaient être détectés immédiatement après la mise bas à partir de prélèvements nasaux et vaginaux, de sang total et de tissus placentaires de juments saines. Unassigned: Des écouvillons nasaux et vaginaux, du sang EDTA et du tissu placentaire (296 échantillons) ont été prélevés sur 74 juments poulinières post-partum cliniquement saines dans les 24 heures suivant la naissance de poulains vivants et cliniquement sains. Tous les échantillons ont été testés (PCR) pour les acides nucléiques des souches neuropathogènes et non-neuropathogènes de l’EHV-1, et tous se sont révélés négatifs. Unassigned: Comme l’EHV-1 n’a pas été détecté dans la période post-partum immédiate chez des juments en bonne santé avec un poulinage sans complication, nous avons déduit que les échantillons positifs pour l’EHV-1 provenant de juments qui ont avorté et/ou la détection de l’EHV-1 dans les membranes foetales indiquent un avortement associé à l’EHV-1.(Traduit par D Serge Messier).
Copyright and/or publishing rights held by the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association.
Publication Date: 2024-08-02 PubMed ID: 39091477PubMed Central: PMC11265812 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
Summary
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Overview
- This study investigated whether equine herpesvirus 1 (EHV-1) viral DNA can be detected in healthy broodmares immediately after giving birth.
- Researchers collected and tested various biological samples from postpartum mares and found no evidence of EHV-1 presence, suggesting that detection of EHV-1 is associated mainly with cases involving abortion or disease.
Background and Objective
- Equine herpesvirus 1 (EHV-1) is an important viral pathogen in horses that can cause respiratory disease, abortion, and neurological disorders.
- The study aimed to detect EHV-1 viral nucleic acids in healthy broodmares within 24 hours after normal foaling to understand if the virus is commonly present during the immediate postpartum period in clinically healthy mares.
- Determining the presence of EHV-1 helps to differentiate between normal viral carriage and virus-associated disease conditions, especially abortion.
Methods
- Samples were collected from 74 clinically healthy postpartum broodmares within 24 hours after they gave birth to live and healthy foals.
- A total of 296 samples included nasal swabs, vaginal swabs, EDTA whole blood samples, and placental tissue.
- Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) testing was used to detect nucleic acids from both neuropathogenic and non-neuropathogenic strains of EHV-1 in these samples.
Results
- All 296 samples tested negative for EHV-1 DNA, indicating no viral shedding or presence in the tested tissues of healthy postpartum mares.
- No difference was seen between types of samples; neither nasal, vaginal, blood, nor placental tissues contained EHV-1 genetic material.
Conclusions and Implications
- The absence of EHV-1 in samples from healthy mares after normal foaling implies that EHV-1 is not commonly present or shed immediately postpartum in uncomplicated cases.
- Therefore, detection of EHV-1 in mares experiencing abortion or finding EHV-1 in fetal membranes is likely indicative of EHV-1-associated abortion rather than incidental virus presence.
- This finding supports the diagnostic significance of testing for EHV-1 in abortions and may help veterinarians rule out EHV-1 infection in healthy postpartum broodmares without clinical signs.
- Overall, the study provides evidence against routine EHV-1 screening in healthy mares immediately after foaling unless abortion or disease is suspected.
Cite This Article
APA
Arroyo LG, Gomez DE, Moore A, Papapetrou M, Lillie BN.
(2024).
Molecular testing for equine herpesviruses 1 (EHV-1) in healthy postpartum broodmares.
Can Vet J, 65(8), 813-816.
Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Departments of Clinical Studies (Arroyo, Gomez) and Pathobiology (Papapetrou, Lillie), Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, Ontario N1G 2W1; Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, 5th Floor NW, 1 Stone Road West, Guelph, Ontario N1G 4Y2 (Moore).
- Departments of Clinical Studies (Arroyo, Gomez) and Pathobiology (Papapetrou, Lillie), Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, Ontario N1G 2W1; Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, 5th Floor NW, 1 Stone Road West, Guelph, Ontario N1G 4Y2 (Moore).
- Departments of Clinical Studies (Arroyo, Gomez) and Pathobiology (Papapetrou, Lillie), Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, Ontario N1G 2W1; Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, 5th Floor NW, 1 Stone Road West, Guelph, Ontario N1G 4Y2 (Moore).
- Departments of Clinical Studies (Arroyo, Gomez) and Pathobiology (Papapetrou, Lillie), Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, Ontario N1G 2W1; Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, 5th Floor NW, 1 Stone Road West, Guelph, Ontario N1G 4Y2 (Moore).
- Departments of Clinical Studies (Arroyo, Gomez) and Pathobiology (Papapetrou, Lillie), Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, Ontario N1G 2W1; Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, 5th Floor NW, 1 Stone Road West, Guelph, Ontario N1G 4Y2 (Moore).
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Horses
- Herpesvirus 1, Equid / isolation & purification
- Female
- Horse Diseases / virology
- Horse Diseases / diagnosis
- Herpesviridae Infections / veterinary
- Herpesviridae Infections / virology
- Herpesviridae Infections / diagnosis
- Pregnancy
- Postpartum Period
- Placenta / virology
- Vagina / virology
- Abortion, Veterinary / virology
- DNA, Viral / analysis
- DNA, Viral / isolation & purification
- Polymerase Chain Reaction / veterinary
References
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