Perinatal foal mortality associated with a herpesvirus.
Abstract: An outbreak of perinatal foal mortality associated with a herpesvirus is described. Twenty two foals either were still-born, or died soon after birth, or were weak and soon developed severe respiratory signs, or were normal at birth and developed respiratory symptoms 18 to 24 hours later. Elevated temperatures, heart and respiratory rates were constant features. The animals were severely leucopaenic, and showed an absolute neutropaenia. At autopsy the lungs were enlarged, and showed varying degrees of aeration and moderate to severe oedema and congestion. Histopathology showed an acute focal necrotising bronchiolitis with the presence of intranuclear eosinophilic inclusion bodies. Herpesvirus was recovered from 9 foals in cell culture and identified by electron microscopy.
Publication Date: 1978-03-01 PubMed ID: 210751DOI: 10.1111/j.1751-0813.1978.tb05512.xGoogle Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
Summary
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The research article describes a perinatal mortality event in foals linked to a herpesvirus infection, with symptoms including severe respiratory issues and high heart and respiratory rates; post-mortem analysis revealed acute focal necrotising bronchiolitis.
Research Background and Study Objectives
- The study focuses on an outbreak of perinatal (occurring around the time of birth) mortality in foals, which was found to be associated with a herpesvirus. This investigation aimed to elucidate more detailed information about the symptoms, disease progression, and potential causes involved in this deadly outbreak.
Presentation of Illness and Symptoms
- A total of 22 foals were affected in the outbreak. These either were stillborn, died shortly after birth, were weak and quickly developed severe respiratory symptoms, or seemed healthy at birth only to develop respiratory symptoms 18 to 24 hours later.
- Common symptoms across all affected foals included elevated temperatures, accelerated heart rates, and increased respiratory rates, indicating significant distress in these animals.
- The condition also resulted in a significant decrease in leucocytes (white blood cells), termed leucopaenia, and a particular type of neutropaenia (low level of neutrophils, a type of white blood cell), indicating an impaired immune response.
Autopsy Findings and Diagnosis
- Post-mortem examinations revealed that the foals’ lungs were enlarged, with varying levels of aeration and moderate to severe oedema (fluid accumulation) and congestion, suggesting severe respiratory disease as a primary cause of death.
- Further histopathological analysis (the microscopic examination of tissue to study disease) revealed an acute focal necrotising bronchiolitis, indicating severe lung tissue damage. Scattered within the lungs were so-called intranuclear eosinophilic inclusion bodies, abnormal cellular structures often seen in viral infections, providing a clue towards the causative agent.
- The hypothesis of a viral cause was confirmed when a herpesvirus was isolated from 9 out of the 22 foals. Cell cultures were used to grow the virus, which was then identified via electron microscopy, a technique that provides high-resolution images of virus structures.
Conclusion and Future Implications
- This study highlights the deadly potential of herpesvirus infections in newborn foals, underscoring the need for early diagnosis, treatment, and potential vaccination strategies to prevent such outbreaks.
Cite This Article
APA
Dixon RJ, Hartley WJ, Hutchins DR, Lepherd EE, Feilen C, Jones RF, Love DN, Sabine M, Wells AL.
(1978).
Perinatal foal mortality associated with a herpesvirus.
Aust Vet J, 54(3), 103-105.
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1751-0813.1978.tb05512.x Publication
Researcher Affiliations
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Animals, Newborn
- Female
- Fetal Death / pathology
- Fetal Death / veterinary
- Herpesviridae Infections / mortality
- Herpesviridae Infections / pathology
- Herpesviridae Infections / veterinary
- Horse Diseases / mortality
- Horse Diseases / pathology
- Horses
- Lung / pathology
- Pregnancy
- Respiratory Tract Infections / mortality
- Respiratory Tract Infections / pathology
- Respiratory Tract Infections / veterinary
Citations
This article has been cited 3 times.- Abas O, Abdo W, Kasem S, Alwazzan A, Saleh AG, Saleh IG, Fukushi H, Yanai T, Haridy M. Time Course-Dependent Study on Equine Herpes Virus 9-Induced Abortion in Syrian Hamsters. Animals (Basel) 2020 Aug 7;10(8).
- Oladunni FS, Horohov DW, Chambers TM. EHV-1: A Constant Threat to the Horse Industry. Front Microbiol 2019;10:2668.
- Crabb BS, MacPherson CM, Reubel GH, Browning GF, Studdert MJ, Drummer HE. A type-specific serological test to distinguish antibodies to equine herpesviruses 4 and 1. Arch Virol 1995;140(2):245-58.
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