Prevalence of equine herpesvirus-1 infection among Thoroughbreds residing on a farm on which the virus was endemic.
Abstract: To determine the incidence of equine herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1) infection among Thoroughbreds residing on a farm on which the virus was known to be endemic. Methods: Prospective cohort study. Methods: 10 nonpregnant mares, 8 stallions, 16 weanlings, 11 racehorses, and 30 pregnant mares and their foals born during the 2006 foaling season. Methods: Blood and nasopharygeal swab samples were collected every 3 to 5 weeks for 9 months, and placenta and colostrum samples were collected at foaling. All samples were submitted for testing for EHV-1 DNA with a PCR assay. A type-specific EHV-1 ELISA was used to determine antibody titers in mares and foals at birth, 12 to 24 hours after birth, and every 3 to 5 weeks thereafter. Results: Results of the PCR assay were positive for only 4 of the 1,330 samples collected (590 blood samples, 590 nasopharyngeal swab samples, 30 placentas, and 30 colostrum samples), with EHV-1 DNA detected in nasal secretions from 3 horses (pregnant mare, stallion, and racehorse) and in the placenta from 1 mare. Seroconversion was detected in 3 of 27 foals during the first month of life. Conclusions: Results suggested that there was a low prevalence of EHV-1 infection among this population of Thoroughbreds even though the virus was known to be endemic on the farm and that pregnant mares could become infected without aborting. Analysis of nasopharyngeal swab samples appeared to be more sensitive than analysis of blood samples for detection of EHV-1 DNA.
Publication Date: 2007-08-19 PubMed ID: 17696859DOI: 10.2460/javma.231.4.577Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
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This study explores the incidence of equine herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1) infection among Thoroughbreds on a farm known to be affected by this virus. Despite the known prevalence, it was found that the rate of EHV-1 infection was relatively low in the evaluated population.
Methods:
- To assess the EHV-1 infection rate, the study focused on a variety of Thoroughbreds including 10 nonpregnant mares, 8 stallions, 16 weanlings, 11 racehorses, and 30 pregnant mares, and their foals born during the 2006 foaling season.
- Blood and nasopharyngeal swab samples were collected from these animals at intervals of 3 to 5 weeks over a span of 9 months. Moreover, placenta and colostrum samples were collected at the time of foaling.
- All collected samples were tested for EHV-1 DNA using a PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) assay. To ascertain antibody titers, a type-specific EHV-1 ELISA (Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay) was utilized for mares and foals at birth, 12 to 24 hours after birth, and every 3 to 5 weeks after that.
Results:
- Out of the 1,330 samples collected, the PCR assay gave a positive result for only four samples. EHV-1 DNA was detected in nasal secretions from a pregnant mare, a stallion, a racehorse, and in the placenta from one mare.
- During the first month of life, seroconversion was detected in 3 out of 27 foals. Seroconversion here refers to the development of detectable antibodies in the blood directed against an infecting agent.
Conclusion:
- The study concluded that even though the virus was endemic or prevalent on the farm, the Thoroughbreds exhibited a low prevalence of EHV-1 infection.
- It was also observed that pregnant mares could contract the infection without necessarily undergoing abortion. This also indicates that an EHV-1 infection might not always result in noticeable disease signs
- The analysis indicated that nasopharyngeal swab samples might be more sensitive than blood samples for detecting EHV-1 DNA. This could potentially be an integral part of refining testing protocols for this infection.
Cite This Article
APA
Brown JA, Mapes S, Ball BA, Hodder AD, Liu IK, Pusterla N.
(2007).
Prevalence of equine herpesvirus-1 infection among Thoroughbreds residing on a farm on which the virus was endemic.
J Am Vet Med Assoc, 231(4), 577-580.
https://doi.org/10.2460/javma.231.4.577 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA.
MeSH Terms
- Abortion, Veterinary / epidemiology
- Animals
- Animals, Newborn
- Cohort Studies
- DNA, Viral / analysis
- Female
- Herpesviridae Infections / epidemiology
- Herpesviridae Infections / transmission
- Herpesviridae Infections / veterinary
- Herpesvirus 1, Equid / isolation & purification
- Horse Diseases / epidemiology
- Horse Diseases / transmission
- Horses
- Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical / veterinary
- Male
- Nasopharynx / virology
- Polymerase Chain Reaction / methods
- Polymerase Chain Reaction / veterinary
- Pregnancy
- Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / epidemiology
- Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / veterinary
- Prevalence
- Prospective Studies
Citations
This article has been cited 4 times.- Nielsen SS, Alvarez J, Bicout DJ, Calistri P, Canali E, Drewe JA, Garin-Bastuji B, Gonzales Rojas JL, Gortázar C, Herskin M, Michel V, Miranda Chueca MÁ, Roberts HC, Padalino B, Pasquali P, Spoolder H, Ståhl K, Calvo AV, Viltrop A, Winckler C, Carvelli A, Paillot R, Broglia A, Kohnle L, Baldinelli F, Van der Stede Y. Assessment of listing and categorisation of animal diseases within the framework of the Animal Health Law (Regulation (EU) No 2016/429): infection with Equine Herpesvirus-1.. EFSA J 2022 Jan;20(1):e07036.
- El-Hage C, Mekuria Z, Dynon K, Hartley C, McBride K, Gilkerson J. Association of Equine Herpesvirus 5 with Mild Respiratory Disease in a Survey of EHV1, -2, -4 and -5 in 407 Australian Horses.. Animals (Basel) 2021 Nov 30;11(12).
- Brown LJ, Brown G, Kydd J, Stout TAE, Schulman ML. Failure to detect equid herpesvirus types 1 and 4 DNA in placentae and healthy new-born Thoroughbred foals.. J S Afr Vet Assoc 2019 May 30;90(0):e1-e5.
- Schulman M, Becker A, Ganswindt S, Guthrie A, Stout T, Ganswindt A. The effect of consignment to broodmare sales on physiological stress measured by faecal glucocorticoid metabolites in pregnant Thoroughbred mares.. BMC Vet Res 2014 Jan 17;10:25.
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