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Viruses2021; 13(9); doi: 10.3390/v13091686

Prevalence of Nasal Shedding of Equid Gammaherpesviruses in Healthy Swiss Horses.

Abstract: Equid Gamma herpesvirus (eGHV) infections have been reported worldwide and may be correlated with clinical signs, e.g., affecting the respiratory tract in young horses. eGHV are shed by healthy horses as well as horses with respiratory tract disease. The prevalence in healthy Swiss horses is unknown to date but this data would provide valuable information for causal diagnosis in clinical cases and formulation of biosecurity recommendations. Nasal swabs from 68 healthy horses from 12 Swiss stables and 2 stables near the Swiss border region in Germany were analyzed by panherpes nested PCR. Positive samples were sequenced. A multivariable model was used to determine if sex, age, breed, canton, or stable had a significant effect on the shedding status of each detected eGHV. Overall, the eGHV prevalence was 59% (n = 68); the prevalence for equid herpesvirus-2 (EHV-2), equid herpesvirus-5 (EHV-5) and asinine herpesvirus-5 (AHV-5) was 38%, 12% and 9%, respectively. Co-infections with multiple eGHVs were observed in 25% of the positive samples. The odds of shedding EHV-2 decreased with age (p = 0.01) whereas the odds of shedding AHV-5 increased with age (p = 0.04). Breed, sex, canton, or stable had no significant association with eGHV shedding. As EHV-2 shedding was common in healthy horses a positive PCR result must be interpreted with caution regarding the formulation of biosecurity recommendations and causal diagnosis. As EHV-5 and AHV-5 shedding was less common than EHV-2, a positive test result is more likely to be of clinical relevance. Shedding of multiple eGHV complicates the interpretation of positive test results in a horse.
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Publication Date: 2021-08-25 PubMed ID: 34578268PubMed Central: PMC8473365DOI: 10.3390/v13091686Google 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.

This research explores the prevalence of Equid Gammaherpesviruses (eGHV) in healthy Swiss horses and concludes that a high percentage of them shed this type of virus. The study also investigates the impact of various factors such as sex, age, breed, canton, and stable on this virus shedding.

Objective of the Study

  • The study aims to determine the prevalence of nasal shedding of eGHV in healthy Swiss horses and its correlation with clinical signs, particularly in the young ones. These viruses have been linked to respiratory diseases in horses.

Research Methodology

  • Nasal swabs from 68 healthy horses from 12 Swiss stables and 2 stables near the Swiss border region in Germany were collected and analyzed.
  • The extracted samples were tested using panherpes nested PCR to detect the presence of eGHVs.
  • Positive samples underwent sequencing for in-depth analysis.
  • The researchers employed a multivariable model to ascertain if sex, age, breed, canton, or stable had any significant effect on the shedding status of each detected eGHV.

Research Findings

  • The overall eGHV prevalence found was 59%. The prevalence for equid herpesvirus-2 (EHV-2), equid herpesvirus-5 (EHV-5) and asinine herpesvirus-5 (AHV-5) was 38%, 12% and 9% respectively.
  • Co-infections with multiple eGHVs were observed in 25% of the positive samples.
  • Age was found to be significant in eGHV shedding, with the odds of shedding EHV-2 decreasing with age. On the other hand, the odds of shedding AHV-5 increased with age.
  • No significant associations were found between eGHV shedding and breed, sex, canton, or stable of the horse.

Implications of the Study

  • In light of the common shedding of EHV-2 in healthy horses, it suggests that a positive PCR result must be interpreted cautiously when making biosecurity recommendations and causal diagnoses.
  • As the shedding of EHV-5 and AHV-5 was found to be less common than EHV-2, a positive test result is more likely to be clinically relevant.
  • Shedding of more than one eGHV confuses the interpretation of positive test results in a horse, suggesting the need for a more precise testing and interpretation approach.

Cite This Article

APA
Scheurer L, Bachofen C, Hardmeier I, Lechmann J, Schoster A. (2021). Prevalence of Nasal Shedding of Equid Gammaherpesviruses in Healthy Swiss Horses. Viruses, 13(9). https://doi.org/10.3390/v13091686

Publication

Viruses
ISSN: 1999-4915
NlmUniqueID: 101509722
Country: Switzerland
Language: English
Volume: 13
Issue: 9

Researcher Affiliations

Scheurer, Laura
  • Klinik für Pferdemedizin, Departement für Pferde, Vetsuisse Fakultät Zürich, Winterthurerstrasse 260, 8057 Zürich, Switzerland.
Bachofen, Claudia
  • Institut für Virologie, Vetsuisse Fakultät Zürich, Winterthurerstrasse 266a, 8057 Zürich, Switzerland.
Hardmeier, Isabelle
  • Klinik für Pferdemedizin, Departement für Pferde, Vetsuisse Fakultät Zürich, Winterthurerstrasse 260, 8057 Zürich, Switzerland.
Lechmann, Julia
  • Institut für Virologie, Vetsuisse Fakultät Zürich, Winterthurerstrasse 266a, 8057 Zürich, Switzerland.
Schoster, Angelika
  • Klinik für Pferdemedizin, Departement für Pferde, Vetsuisse Fakultät Zürich, Winterthurerstrasse 260, 8057 Zürich, Switzerland.

MeSH Terms

  • Animals
  • Antibodies, Viral / blood
  • DNA, Viral / genetics
  • Female
  • Gammaherpesvirinae / isolation & purification
  • Gammaherpesvirinae / physiology
  • Germany / epidemiology
  • Herpesvirus 1, Equid / classification
  • Herpesvirus 1, Equid / genetics
  • Herpesvirus 1, Equid / isolation & purification
  • Herpesvirus 1, Equid / physiology
  • Horse Diseases / epidemiology
  • Horse Diseases / virology
  • Horses
  • Male
  • Nose / virology
  • Respiratory Tract Diseases / epidemiology
  • Respiratory Tract Diseases / veterinary
  • Respiratory Tract Diseases / virology
  • Switzerland / epidemiology
  • Viremia
  • Virus Shedding

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors report no conflicts of interest in the present work.

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