Retrospective study on equine viral abortions in Poland between 1999 and 2022.

The research article is about a study conducted to identify the viral causes of miscarriages in mares in Poland from 1999 to 2022, focusing on three viruses – equine herpesvirus types 1 and 4 (EHV-1/-4) and equine arteritis virus (EAV). The study found that EHV-1 was the foremost cause of these abortions.

Research Background and Methodology

• The primary focus of the research is to determine the viral reasons for abortion in mares in Poland, which holds considerable economic and emotional value for horse breeders.
• The researchers gathered tissue samples from 180 aborted foetuses spanning the period from 1999 to 2022.
• The tissue samples were collected from various horse studs across Poland and further tested for the presence of equine herpesvirus types 1 and 4 and equine arteritis virus.
• The diagnostic techniques used for examination included PCR/reverse transcriptase PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) used during 1999-2012, and a quantitative PCR used from 2013-2022.

Research Findings

• Through their investigation, the researchers concluded that EHV-1 was responsible for almost half (49.4%) of the identified cases of mare miscarriages (89 out of 180).
• Interestingly, no miscarriages were found to be caused by EHV-4 or EAV, implying that other unidentified factors could also contribute to pregnancy loss in horses in Poland.
• In terms of geographical distribution, the highest percentage of abortions due to EHV-1 was found in the Lubelskie and Wielkopolskie provinces of Poland.

Conclusion

• The in-depth study indicates that the EHV-1 virus is the principal cause of viral abortions in mares across Poland.
• The findings provide a crucial point of reference for future studies on miscarriages in mares and can guide veterinarians and breeders in predicting and preventing such cases.
• Further research is required to identify other causes – both viral and non-viral – for the remaining cases of miscarriages in mares.