FREE SHIPPING over $40
OVER 10000 FIVE-STAR REVIEWS
5% OFF ALL SUBSCRIPTIONS
100% HAPPINESS GUARANTEE
Analyze Diet
0
Journal of veterinary research2023; 67(2); 155-160; doi: 10.2478/jvetres-2023-0019

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

Abstract: Loss of pregnancy in mares is a major cause of economic and emotional impact for horse breeders. It can have many different infectious and noninfectious causes. The aim of this study was identification of the main viral causes of abortion in mares in Poland based on tissue samples from 180 aborted foetuses submitted for testing between 1999 and 2022. Unassigned: Tissues of aborted foetuses collected from different horse studs throughout Poland were tested for the presence of equine herpesvirus types 1 and 4 (EHV-1/-4) and if negative, for equine arteritis virus (EAV). The examination was performed using a PCR/reverse transcriptase PCR (1999-2012) and a quantitative PCR (2013-2022). Unassigned: The cause of abortion was determined to be EHV-1 in 49.4% of cases (n = 89), whereas no EHV-4- or EAV-positive cases were found. The proportion of abortions due to EHV-1 differed between regions, with the highest percentage in the Lubelskie and Wielkopolskie provinces. Unassigned: The results of the study indicate that EHV-1 is the most important viral infectious agent causing abortions in mares in Poland.
© 2023 Karol Stasiak et al., published by Sciendo.
Get Full Text
Publication Date: 2023-06-16 PubMed ID: 38143823PubMed Central: PMC10740322DOI: 10.2478/jvetres-2023-0019Google Scholar: Lookup
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.
LinkedInCopy
  • 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.

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.

Cite This Article

APA
Stasiak K, Socha W, Rola J. (2023). Retrospective study on equine viral abortions in Poland between 1999 and 2022. J Vet Res, 67(2), 155-160. https://doi.org/10.2478/jvetres-2023-0019

Publication

Journal of veterinary research
ISSN: 2450-7393
NlmUniqueID: 101696630
Country: Poland
Language: English
Volume: 67
Issue: 2
Pages: 155-160

Researcher Affiliations

Stasiak, Karol
  • Department of Virology, National Veterinary Research Institute, 24-100 Puławy, Puławy, Poland.
Socha, Wojciech
  • Department of Virology, National Veterinary Research Institute, 24-100 Puławy, Puławy, Poland.
Rola, Jerzy
  • Department of Virology, National Veterinary Research Institute, 24-100 Puławy, Puławy, Poland.

Conflict of Interest Statement

Conflict of Interests Statement: The authors declare that there is no conflict of interests regarding the publication of this article.

References

This article includes 33 references
  1. Agerholm JS, Klas EM, Damborg P, Borel N, Pedersen HG, Christoffersen M. A Diagnostic Survey of Aborted Equine Fetuses and Stillborn Premature Foals in Denmark. Front Vet Sci 2021;8:1.
    doi: 10.3389/fvets.2021.740621pmc: PMC8631530pubmed: 34859085google scholar: lookup
  2. Allen GP. Antemortem detection of latent infection with neuropathogenic strains of equine herpesvirus-1 in horses. Am J Vet Res 2006;67:1401.
    doi: 10.2460/ajvr.67.8.1401pubmed: 16881853google scholar: lookup
  3. Balasuriya UB, Go YY, MacLachlan NJ. Equine arteritis virus. Vet Microbiol 2013;167:93.
    doi: 10.1016/j.vetmic.2013.06.015pmc: PMC7126873pubmed: 23891306google scholar: lookup
  4. Balasuriya UB, Leutenegger CM, Topol JB, McCollum WH, Timoney PJ, MacLachlan NJ. Detection of equine arteritis virus by real-time TaqMan® reverse transcription-PCR assay. J Virol Methods 2002;101:21.
    doi: 10.1016/S0166-0934(01)00416-5pubmed: 11849680google scholar: lookup
  5. Bażanów BA, Frącka AB, Jackulak NA, Staroniewicz ZM, Ploch SM. A 34-year retrospective study of equine viral abortion in Poland. Pol J Vet Sci 2014;17:607.
    doi: 10.2478/pjvs-2014-0091pubmed: 25638974google scholar: lookup
  6. Bażanów BA, Jackulak NA, Frącka AB, Staroniewicz ZM. Abortogenic viruses in horses. Equine Vet Educ 2014;26:48.
    doi: 10.1111/eve.12084google scholar: lookup
  7. Belák S, Ballagi-Pordány A, Timoney PJ, McCollum WH, Little TV, Hyllseth B, Klingeborn B. Evaluation of a nested PCR assay for the detection of equine arteritis virus. Proceedings of the 8th International Conference on Equine Infectious Diseases 1994;pp. 33–38.
  8. Coignoul FL, Cheville NF. Pathology of maternal genital tract, placenta, and fetus in equine viral arteritis. Vet Pathol 1984;21:333.
    doi: 10.1177/030098588402100311pubmed: 6328724google scholar: lookup
  9. Diallo IS, Hewitson G, Wright LL, Kelly MA, Rodwell BJ, Corney BG. Multiplex real-time PCR for the detection and differentiation of equid herpesvirus 1 (EHV-1) and equid herpesvirus 4 (EHV-4). Vet Microbiol 2007;123:93.
    doi: 10.1016/j.vetmic.2007.02.004pubmed: 17346907google scholar: lookup
  10. Dunowska M. A review of equid herpesvirus 1 for the veterinary practitioner. Part A: Clinical presentation, diagnosis and treatment. N Z Vet J 2014;62:171.
    doi: 10.1080/00480169.2014.899945pubmed: 24597778google scholar: lookup
  11. Goehring LS, Wagner B, Bigbie R, Hussey SB, Rao S, Morley PS, Lunn DP. Control of EHV-1 viremia and nasal shedding by commercial vaccines. Vaccine 2010;28:5203.
    doi: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2010.05.065pubmed: 20538091google scholar: lookup
  12. Hong CB, Donahue JM, Giles RC Jr, Petrites-Murphy MB, Poonacha KB, Roberts AW, Smith BJ, Tramontin RR, Tuttle PA, Swerczek TW. Equine abortion and stillbirth in central Kentucky during 1988 and 1989 foaling seasons. J Vet Diagn Invest 1993;5:560.
    doi: 10.1177/104063879300500410pubmed: 8286455google scholar: lookup
  13. Kirisawa R, Endo A, Iwai H, Kawakami Y. Detection and identification of herpesvirus-1 and -4 by polymerase chain reaction. Vet Microbiol 1993;36:57.
    doi: 10.1016/0378-1135(93)90128-tpubmed: 8236780google scholar: lookup
  14. Kydd JH, Townsend HG, Hannant D. The equine immune response to equine herpesvirus-1: the virus and its vaccines. Vet Immunol Immunopathol 2006;111:15.
    doi: 10.1016/j.vetimm.2006.01.005pubmed: 16476492google scholar: lookup
  15. Laugier C, Foucher N, Sevin C, Leon A, Tapprest J. A 24-Year Retrospective Study of Equine Abortion in Normandy (France). J Equine Vet Sci 2011;31:116.
    doi: 10.1016/j.jevs.2010.12.012google scholar: lookup
  16. MacLachlan NJ, Conley AJ, Kennedy PC. Bluetongue and equine viral arteritis viruses as models of virus-induced fetal injury and abortion. Anim Reprod Sci 2000;60:643.
    doi: 10.1016/S0378-4320(00)00105-6pubmed: 10844231google scholar: lookup
  17. Macleay CM, Carrick J, Shearer P, Begg A, Stewart M, Heller J, Chicken C, Brookes VJ. A Scoping Review of the Global Distribution of Causes and Syndromes Associated with Mid-to Late-Term Pregnancy Loss in Horses between 1960 and 2020. Vet Sci 2022;9:186.
    doi: 10.3390/vetsci9040186pmc: PMC9032147pubmed: 35448683google scholar: lookup
  18. Mahmoud HY, Fouad SS, Amin YA. Review of two viral agents of economic importance to the equine industry (equine herpesvirus-1, and equine arteritis virus). Equine Vet Educ 2022;35:92.
    doi: 10.1111/eve.13649google scholar: lookup
  19. Marenzoni ML, Lepri E, Casagrande Proietti P, Bietta A, Coletti M, Timoney PJ, Passamonti F. Causes of equine abortion, stillbirth and neonatal death in central Italy. Vet Rec 2012;170:262.
    doi: 10.1136/vr.100551pubmed: 22368162google scholar: lookup
  20. Murase H, Miyazawa M, Harada T, Ozawa M, Sato F, Hada T. Aborted fetal sizes of Thoroughbred horses in Hidaka, Japan, between 2005 and 2015. J Equine Sci 2017;28:47.
    doi: 10.1294/jes.28.47pmc: PMC5506449pubmed: 28721123google scholar: lookup
  21. Ricard RM, St-Jean G, Duizer G, Atwal H, Wobeser BK. A 13-year retrospective study of equine abortions in Canada. Can Vet J 2022;63:715.
    pmc: PMC9207963pubmed: 35784776
  22. Sabine M, Robertson GR, Whalley JM. Differentiation of subtypes of equine herpesvirus I by restriction endonuclease analysis. Aust Vet J 1981;57:148.
    doi: 10.1111/j.1751-0813.1981.tb00495.xpubmed: 6266385google scholar: lookup
  23. Slater J. Equine herpesviruses. Equine Infectious Diseases 2014;pp. 151–168.
  24. Slater JD, Borchers K, Thackray AM, Field HJ. The trigeminal ganglion is a location for equine herpesvirus 1 latency and reactivation in the horse. J Gen Virol 1994;75:2007.
    doi: 10.1099/0022-1317-75-8-2007pubmed: 8046404google scholar: lookup
  25. Smith KC, Blunden AS, Whitwell KE, Dunn KA, Wales AD. A survey of equine abortion, stillbirth and neonatal death in the UK from 1988 to 1997. Equine Vet J 2003;35:496.
    doi: 10.2746/042516403775600578pubmed: 12875329google scholar: lookup
  26. Socha W, Sztromwasser P, Dunowska M, Jaklinska B, Rola J. Spread of equine arteritis virus among Hucul horses with different EqCXCL16 genotypes and analysis of viral quasispecies from semen of selected stallions. Sci Rep 2020;10:1.
    doi: 10.1038/s41598-020-59870-ypmc: PMC7031528pubmed: 32076048google scholar: lookup
  27. Stasiak K, Dunowska M, Rola J. Outbreak of equid herpesvirus 1 abortions at the Arabian stud in Poland. BMC Vet Res 2020;16:1.
    doi: 10.1186/s12917-020-02586-ypmc: PMC7539464pubmed: 33023592google scholar: lookup
  28. Stasiak K, Rola J, Ploszay G, Socha W, Zmudzinski JF. Detection of the neuropathogenic variant of equine herpesvirus 1 associated with abortions in mares in Poland. BMC Vet Res 2015;11:102.
    doi: 10.1186/s12917-015-0416-7pmc: PMC4416348pubmed: 25929692google scholar: lookup
  29. Surma-Kurusiewicz K, Winiarczyk S, Adaszek Ł. Comparative analysis of ORF5 nucleotide sequences and amino acid sequences of the GP5 protein of equine arteritis virus (EAV) detected in the semen of stallions from Eastern Poland. Res Vet Sci 2013;94:361.
    doi: 10.1016/j.rvsc.2012.09.017pubmed: 23116636google scholar: lookup
  30. Szeredi L, Tenk M, Jánosi S, Pálfi V, Hotzel H, Sachse K, Pospischil A, Bozsó M, Glávits R, Molnár T. A survey of equine abortion and perinatal foal losses in Hungary during a three-year period (1998–2000). Acta Vet Hung 2008;56:353.
    doi: 10.1556/AVet.56.2008.3.9pubmed: 18828487google scholar: lookup
  31. Tengelsen LA, Yamini B, Mullaney TP, Bell TG, Render JA, Patterson JS, Steficek BA, Fitzgerald SD, Kennedy FA, Slanker MR, Ramos-Vara JA. A 12-year retrospective study of equine abortion in Michigan. J Vet Diagn Invest 1997;9:303.
    doi: 10.1177/104063879700900312pubmed: 9249170google scholar: lookup
  32. Wada R, Fukunaga Y, Kanemaru T, Kondo T. Histopathological and immunofluorescent studies on transplacental infection in experimentally induced abortion by equine arteritis virus. J Vet Med B 1996;43:65.
    doi: 10.1111/j.1439-0450.1996.tb00290.xpubmed: 8693844google scholar: lookup
  33. Żychska M, Rakowska A, Bereznowski A, Witkowski L. Equine viral arteritis (EVA) (in Polish). Życie Wet 2019;94:607.

Citations

This article has been cited 1 times.
  1. Li L, Li S, Ma H, Akhtar MF, Tan Y, Wang T, Liu W, Khan A, Khan MZ, Wang C. An Overview of Infectious and Non-Infectious Causes of Pregnancy Losses in Equine. Animals (Basel) 2024 Jul 2;14(13).
    doi: 10.3390/ani14131961pubmed: 38998073google scholar: lookup
Subscribe to our newsletter
Join 99,850 horse owners like you who receive our email updates on horse health and nutrition.