Seroprevalence of equine herpesvirus 1 in thoroughbred foals before and after weaning.
Abstract: To investigate the seroprevalence of equine herpesvirus 1 in foals around weaning and after weaning on two large Thoroughbred farms using a type-specific enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to determine exposure to infection. Methods: A longitudinal population study in groups of Thoroughbred weanling foals. Methods: Two hundred weanling Thoroughbred foals from a population of about 380 foals were enrolled on two adjacent stud farms in the Hunter Valley of New South Wales. Foals on both farms were weaned from February to May 1995 into randomly selected groups of 10 to 15 foals. Farms were selected because of their willingness to cooperate in the survey and because their detailed records of foals and their movements. They were representative of well-managed large Thoroughbred stud farms in New South Wales. Both studs had upper respiratory tract disease among weanling foals around weaning each year although the seroprevalence of viral respiratory disease on either farm was not known before the study. Methods: Serum was collected from foals within each group at fortnightly intervals from 9th February until 1st June 1995, and at a single follow-up period in August 1995. Each sample was tested in triplicate using an antibody-detection ELISA which is type-specific for EHV-1 and EHV-4 antibodies. Conclusions: There was serological evidence of EHV-1 infection both before and after weaning. The prevalence of EHV-1 antibody in the sample population increased during the study and individual cases of EHV-1 infection were identified. The increase was caused both by the seroconversion of foals within the groups and by the recruitment into the study of foals with pre-existing EHV-1 antibody. Evidence of EHV-1 infection in Thoroughbred foals after weaning has not been reported previously in Australia and this has implications for vaccination regimens.
Publication Date: 1998-11-27 PubMed ID: 9830568DOI: 10.1111/j.1751-0813.1998.tb12282.xGoogle Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
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The research article explores the presence of equine herpesvirus 1 in Thoroughbred foals, both before and after the weaning process, finding an increase in infection rates during the study period.
Objective and Methodology
- The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of equine herpesvirus 1 (EHV-1) in Thoroughbred foals around and after their weaning period. This was done using a specific enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for detection.
- The study embarked on a longitudinal population study consisting of groups of Thoroughbred weanling foals.
- The research was conducted on two large Thoroughbred farms in the Hunter Valley of New South Wales, comprising around 200 weanling foals out of a total population of about 380. The farms were ideally chosen due to their detailed records of foals and their movements and willingness to participate in the survey.
Weaning and Sample Collection
- Weaning occurred from February to May 1995, and the foals were grouped randomly into batches of 10 to 15.
- Serum samples were collected from the foals in each group at two-week intervals from 9th February until 1st June 1995, and again at a single follow-up period in August 1995. The collected samples were tested in triplicate with a type-specific ELISA designed to detect EHV-1 and EHV-4 antibodies.
Findings and Conclusions
- The research revealed serological evidence of EHV-1 infection in the foals both before and after weaning.
- The prevalence of EHV-1 antibody in the foal sample population increased during the course of the study, with indentification of individual cases of EHV-1 infection.
- The observed increase was attributed to both the seroconversion of foals within the groups and the introduction into the study of foals with pre-existing EHV-1 antibodies.
- The presence of EHV-1 infection in Thoroughbred foals post-weaning had not been previously reported in Australia posing implications for future vaccination regimes.
Cite This Article
APA
Gilkerson JR, Love DN, Drummer HE, Studdert MJ, Whalley JM.
(1998).
Seroprevalence of equine herpesvirus 1 in thoroughbred foals before and after weaning.
Aust Vet J, 76(10), 677-682.
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1751-0813.1998.tb12282.x Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Veterinary Anatomy and Pathology, University of Sydney, New South Wales.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Animals, Newborn
- Antibodies, Viral / blood
- Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / veterinary
- Female
- Herpesviridae Infections / epidemiology
- Herpesviridae Infections / veterinary
- Herpesvirus 1, Equid / immunology
- Horse Diseases / epidemiology
- Horses
- Longitudinal Studies
- New South Wales / epidemiology
- Pregnancy
- Seroepidemiologic Studies
- Weaning
Citations
This article has been cited 1 times.- Brosnahan MM, Damiani A, van de Walle G, Erb H, Perkins GA, Osterrieder N. The effect of siRNA treatment on experimental equine herpesvirus type 1 (EHV-1) infection in horses.. Virus Res 2010 Feb;147(2):176-81.
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