The detection of African horse sickness virus antigens and antibodies in young Equidae.
Abstract: Four ponies were each inoculated with a different serotype of African horse sickness virus (AHSV) which had been passaged through cell culture in order to achieve attenuation. Three of the ponies died suddenly after showing mild clinical signs, the fourth pony remained clinically normal and was killed at day 38. Infectious AHSV was isolated from blood samples collected at intervals from all four ponies. Positive antigen ELISA reactions were only observed with blood samples from two of the ponies on the two days preceding death. Specific AHSV antibodies were detected by ELISA in serum samples from the other two ponies although one eventually died. African horse sickness viral antigens were detected by ELISA in post-mortem tissue samples collected from all four ponies. No infectious virus could be detected in tissue samples taken post-mortem from the pony which survived African horse sickness (AHS) infection. In the event of a suspected outbreak of AHS it is recommended that sera and heparinized blood should be tested for specific antibodies and AHSV antigen respectively. When available, post-mortem tissues, including spleen, heart, lung and liver, should also be tested for AHSV antigen. Although the ELISA used for the detection of AHSV antigen is highly sensitive and specific, negative ELISA results should be confirmed by virus isolation attempts.
Publication Date: 1992-02-01 PubMed ID: 1547837PubMed Central: PMC2272180DOI: 10.1017/s0950268800049645Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary
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The research article discusses a study conducted on four ponies who were inoculated with different types of the African horse sickness virus to monitor the detection of the virus’ antigen and antibodies.
Research Procedure
- The study involved four ponies who were each inoculated with a different serotype of the African horse sickness virus (AHSV). The virus used had been passaged through cell culture for attenuation.
- Three out of the four ponies died suddenly after exhibiting mild clinical signs. They were able to isolate the AHSV virus from the blood samples collected from all four ponies at different intervals.
- On the other hand, a positive antigen ELISA reaction, a technique used to measure immunological substances, was observed in only two out of the four ponies. And it was observed on the days just before the ponies died.
- Specific AHSV antibodies were located in the serum samples from two ponies. Despite this, one of the ponies still died.
Post-Mortem Results
- After all four ponies died, a post-mortem was conducted in which tissue samples were collected from the ponies. The African horse sickness viral antigens were detected in the post-mortem tissue samples.
- However, no infectious viruses could be established in the tissue samples taken from the pony that survived the AHSV infection.
Recommendations
- For potential cases of AHS, the researchers suggest the need to test both sera (the clear liquid that separates when blood coagulates) and heparinized blood for specific antibodies and AHSV antigen respectively.
- In addition, if possible, post-mortem tissues, including the spleen, heart, lung, and liver should have AHSV antigens tested.
- The study also underlines that though the ELISA test used for detecting AHSV antigen is both highly specific and sensitive, any negative ELISA results should be confirmed by virus isolation attempts.
Cite This Article
APA
Hamblin C, Anderson EC, Mellor PS, Graham SD, Mertens PP, Burroughs JN.
(1992).
The detection of African horse sickness virus antigens and antibodies in young Equidae.
Epidemiol Infect, 108(1), 193-201.
https://doi.org/10.1017/s0950268800049645 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Virus Diagnosis, AFRC Institute for Animal Health, Pirbright Laboratory, Woking, Surrey.
MeSH Terms
- African Horse Sickness / immunology
- African Horse Sickness Virus / immunology
- Animals
- Antibodies, Viral / blood
- Antigens, Viral / blood
- Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
- Horses
References
This article includes 3 references
- J Virol Methods. 1991 Feb-Mar;31(2-3):285-92
- Epidemiol Infect. 1990 Oct;105(2):447-54
- Epidemiol Infect. 1990 Apr;104(2):303-12
Citations
This article has been cited 4 times.- Mashin VV, Sergeev AN, Martynova NN, Sergeev AA, Lys'ko KA, Raikov AO, Kataeva VV, Zagidullin NV. Viral Safety Issues in the Production and Manufacturing of Human Immunoglobulin Preparations from Equine Plasma/Serum. Pharm Chem J 2022;56(4):532-537.
- Nielsen SS, Alvarez J, Bicout DJ, Calistri P, Depner K, Drewe JA, Garin-Bastuji B, Gonzales Rojas JL, Gortázar Schmidt C, Herskin M, Michel V, Miranda Chueca MÁ, Pasquali P, Roberts HC, Sihvonen LH, Spoolder H, Ståhl K, Velarde A, Viltrop A, Winckler C, De Clercq K, Klement E, Stegeman JA, Gubbins S, Antoniou SE, Broglia A, Van der Stede Y, Zancanaro G, Aznar I. Scientific Opinion on the assessment of the control measures of the category A diseases of Animal Health Law: African Horse Sickness. EFSA J 2021 Feb;19(2):e06403.
- Gordon SJG, Bolwell C, Rogers CW, Musuka G, Kelly P, Guthrie A, Mellor PS, Hamblin C. A serosurvey of bluetongue and epizootic haemorrhagic disease in a convenience sample of sheep and cattle herds in Zimbabwe. Onderstepoort J Vet Res 2017 Nov 14;84(1):e1-e5.
- Gordon SJG, Bolwell C, Rogers CW, Musuka G, Kelly P, Guthrie A, Mellor PS, Hamblin C. The sero-prevalence and sero-incidence of African horse sickness and equine encephalosis in selected horse and donkey populations in Zimbabwe. Onderstepoort J Vet Res 2017 May 10;84(1):e1-e5.
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