The effect of equine coital exanthema on the fertility of mares covered by stallions exhibiting the clinical disease.

This research article investigates how equine coital exanthema, a disease which causes lesions on the genitals of horses, influences the fertility of female horses (mares) that mate with male horses (stallions) who have this disease. The study found that even when the disease was active in the stallions, it did not prevent conception or end pregnancy in the mares they mated with, indicating that the disease did not impact normal pregnancy rates.

Background and Purpose

• This study aimed to ascertain the effects of equine coital exanthema, a viral disease that causes lesions on the horse’s genitalia, on the fertility of mares.
• There exists insufficient information about the disease’s impact on stallion-to-mare transmission, conception, and the progression of pregnancies. Hence, this study aimed at filling this gap in knowledge.

Nature of the Study

• The researchers conducted their study during two outbreaks of equine coital exanthema.
• They closely monitored mares served by stallions suffering from the disease and took note of whether conception took place or pregnancies were terminated.

Key Findings

• The study discovered that active lesions of coital exanthema in mares did not prevent conception or cause the termination of pregnancies.
• Furthermore, mares displayed normal pregnancy rates even when mated with stallions exhibiting active infection.

Unresolved Issues

• The study did not provide any insights on the disease’s origins or how it spreads among horses.
• Moreover, the study seems to focus on the effects during active infection, and it does not discuss whether there might be long-term impacts on equine fertility after recovery from the disease.