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Viral testing of 10 cases of Theiler’s disease and 37 in-contact horses in the absence of equine biologic product administration: A prospective study (2014-2018).
Abstract: A novel equine parvovirus (EqPV-H) was recently discovered in the equine liver with Theiler's disease. Objective: To determine the prevalence of EqPV-H infection in naturally occurring Theiler's disease cases and in-contact horses in the absence of historical equine biologic product administration. Methods: Ten cases of Theiler's disease from 6 separate properties were included in the study, based on the criteria of acute onset of clinical signs of liver failure with laboratory or histopathologic findings characteristic of Theiler's disease and no history of receiving an equine biologic product within the preceding 4 months. In addition, 37 in-contact horses from 4 of the 6 properties were screened for EqPV-H infection and hepatitis. Methods: In prospective case series, cases were diagnosed with Theiler's disease by the attending veterinarian and were tested for EqPV-H by PCR of liver or serum. In-contact horses were assessed via serum chemistry and PCR at the attending veterinarian's discretion. Hepatitis was defined as serum gamma-glutamyltransferase activity above reference interval. The association of EqPV-H with hepatitis was determined by Fisher's exact test. Results: Nine of 10 (90%) Theiler's disease cases and 54% of tested in-contact horses were EqPV-H positive. Hepatitis was significantly associated with EqPV-H infection (P = .036). Conclusions: Although further study is required to identify EqPV-H as the causative agent of Theiler's disease, EqPV-H appears strongly associated with cases of fatal Theiler's disease and subclinical hepatitis in horses in contact with those cases. The prevalence of EqPV-H infection on affected properties can be high.
© 2018 The Authors. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine.
Publication Date: 2018-12-06 PubMed ID: 30520132PubMed Central: PMC6335540DOI: 10.1111/jvim.15362Google 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.
- Journal Article
Summary
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This research article investigates the prevalence of a recently discovered virus, equine parvovirus or EqPV-H, in horses specifically showing symptoms of Theiler’s disease and who have not had any previous exposure to equine biological products. The study included ten Theiler’s disease cases and 37 in-contact horses from six different properties. The results indicate that EqPV-H is highly associated with fatal manifestations of Theiler’s disease and subclinical hepatitis in horses.
Objective and Methodology of the Study
- This research aims to explore the prevalence of equine parvovirus (EqPV-H) – a newly discovered virus found in horse livers with Theiler’s disease, in natural occurrences of the disease in horses that haven’t been administered any equine biologic products.
- The study examined ten cases of Theiler’s disease from six different properties. These cases were selected based on specific criteria such as the sudden onset of liver failure symptoms, lab findings characteristic of Theiler’s disease, and the absence of a history of receiving equine biological products within the previous four months.
- In addition to these cases, 37 in-contact horses from four of the six properties were also checked for both EqPV-H infection and hepatitis symptoms.
- The method used in this prospective study series involved diagnoses of Theiler’s disease by the attending veterinarian. Samples of the liver or serum from these cases were tested for the presence of EqPV-H using PCR (polymerase chain reaction), a technique used to amplify small segments of DNA.
- Similarly, in-contact horses were evaluated via serum chemistry and PCR depending on the attending veterinarian’s discretion.
- Hepatitis was defined based on the activity of serum gamma-glutamyltransferase that was above the reference interval. Any association between EqPV-H and hepatitis was determined using Fisher’s exact test, a statistical technique used to determine if there are nonrandom associations between two categorical variables.
Findings of the Study
- A majority (90%) of Theiler’s disease cases and slightly over half (54%) of the tested in-contact horses were found to be positive for EqPV-H.
- The presence of hepatitis was significantly associated with an EqPV-H infection, as indicated by the results from Fisher’s exact test (P=0.036).
- The study concludes that although further investigations are needed to confirm EqPV-H as the causative agent of Theiler’s disease, the virus appears to be strongly linked to cases of fatal Theiler’s disease and subclinical hepatitis in horses.
- Furthermore, the prevalence of EqPV-H infections in affected properties can be high, posing a potential health risk to the horse population.
Cite This Article
APA
Tomlinson JE, Tennant BC, Struzyna A, Mrad D, Browne N, Whelchel D, Johnson PJ, Jamieson C, Lu00f6hr CV, Bildfell R, McKenzie EC, Laverack M, Renshaw RW, Dubovi E, Kapoor A, Meirs RS, Belgrave R, Engiles J, Van de Walle GR, Divers TJ.
(2018).
Viral testing of 10 cases of Theiler’s disease and 37 in-contact horses in the absence of equine biologic product administration: A prospective study (2014-2018).
J Vet Intern Med, 33(1), 258-265.
https://doi.org/10.1111/jvim.15362 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Baker Institute for Animal Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York.
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York.
- Walnridge Equine Clinic, Cream Ridge, New Jersey.
- Mid-Rivers Equine Centre, Wentzville, Missouri.
- Department of Clinical Sciences, North Carolina State College of Veterinary Medicine, Raleigh, North Carolina.
- Georgia Equine Veterinary Services and Hospital, Canton, Georgia.
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Surgery, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri.
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma.
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Carlson College of Veterinary Medicine, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon.
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Carlson College of Veterinary Medicine, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon.
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Carlson College of Veterinary Medicine, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon.
- New York State Animal Health Diagnostic Center, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York.
- Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York.
- Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York.
- Center for Vaccines and Immunity, Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, Ohio.
- Walnridge Equine Clinic, Cream Ridge, New Jersey.
- Mid-Atlantic Equine Medical Center, Ringoes, New Jersey.
- Department of Pathobiology, New Bolton Center, University of Pennsylvania, Kennett Square, Pennsylvania.
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Baker Institute for Animal Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York.
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Biological Products / adverse effects
- Female
- Hepatitis, Viral, Animal / pathology
- Hepatitis, Viral, Animal / virology
- Horse Diseases / pathology
- Horse Diseases / virology
- Horses
- Liver / pathology
- Liver / virology
- Male
- Parvoviridae Infections / veterinary
- Parvovirus
- Prospective Studies
- Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction / veterinary
Grant Funding
- 2016 Advancement in Equine Research Award / Boehringer Ingelheim
- Harry M. Zweig Memorial Fund for Equine Research
- 2016-67015-24765 / National Institute of Food and Agriculture
- Niarchos Family
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