FREE SHIPPING over $40
OVER 9000 FIVE-STAR REVIEWS
5% OFF ALL SUBSCRIPTIONS
100% HAPPINESS GUARANTEE
Analyze Diet
0
Home / Equine Research Bank / Transbound Emerg Dis / West Nile virus infection in horses in Jordan: clinical case...
Transboundary and emerging diseases2014; 61 Suppl 1; 1-6; doi: 10.1111/tbed.12191

West Nile virus infection in horses in Jordan: clinical cases, seroprevalence and risk factors.

Abstract: The objectives of this study are to report clinical WNV infection in horses and to determine the seroprevalence of and risk factors for WNV infection in horses in Jordan. In late summer and early fall of 2012, two mares were presented for evaluation of neurological signs. The first mare had hind-limb ataxia. The second mare was slightly depressed and lethargic. She had ataxia in her four limbs and cranial nerves deficits. Both horses were found positive for WNV IgM antibodies using commercial IgM-capture ELISA test. Both horses were treated symptomatically and recovered uneventfully. The occurrence of clinical cases initiated the need for a seroprevalence and risk factors study. Two hundred and fifty-three normal horses were randomly enrolled in the study. Enrolled horses were grouped into five major regions according to the geographical proximity and climatic similarities. From each region, around 50 horses were sampled. The serum collected from each horse was screened by a competitive ELISA, and those that reacted positive using the previous ELISA test were further tested using commercial IgM-capture ELISA test. Sixty-three horses (24.9%) of the 253 surveyed were seropositive to WNV. Of the 63 horses, none had IgM antibodies for WNV. The region with the highest prevalence was Jordan Valley and Balqa. Horses used for polo (OR = 9.77; 95%CI = 1.32-25.44) and horses located in Jordan Valley and Balqa region (OR = 13.31; 95% CI = 2.33-32.54) were identified as risk factors for seropositivity to WNV in Jordan. These risk factors were attributed to the hot and humid weather, which enhance vector availability. West Nile virus appears to be endemic in Jordan. Future studies are warranted to evaluate the virus situation in the country during the next few years in an attempt to control it.
© 2014 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.
Get Full Text
Publication Date: 2014-01-03 PubMed ID: 24393369DOI: 10.1111/tbed.12191Google 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 paper pertains to reporting and investigating West Nile virus infection in horses in Jordan, outlining the clinical findings, the prevalence of antibodies found in horses and identifying potential risk factors for infection.

Clinical Infections and Case Studies

  • The study began due to the presentation of two mares with neurological signs of West Nile virus infection in the summer/fall of 2012.
  • Symptoms included hind-limb ataxia (lack of voluntary coordination of muscle movements) on the first mare, and depression, lethargy, four-limb ataxia and cranial nerve deficits on the second mare.
  • Both horses tested positive for West Nile virus IgM antibodies and were treated symptomatically, recovering without any further complications.

Seroprevalence and Risk Factor Study

  • Due to the occurrence of these clinical cases, the researchers initiated a seroprevalence and risk factors study, with a total of 253 healthy horses enrolled.
  • The horses were categorized into five groups based on geographical proximity and climatic similarities. Approximately 50 horses from each region were tested.
  • The blood serum of each horse was examined through two rounds of ELISA tests. A total of 63 (24.9%) out of the 253 horses were found to have antibodies to West Nile virus. However, none displayed IgM antibodies for the virus.

Identified Risk Factors

  • The region with the highest prevalence of positive cases was the Jordan Valley and Balqa, which the study relates to the areas’ hot and humid climate being ideal for the vectors (mosquitoes) of the West Nile virus.
  • The study identified horses used in polo and those located in the Jordan Valley and Balqa region as higher risk factors for West Nile virus infection in Jordan.
  • The research has prompted further exploration in attempts to control the spread of the virus in Jordan.

Conclusion

  • The study indicates that the West Nile virus appears to be endemic, or regularly found, in horse populations in Jordan.
  • Its findings highlight the need for monitoring and further studies to understand the virus’s prevalence and the risk factors related to equine infection.

Cite This Article

APA
Abutarbush SM, Al-Majali AM. (2014). West Nile virus infection in horses in Jordan: clinical cases, seroprevalence and risk factors. Transbound Emerg Dis, 61 Suppl 1, 1-6. https://doi.org/10.1111/tbed.12191

Publication

Transboundary and emerging diseases
ISSN: 1865-1682
NlmUniqueID: 101319538
Country: Germany
Language: English
Volume: 61 Suppl 1
Pages: 1-6

Researcher Affiliations

Abutarbush, S M
  • Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan.
Al-Majali, A M

    MeSH Terms

    • Animals
    • Ataxia / pathology
    • Ataxia / veterinary
    • Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / veterinary
    • Female
    • Horse Diseases / epidemiology
    • Horse Diseases / pathology
    • Horse Diseases / virology
    • Horses
    • Immunoglobulin M / blood
    • Jordan / epidemiology
    • Models, Statistical
    • Odds Ratio
    • Risk Factors
    • Seroepidemiologic Studies
    • West Nile Fever / epidemiology
    • West Nile Fever / pathology
    • West Nile Fever / veterinary
    • West Nile virus / immunology

    Citations

    This article has been cited 13 times.
    1. Abutarbush SM, Hamdallah A, Hawawsheh M, Alsawalha L, Elizz NA, Dodeen R. Implementation of One Health approach in Jordan: Review and mapping of ministerial mechanisms of zoonotic disease reporting and control, and inter-sectoral collaboration. One Health 2022 Dec;15:100406.
      doi: 10.1016/j.onehlt.2022.100406pubmed: 36277088google scholar: lookup
    2. Ganzenberg S, Sieg M, Ziegler U, Pfeffer M, Vahlenkamp TW, Hörügel U, Groschup MH, Lohmann KL. Seroprevalence and Risk Factors for Equine West Nile Virus Infections in Eastern Germany, 2020. Viruses 2022 May 30;14(6).
      doi: 10.3390/v14061191pubmed: 35746662google scholar: lookup
    3. Selim A, Megahed A, Kandeel S, Alouffi A, Almutairi MM. West Nile virus seroprevalence and associated risk factors among horses in Egypt. Sci Rep 2021 Oct 22;11(1):20932.
      doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-00449-6pubmed: 34686730google scholar: lookup
    4. de Heus P, Kolodziejek J, Hubálek Z, Dimmel K, Racher V, Nowotny N, Cavalleri JV. West Nile Virus and Tick-Borne Encephalitis Virus Are Endemic in Equids in Eastern Austria. Viruses 2021 Sep 19;13(9).
      doi: 10.3390/v13091873pubmed: 34578454google scholar: lookup
    5. Alzuheir I, Fayyad A, Jalboush N, Abdallah R, Abutarbush S, Gharaibeh M, Bdarneh M, Khraim N, Helal MA, Helal BA. Seroprevalence and risk factors of West Nile virus infection in veterinarians and horses in Northern Palestine. Vet World 2021 May;14(5):1241-1246.
      doi: 10.14202/vetworld.2021.1241-1246pubmed: 34220126google scholar: lookup
    6. Zakhia R, Dupuis AP 2nd, Khodr F, Fadel M, Kramer LD, Haddad N. Evidence of West Nile Virus Circulation in Lebanon. Viruses 2021 May 26;13(6).
      doi: 10.3390/v13060994pubmed: 34073485google scholar: lookup
    7. Al-Tayib OA. An Overview of the Most Significant Zoonotic Viral Pathogens Transmitted from Animal to Human in Saudi Arabia. Pathogens 2019 Feb 22;8(1).
      doi: 10.3390/pathogens8010025pubmed: 30813309google scholar: lookup
    8. Eybpoosh S, Fazlalipour M, Baniasadi V, Pouriayevali MH, Sadeghi F, Ahmadi Vasmehjani A, Karbalaie Niya MH, Hewson R, Salehi-Vaziri M. Epidemiology of West Nile Virus in the Eastern Mediterranean region: A systematic review. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2019 Jan;13(1):e0007081.
      doi: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0007081pubmed: 30695031google scholar: lookup
    9. Chancey C, Grinev A, Volkova E, Rios M. The global ecology and epidemiology of West Nile virus. Biomed Res Int 2015;2015:376230.
      doi: 10.1155/2015/376230pubmed: 25866777google scholar: lookup
    10. Bruno L, Nappo MA, Frontoso R, Perrotta MG, Di Lecce R, Guarnieri C, Ferrari L, Corradi A. West Nile Virus (WNV): One-Health and Eco-Health Global Risks. Vet Sci 2025 Mar 19;12(3).
      doi: 10.3390/vetsci12030288pubmed: 40266979google scholar: lookup
    11. Al-Tammemi AB, Shtaiyat B. The unseen peril: Jordan's vulnerability amid the ongoing West Nile Virus fatalities in Palestine. New Microbes New Infect 2024 Aug-Oct;60-61:101452.
      doi: 10.1016/j.nmni.2024.101452pubmed: 39104551google scholar: lookup
    12. Naveed A, Eertink LG, Wang D, Li F. Lessons Learned from West Nile Virus Infection:Vaccinations in Equines and Their Implications for One Health Approaches. Viruses 2024 May 14;16(5).
      doi: 10.3390/v16050781pubmed: 38793662google scholar: lookup
    13. Rusenova N, Rusenov A, Chervenkov M, Sirakov I. Seroprevalence of West Nile Virus among Equids in Bulgaria in 2022 and Assessment of Some Risk Factors. Vet Sci 2024 May 9;11(5).
      doi: 10.3390/vetsci11050209pubmed: 38787181google scholar: lookup
    Subscribe to our newsletter
    Join 99,359 horse owners like you who receive our email updates on horse health and nutrition.