TY - JOUR
T1 - Detection of equid herpesviruses 2 and 5 in a herd of 266 Lipizzaners in association with ocular findings
AU - Rushton, James Oliver
AU - Kolodziejek, Jolanta
AU - Tichy, Alexander
AU - Nell, Barbara
AU - Nowotny, Norbert
N1 - Funding Information:
The authors would like to thank the staff of the Federal State Stud Piber and the Spanish Riding School Vienna, especially Dr. Maximilian Dobretsberger, for their assistance in the performance of the investigations. We also would like to express our thanks to the Spanish Riding School , Federal State Stud Piber and the University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna for funding this study.
PY - 2013/5/31
Y1 - 2013/5/31
N2 - A herd of Lipizzaners (n=266) in three locations [Federal stud Piber (Styria), Heldenberg (Lower Austria) and the Spanish Riding School Vienna (Vienna)] were examined for ocular diseases and tested for herpesviruses (HVs) in PBMCs, nasal- and conjunctival swabs. In 167 (62.8%) horses equid herpesvirus-2 (EHV-2) nucleic acid was identified in at least one of the investigated samples, and 136 (51.1%) horses were positive for equid herpesvirus-5 (EHV-5) nucleic acid in at least one of the samples. One hundred and five (39.5%) of the horses mentioned above were identified with EHV-2/EHV-5 double infections. The results were correlated with potential influence factors such as age, gender, location, and housing. Statistical analysis demonstrated a significantly higher percentage of horses diagnosed with HV infections stabled in one location (Piber); also, housing in free stalls was associated with a higher rate of HV infections. Horses carrying EHV-2 or EHV-5 nucleic acid were significantly younger than the negative group. Statistical analysis of PCR results and ophthalmic findings did not prove a significant association between any disease pattern and presence of the equid gammaherpesviruses EHV-2 and EHV-5. The results of this herd survey indicate that horses younger than eight years of age, housed in free stalls with high population densities have a significantly increased risk for infection with EHV-2 and EHV-5. However no prediction can be made whether this results in ophthalmic disease. This is the first ophthalmic-virologic survey of this magnitude in a single horse breed.
AB - A herd of Lipizzaners (n=266) in three locations [Federal stud Piber (Styria), Heldenberg (Lower Austria) and the Spanish Riding School Vienna (Vienna)] were examined for ocular diseases and tested for herpesviruses (HVs) in PBMCs, nasal- and conjunctival swabs. In 167 (62.8%) horses equid herpesvirus-2 (EHV-2) nucleic acid was identified in at least one of the investigated samples, and 136 (51.1%) horses were positive for equid herpesvirus-5 (EHV-5) nucleic acid in at least one of the samples. One hundred and five (39.5%) of the horses mentioned above were identified with EHV-2/EHV-5 double infections. The results were correlated with potential influence factors such as age, gender, location, and housing. Statistical analysis demonstrated a significantly higher percentage of horses diagnosed with HV infections stabled in one location (Piber); also, housing in free stalls was associated with a higher rate of HV infections. Horses carrying EHV-2 or EHV-5 nucleic acid were significantly younger than the negative group. Statistical analysis of PCR results and ophthalmic findings did not prove a significant association between any disease pattern and presence of the equid gammaherpesviruses EHV-2 and EHV-5. The results of this herd survey indicate that horses younger than eight years of age, housed in free stalls with high population densities have a significantly increased risk for infection with EHV-2 and EHV-5. However no prediction can be made whether this results in ophthalmic disease. This is the first ophthalmic-virologic survey of this magnitude in a single horse breed.
KW - EHV-2
KW - EHV-5
KW - Equid herpesviruses
KW - Horse
KW - Ophthalmic findings
KW - PCR
KW - Sequencing
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U2 - 10.1016/j.vetmic.2013.01.035
DO - 10.1016/j.vetmic.2013.01.035
M3 - Article
C2 - 23434188
AN - SCOPUS:84875865654
SN - 0378-1135
VL - 164
SP - 139
EP - 144
JO - Veterinary Microbiology
JF - Veterinary Microbiology
IS - 1-2
ER -