Detection of Equine Parvovirus-Hepatitis Virus and Equine Hepacivirus in Archived Sera from Horses in France and Australia.

Reports of newly discovered equine hepatotropic flavi- and parvoviruses have emerged throughout the last decade in many countries, the discovery of which has stimulated a great deal of interest and clinical research. Although commonly detected in horses without signs of disease, equine parvovirus hepatitis (EqPV-H) and equine hepacivirus (EqHV) have been associated with liver disease, including following the administration of contaminated anti-toxin. Our aim was to determine whether EqPV-H and EqHV are present in Australian horses and whether EqPV-H was present in French horses and to examine sequence diversity between strains of both viruses amongst infected horses on either side of the globe.

A Screening Study Identified Decitabine as an Inhibitor of Equid Herpesvirus 4 That Enhances the Innate Antiviral Response.

Equid herpesvirus 4 (EHV-4) is a common respiratory pathogen in horses. It sporadically induces abortion or neonatal death. Although its contribution in neurological disorders is not clearly demonstrated, there is a strong suspicion of its involvement.

Genomic characterization of equine influenza A subtype H3N8 viruses by long read sequencing and functional analyses of the PB1-F2 virulence factor of A/equine/Paris/1/2018.

Equine influenza virus (EIV) remains a threat to horses, despite the availability of vaccines. Strategies to monitor the virus and prevent potential vaccine failure revolve around serological assays, RT-qPCR amplification, and sequencing the viral hemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA) genes. These approaches overlook the contribution of other viral proteins in driving virulence.

Studying longitudinal neutralising antibody levels against Equid herpesvirus 1 in experimentally infected horses using a novel pseudotype based assay.

Infection with equid herpesvirus 1 (EHV-1), a DNA virus of the Herpesviridae family represents a significant welfare issue in horses and a great impact on the equine industry. During EHV-1 infection, entry of the virus into different cell types is complex due to the presence of twelve glycoproteins (GPs) on the viral envelope. To investigate virus entry mechanisms, specific combinations of GPs were pseudotyped onto lentiviral vectors.

Equine Herpesvirus-1 Outbreak During a Show-Jumping Competition: A Clinical and Epidemiological Study.

A total of 752 horses were involved in the CES Valencia Spring Tour 2021. Due to an equine herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1) outbreak, the competition was cancelled and the site was locked down. The objective of this study was to describe epidemiological, clinical, diagnostic, and outcome data of the 160 horses remaining in Valencia.

An inventory of adjuvants used for vaccination in horses: the past, the present and the future.

Vaccination is one of the most widely used strategies to protect horses against pathogens. However, available equine vaccines often have limitations, as they do not always provide effective, long-term protection and booster injections are often required. In addition, research efforts are needed to develop effective vaccines against emerging equine pathogens.

Immunostimulating Effect of Inactivated Parapoxvirus Ovis on the Serological Response to Equine Influenza Booster Vaccination.

Equine influenza virus (EIV) is responsible for recurring outbreaks that are detrimental to the equine industry. Vaccination is key for prevention, but the effectiveness and duration of protection provided by existing vaccines is often insufficient. In order to improve vaccine efficacy, we evaluated the benefit of immune stimulation with inactivated Parapoxvirus ovis (iPPVO) on the antibody response induced by a vaccine boost against EIV.

Oral Administration of Valganciclovir Reduces Clinical Signs, Virus Shedding and Cell-Associated Viremia in Ponies Experimentally Infected with the Equid Herpesvirus-1 C Variant.

Equid alphaherpesvirus-1 (EHV-1) is one of the main pathogens in horses, responsible for respiratory diseases, ocular diseases, abortions, neonatal foal death and neurological complications such as equine herpesvirus myeloencephalopathy (EHM). Current vaccines reduce the excretion and dissemination of the virus and, therefore, the extent of an epizooty. While their efficacy against EHV-1-induced abortion in pregnant mares and the decreased occurrence of an abortion storm in the field have been reported, their potential efficacy against the neurological form of disease remains undocumented.

Equine Herpesvirus 1 Variant and New Marker for Epidemiologic Surveillance, Europe, 2021.

Equine herpesvirus 1 isolates from a 2021 outbreak of neurologic disease in Europe have a mutation, A713G, in open reading frame 11 not detected in 249 other sequences from equine herpesvirus 1 isolates. This single-nucleotide polymorphism could help identify horses infected with the virus strain linked to this outbreak.

EQUID ALPHAHERPESVIRUS 9 OUTBREAK ASSOCIATED WITH MORTALITY IN A GROUP OF GREVY'S ZEBRA () HOUSED IN A MIXED-SPECIES EXHIBIT.

A herd of seven captive-born Grevy's zebras () experienced an outbreak of nasal discharge and sneezing. Clinical signs, including lethargy and anorexia, were severe and acute in three animals, including a 16-mo-old male that died within 48 h. Treatment of two severely affected zebras included valacyclovir (40 mg/kg PO), meloxicam (0.

Genome Sequences of Equine Herpesvirus 1 Strains from a European Outbreak of Neurological Disorders Linked to a Horse Gathering in Valencia, Spain, in 2021.

Five equine herpesvirus 1 (EHV-1) genome sequences with links to an EHV-1 outbreak with neurological disorders after a horse gathering in Valencia, Spain, in February 2021, were determined. All strains showed the closest relationships to strains from Belgium and the United Kingdom, indicating a common source of infection.

Entry-competent-replication-abortive African horse sickness virus strains elicit robust immunity in ponies against all serotypes.

African horse sickness virus (AHSV) is an Orbivirus within the Reoviridae family, spread by Culicoides species of midges, which infects equids with high mortality, particularly in horses and has a considerable impact on the equine industry. In order to control the disease, we previously described Entry Competent Replication Abortive (ECRA) virus strains for each of the nine distinct AHSV serotypes and demonstrated their potential as vaccines, first in type I interferon receptor (IFNAR-/-) knockout mice, and then in ponies. In this report we have investigated whether or not a combination ECRA vaccine comprising nine vaccine strains as two different cocktails is as efficient in ponies and the duration of the immunity triggered by ECRA vaccines.

Screening of potential antiviral molecules against equid herpesvirus-1 using cellular impedance measurement: Dataset of 2,891 compounds.

Data presented in this article are associated with the research article "Identification of antiviral compounds against equid herpesvirus-1 using real-time cell assay screening: efficacy of decitabine and valganciclovir alone and in combination" [1]. These data correspond to the screening of 2,891 potential antiviral compounds against equid herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1) based on impedance measurements using the xCELLigence® RTCA MP System. This dataset includes compounds from three different libraries: i) 1,199 compounds from the Prestwick® Chemical Library, which contains mostly US Food and Drug Administration approved drugs (Prestwick® Chemical, Illkirch, France); ii) 1,651 compounds from the Centre d'Etudes et de Recherche sur le Médicament de Normandie (CERMN, Caen, France); iii) 41 compounds (called herein in-house antiviral library) selected for their effects against different human viruses.

Identification of a New Equid Herpesvirus 1 DNA Polymerase (ORF30) Genotype with the Isolation of a C/H Strain in French Horses Showing no Major Impact on the Strain Behaviour.

Equid herpesvirus 1 is one of the most common viral pathogens in the horse population and is associated with respiratory disease, abortion and still-birth, neonatal death and neurological disease. A single point mutation in the DNA polymerase gene (ORF30: A2254G, N752D) has been widely associated with neuropathogenicity of strains, although this association has not been exclusive. This study describes the fortuitous isolation of a strain carrying a new genotype C (H) from an outbreak in France that lasted several weeks in 2018 and involved 82 horses, two of which showed neurological signs of disease.

Identification of antiviral compounds against equid herpesvirus-1 using real-time cell assay screening: Efficacy of decitabine and valganciclovir alone or in combination.

Equid herpesvirus-1 infections cause respiratory, neurological and reproductive syndromes. Despite preventive treatments with vaccines, resurgence of EHV-1 infection still constitutes a major threat to equine industry. However, no antiviral compound is available to treat infected horses.

Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus Interferes with Swine Influenza A Virus Infection of Epithelial Cells.

Respiratory infections are still a major concern in pigs. Amongst the involved viruses, the porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) and the swine influenza type A virus (swIAV) have a major impact. These viruses frequently encounter and dual infections are reported.

Evaluation of a Pseudotyped Virus Neutralisation Test for the Measurement of Equine Influenza Virus-Neutralising Antibody Responses Induced by Vaccination and Infection.

Equine influenza is a major respiratory disease of horses that is largely controlled by vaccination in some equine populations. Virus-neutralising antibodies, the mainstay of the protective immune response, are problematic in assaying for equine influenza virus, as most strains do not replicate efficiently in cell culture. Surrogate measures of protective antibody responses include the haemagglutination inhibition (HI) test and single radial haemolysis (SRH) assay.

Replication of Equine arteritis virus is efficiently suppressed by purine and pyrimidine biosynthesis inhibitors.

RNA viruses are responsible for a large variety of animal infections. Equine Arteritis Virus (EAV) is a positive single-stranded RNA virus member of the family Arteriviridae from the order Nidovirales like the Coronaviridae. EAV causes respiratory and reproductive diseases in equids.

Asymmetrical Pulmonary Cytokine Profiles Are Linked to Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid Cytology of Horses With Mild Airway Neutrophilia.

Few data on cytokine profiles in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) are available for racehorses with mild/moderate equine asthma (EA); cytological diagnosis being most frequently made from only one lung. The purpose of the study was to compare cytokine mRNA expressions and protein concentrations in BALF from both lungs. As part of a larger study, 250 ml saline was randomly instilled in one lung and 500 ml in the contralateral lung of 30 clinically healthy Standardbred racehorses.

Biosafety Evaluation of Equine Umbilical Cord-Derived Mesenchymal Stromal Cells by Systematic Pathogen Screening in Peripheral Maternal Blood and Paired UC-MSCs.

The growing interest in mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) in equine medicine, together with the development of MSC biobanking for allogeneic use, raises concerns about biosafety of such products. MSCs derived from umbilical cord (UC) carry an inherent risk of contamination by environmental conditions and vertical transmission of pathogens from broodmares. There is yet no report in the scientific literature about horses being contaminated by infected MSC products, and no consensus about systematic infectious screening of umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (UC-MSCs) to ensure microbiological safety of therapeutic products.

Viral Equine Encephalitis, a Growing Threat to the Horse Population in Europe?

Neurological disorders represent an important sanitary and economic threat for the equine industry worldwide. Among nervous diseases, viral encephalitis is of growing concern, due to the emergence of arboviruses and to the high contagiosity of herpesvirus-infected horses. The nature, severity and duration of the clinical signs could be different depending on the etiological agent and its virulence.

Further Evidence for in Utero Transmission of Equine Hepacivirus to Foals.

(1) Background: Equine hepacivirus (EqHV), also referred to as non-primate hepacivirus (NPHV), infects horses-and dogs in some instances-and is closely related to hepatitis C virus (HCV) that has infected up to 3% of the world's human population, causing an epidemic of liver cirrhosis and cancer. EqHV also chronically infects the liver of horses, but does not appear to cause serious liver damages. Previous studies have been looking to identify route(s) of EqHV transmission to and between horses.

Success and Limitation of Equine Influenza Vaccination: The First Incursion in a Decade of a Florida Clade 1 Equine Influenza Virus that Shakes Protection Despite High Vaccine Coverage.

Every year, several epizooties of equine influenza (EI) are reported worldwide. However, no EI case has been identified in France between 2015 and late 2018, despite an effective field surveillance of the pathogen and the disease. Vaccination against equine influenza virus (EIV) remains to this day one of the most effective methods to prevent or limit EI outbreaks and the lack of detection of the pathogen could be linked to vaccination coverage.

Molecular Surveillance of EHV-1 Strains Circulating in France during and after the Major 2009 Outbreak in Normandy Involving Respiratory Infection, Neurological Disorder, and Abortion.

Equine herpesvirus 1 (EHV-1) is an Alphaherpesvirus infecting not only horses but also other equid and non-equid mammals. It can cause respiratory distress, stillbirth and neonatal death, abortion, and neurological disease. The different forms of disease induced by EHV-1 infection can have dramatic consequences on the equine industry, and thus the virus represents a great challenge for the equine and scientific community.