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Gomez DE, Arroyo LG, Schoster A, Renaud DL, Kopper JJ, Dunkel B, Byrne D, Toribio RE. Diagnostic approaches, aetiological agents and their associations with short-term survival and laminitis in horses with acute diarrhoea admitted to referral institutions. Equine Vet J 2023. [PMID: 37984355 DOI: 10.1111/evj.14024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2023] [Accepted: 10/02/2023] [Indexed: 11/22/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND An international description of the diagnostic approaches used in different institutions to diagnose acute equine diarrhoea and the pathogens detected is lacking. OBJECTIVES To describe the diagnostic approach, aetiological agents, outcome, and development of laminitis for diarrhoeic horses worldwide. STUDY DESIGN Multicentre retrospective case series. METHODS Information from horses with acute diarrhoea presenting to participating institutions between 2016 and 2020, including diagnostic approaches, pathogens detected and their associations with outcomes, were compared between institutions or geographic regions. RESULTS One thousand four hundred and thirty-eight horses from 26 participating institutions from 4 continents were included. Overall, aetiological testing was limited (44% for Salmonella spp., 42% for Neorickettsia risticii [only North America], 40% for Clostridiodes difficile, and 29% for ECoV); however, 13% (81/633) of horses tested positive for Salmonella, 13% (35/262) for N. risticii, 9% (37/422) for ECoV, and 5% (27/578) for C. difficile. C. difficile positive cases had greater odds of non-survival than horses negative for C. difficile (OR: 2.69, 95%CI: 1.23-5.91). In addition, horses that were positive for N. risticii had greater odds of developing laminitis than negative horses (OR: 2.76, 95%CI: 1.12-6.81; p = 0.029). MAIN LIMITATIONS Due to the study's retrospective nature, there are missing data. CONCLUSIONS This study highlighted limited diagnostic investigations in cases of acute equine diarrhoea. Detection rates of pathogens are similar to previous reports. Non-survival and development of laminitis are related to certain detected pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diego E Gomez
- Department of Clinical Studies, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
| | - Luis G Arroyo
- Department of Clinical Studies, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
| | - Angelika Schoster
- Vetsuisse Faculty, Equine Department University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Equine Clinic, Oberschleissheim, Germany
| | - David L Renaud
- Department of Population Medicine, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
| | - Jamie J Kopper
- Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Ames, Iowa, USA
| | - Bettina Dunkel
- Department of Clinical Science and Services, The Royal Veterinary College, Hertfordshire, UK
| | - David Byrne
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Murdoch University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Ramiro E Toribio
- College of Veterinary Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
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Stummer M, Frisch V, Glitz F, Hinney B, Spergser J, Krücken J, Diekmann I, Dimmel K, Riedel C, Cavalleri JMV, Rümenapf T, Joachim A, Lyrakis M, Auer A. Presence of Equine and Bovine Coronaviruses, Endoparasites, and Bacteria in Fecal Samples of Horses with Colic. Pathogens 2023; 12:1043. [PMID: 37624003 PMCID: PMC10458731 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens12081043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2023] [Revised: 08/09/2023] [Accepted: 08/11/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Acute abdominal pain (colic) is one of the major equine health threats worldwide and often necessitates intensive veterinary medical care and surgical intervention. Equine coronavirus (ECoV) infections can cause colic in horses but are rarely considered as a differential diagnosis. To determine the frequency of otherwise undetected ECoV infections in horses with acute colic, fresh fecal samples of 105 horses with acute colic and 36 healthy control horses were screened for viruses belonging to the Betacoronavirus 1 species by RT-PCR as well as for gastrointestinal helminths and bacteria commonly associated with colic. Horses with colic excreted significantly fewer strongyle eggs than horses without colic. The prevalence of anaerobic, spore-forming, gram-positive bacteria (Clostridium perfringens and Clostridioides difficile) was significantly higher in the feces of horses with colic. Six horses with colic (5.7%) and one horse from the control group (2.8%) tested positive for Betacoronaviruses. Coronavirus-positive samples were sequenced to classify the virus by molecular phylogeny (N gene). Interestingly, in three out of six coronavirus-positive horses with colic, sequences closely related to bovine coronaviruses (BCoV) were found. The pathogenic potential of BCoV in horses remains unclear and warrants further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Moritz Stummer
- Institute of Virology, University of Veterinary Medicine, 1210 Vienna, Austria (K.D.); (T.R.)
| | - Vicky Frisch
- Clinical Unit of Equine Internal Medicine, University of Veterinary Medicine, 1210 Vienna, Austria; (V.F.); (J.-M.V.C.)
| | | | - Barbara Hinney
- Institute of Parasitology, University of Veterinary Medicine, 1210 Vienna, Austria; (B.H.); (A.J.)
| | - Joachim Spergser
- Institute of Microbiology, University of Veterinary Medicine, 1210 Vienna, Austria;
| | - Jürgen Krücken
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, 14163 Berlin, Germany; (J.K.); (I.D.)
| | - Irina Diekmann
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, 14163 Berlin, Germany; (J.K.); (I.D.)
| | - Katharina Dimmel
- Institute of Virology, University of Veterinary Medicine, 1210 Vienna, Austria (K.D.); (T.R.)
| | - Christiane Riedel
- CIRI-Centre International de Recherche en Infectiologie, Univ Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Inserm, U1111, CNRS, UMR5308, ENS Lyon, 46 allée d’Italie, 69364 Lyon, France;
| | | | - Till Rümenapf
- Institute of Virology, University of Veterinary Medicine, 1210 Vienna, Austria (K.D.); (T.R.)
| | - Anja Joachim
- Institute of Parasitology, University of Veterinary Medicine, 1210 Vienna, Austria; (B.H.); (A.J.)
| | - Manolis Lyrakis
- Platform for Bioinformatics and Biostatistics, Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Veterinary Medicine, 1210 Vienna, Austria;
| | - Angelika Auer
- Institute of Virology, University of Veterinary Medicine, 1210 Vienna, Austria (K.D.); (T.R.)
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3
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Pusterla N. Equine Coronaviruses. Vet Clin North Am Equine Pract 2023; 39:55-71. [PMID: 36737293 DOI: 10.1016/j.cveq.2022.11.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Coronaviruses are a group of related RNA viruses that cause diseases in mammals and birds. In equids, equine coronavirus has been associated with diarrhea in foals and lethargy, fever, anorexia, and occasional gastrointestinal signs in adult horses. Although horses seem to be susceptible to the human severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) based on the high homology to the ACE-2 receptor, they seem to be incidental hosts because of occasional SARS-CoV-2 spillover from humans. However, until more clinical and seroepidemiological data are available, it remains important to monitor equids for possible transmission from humans with clinical or asymptomatic COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicola Pusterla
- Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA.
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Abstract
The existence of coronaviruses has been known for many years. These viruses cause significant disease that primarily seems to affect agricultural species. Human coronavirus disease due to the 2002 outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome and the 2012 outbreak of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome made headlines; however, these outbreaks were controlled, and public concern quickly faded. This complacency ended in late 2019 when alarms were raised about a mysterious virus responsible for numerous illnesses and deaths in China. As we now know, this novel disease called Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) was caused by Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) and rapidly became a worldwide pandemic. Luckily, decades of research into animal coronaviruses hastened our understanding of the genetics, structure, transmission, and pathogenesis of these viruses. Coronaviruses infect a wide range of wild and domestic animals, with significant economic impact in several agricultural species. Their large genome, low dependency on host cellular proteins, and frequent recombination allow coronaviruses to successfully cross species barriers and adapt to different hosts including humans. The study of the animal diseases provides an understanding of the virus biology and pathogenesis and has assisted in the rapid development of the SARS-CoV-2 vaccines. Here, we briefly review the classification, origin, etiology, transmission mechanisms, pathogenesis, clinical signs, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention strategies, including available vaccines, for coronaviruses that affect domestic, farm, laboratory, and wild animal species. We also briefly describe the coronaviruses that affect humans. Expanding our knowledge of this complex group of viruses will better prepare us to design strategies to prevent and/or minimize the impact of future coronavirus outbreaks.
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Key Words
- bcov, bovine coronavirus
- ccov, canine coronavirus
- cov(s), coronavirus(es)
- covid-19, coronavirus disease 2019
- crcov, canine respiratory coronavirus
- e, coronaviral envelope protein
- ecov, equine coronavirus
- fcov, feline coronavirus
- fipv, feline infectious peritonitis virus
- gfcov, guinea fowl coronavirus
- hcov, human coronavirus
- ibv, infectious bronchitis virus
- m, coronaviral membrane protein
- mers, middle east respiratory syndrome-coronavirus
- mhv, mouse hepatitis virus
- pedv, porcine epidemic diarrhea virus
- pdcov, porcine deltacoronavirus
- phcov, pheasant coronavirus
- phev, porcine hemagglutinating encephalomyelitis virus
- prcov, porcine respiratory coronavirus
- rt-pcr, reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction
- s, coronaviral spike protein
- sads-cov, swine acute diarrhea syndrome-coronavirus
- sars-cov, severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus
- sars-cov-2, severe acute respiratory syndrome–coronavirus–2
- tcov, turkey coronavirus
- tgev, transmissible gastroenteritis virus
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Affiliation(s)
- Alfonso S Gozalo
- Comparative Medicine Branch, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland;,
| | - Tannia S Clark
- Office of Laboratory Animal Medicine, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - David M Kurtz
- Comparative Medicine Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Research Triangle Park, Durham, North Carolina
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Hepworth-Warren KL, Erwin SJ, Moore CB, Talbot JR, Young KAS, Neault MJ, Haugland JC, Robertson JB, Blikslager AT. Risk factors associated with an outbreak of equine coronavirus at a large farm in North Carolina. Front Vet Sci 2023; 10:1060759. [PMID: 36937023 PMCID: PMC10020641 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2023.1060759] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2022] [Accepted: 02/16/2023] [Indexed: 03/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Equine coronavirus (ECoV) leads to outbreaks with variable morbidity and mortality. Few previous reports of risk factors for infection are available in the literature. Objectives To describe unique clinical findings and risk factors for infection and development of clinical disease. Animals 135 horses on a farm affected by ECoV outbreak. Methods Retrospective cohort study. Data obtained included age, breed, gender, activity level, housing, and feed at the onset of the outbreak. Factors were evaluated for assessment of risk of infection using simple logistic regression or Fisher's exact test. Significance was set at p ≤ 0.05. Results and findings Forty-three of 54 (79.6%) horses tested on the farm were positive on fecal PCR for ECoV, and 17 horses (12.6%) developed clinical signs consistent with ECoV. Out of 17 horses in which the presence or absence of signs of colic was noted, 6 of 17 (35.3%) showed signs of colic. Three of these horses had small colon impactions, 2 of which required surgical intervention. Significant risk factors for having positive PCR results included being primarily stalled (OR 167.1, 95% CI 26.4-1719), housing next to a positive horse (OR 7.5, 95% CI 3.1-19.0), being in work (OR 26.9, 95% CI 4.6-281.9), being fed rationed hay vs. ad libitum (OR 1,558, 95% CI 130.8-15,593), and being fed alfalfa hay (OR 1,558, 95% CI 130.8-15,593). Conclusions and clinical importance This report describes risk factors for ECoV infection many of which were associated with intensive management of show horses. Clinicians should be aware that clinical signs vary and can include severe colic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kate L. Hepworth-Warren
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, United States
- *Correspondence: Kate L. Hepworth-Warren
| | - Sara J. Erwin
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, United States
| | | | | | - Kimberly A. S. Young
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, United States
| | - Michael J. Neault
- North Carolina Department of Agricultures and Consumer Services, Raleigh, NC, United States
| | - Jennifer C. Haugland
- Rollins Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory, North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Raleigh, NC, United States
- North Carolina Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory System, North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Raleigh, NC, United States
| | - James B. Robertson
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, United States
| | - Anthony T. Blikslager
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, United States
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6
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Kambayashi Y, Nemoto M, Tsujimura K, Ohta M, Bannai H. Serosurveillance of equine coronavirus infection among Thoroughbreds in Japan. Equine Vet J 2022; 55:481-486. [PMID: 35822940 DOI: 10.1111/evj.13857] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2022] [Accepted: 07/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Equine coronavirus (ECoV) causes fever, lethargy, anorexia and gastrointestinal signs in horses. There has been limited information about the prevalence and seasonality of ECoV among Thoroughbreds in Japan. OBJECTIVES To understand the epidemiology and to evaluate the potential risk of ECoV infection to the horse industry in Japan. STUDY DESIGN Longitudinal. METHODS The virus-neutralisation (VN) test was performed using sera collected three times a year at 4 months intervals from 161 yearlings and at 6-7 months intervals from 181 active racehorses in Japan in 2017-18, 2018-19 and 2019-20. VN titre ≥1:8 was defined as seropositive, and ≥ 4-fold increase in titres between paired sera was regarded as indicative of infection. RESULTS The VN test showed that 44.1% (71/161) of yearlings were seropositive in August, when they first entered the yearling farm. The infection rate was significantly higher between August and December (60.9%, 98/161) than between December and the following April (5.6%, 9/161; P = 0.002). Among the racehorses, it was significantly higher between November and the following May (15.5%, 28/181) than between the preceding April/May and November (0%; P = 0.02). The morbidity rates during the estimated periods of viral exposure were 39.2% in the yearlings and 4% in the racehorses. No horses showed any severe clinical signs. MAIN LIMITATIONS Clinical records did not cover the period during horses' absence from the training centre. CONCLUSIONS ECoV was substantially prevalent in Thoroughbred yearlings and racehorses in Japan, and there was a difference in epizootic pattern between these populations in terms of predominant periods of infection. ECoV infection was considered to be responsible for some of the pyretic cases in the yearlings. However, no diseased horses were severely affected in either population, suggesting that the potential risk of ECoV infection to the horse industry in Japan is low.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoshinori Kambayashi
- Equine Research Institute, Japan Racing Association, 1400-4 Shiba, Shimotsuke, Tochigi, Japan
| | - Manabu Nemoto
- Equine Research Institute, Japan Racing Association, 1400-4 Shiba, Shimotsuke, Tochigi, Japan
| | - Koji Tsujimura
- Equine Research Institute, Japan Racing Association, 1400-4 Shiba, Shimotsuke, Tochigi, Japan
| | - Minoru Ohta
- Equine Research Institute, Japan Racing Association, 1400-4 Shiba, Shimotsuke, Tochigi, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Bannai
- Equine Research Institute, Japan Racing Association, 1400-4 Shiba, Shimotsuke, Tochigi, Japan
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7
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Binding and structural basis of equine ACE2 to RBDs from SARS-CoV, SARS-CoV-2 and related coronaviruses. Nat Commun 2022; 13:3547. [PMID: 35729237 PMCID: PMC9210341 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-31276-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2022] [Accepted: 06/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The origin and host range of SARS-CoV-2, the causative agent of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), are important scientific questions as they might provide insight into understanding of the potential future spillover to infect humans. Here, we tested the binding between equine angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (eqACE2) and the receptor binding domains (RBDs) of SARS-CoV, SARS-CoV-2 prototype (PT) and variant of concerns (VOCs), as well as their close relatives bat-origin coronavirus (CoV) RaTG13 and pangolin-origin CoVs GX/P2V/2017 and GD/1/2019. We also determined the crystal structures of eqACE2/RaTG13-RBD, eqACE2/SARS-CoV-2 PT-RBD and eqACE2/Omicron BA.1-RBD. We identified S494 of SARS-COV-2 PT-RBD as an important residue in the eqACE2/SARS-COV-2 PT-RBD interaction and found that N501Y, the commonly recognized enhancing mutation, attenuated the binding affinity with eqACE2. Our work demonstrates that horses are potential targets for SARS-CoV-2 and highlights the importance of continuous surveillance on SARS-CoV-2 and related CoVs to prevent spillover events. This study documents equine ACE2 (eqACE2) binding to the RBDs of SARS-CoV-2 and related CoVs, revealing a mechanism of eqACE2 binding with RaTG13-RBD, SARS-CoV-2 prototype-RBD and Omicron BA.1-RBD.
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8
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Faustino R, Faria M, Teixeira M, Palavra F, Sargento P, do Céu Costa M. Systematic review and meta-analysis of the prevalence of coronavirus: One health approach for a global strategy. One Health 2022; 14:100383. [PMID: 35399617 PMCID: PMC8979611 DOI: 10.1016/j.onehlt.2022.100383] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2022] [Revised: 03/26/2022] [Accepted: 03/27/2022] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Coronaviruses have been responsible for major epidemic crises in 2003 with SARS-CoV-1, in 2012 with MERS-CoV and in 2019 with SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19), causing serious atypical pneumonia in humans. We intend, with this systematic analysis and meta-analysis, to clarify the prevalence of the various strains of coronavirus in different animal species. For this purpose, we carried out an electronic survey using Pubmed's Veterinary Science search tool to conduct a systematic assessment of published studies reporting the prevalence of different strains of coronavirus in different animal species between 2015 and 2020. We conducted different analysis to assess sensitivity, publication bias, and heterogeneity, using random effect. The final meta-analysis included 42 studies for systematic review and 29 in the meta-analysis. For the geographic regions with a prevalence greater than or equal to 0.20 (Forest plot overall; prevalence = 0.20, p < 0.01, Q = 10,476.22 and I2 = 100%), the most commonly detected viruses were: enteric coronavirus (ECoV), pigeon-dominant coronavirus, (PdCoV), Avian coronavirus M41, Avian coronavirus C46, Avian coronavirus A99, Avian coronavirus JMK, MERS-CoV, Bovine coronavirus, Ro-BatCoV GCCDC1, Alphacoronavirus, Betacoronavirus, Deltacoronavirus, Gamacoronavirus and human coronaviruses (HCoVs). The wide presence of different strains of coronavirus in different animal species on all continents demonstrates the great biodiversity and ubiquity of these viruses. The most recent epidemiological crises caused by coronavirus demonstrates our unpreparedness to anticipate and mitigate emerging risks, as well as the need to implement new epidemiological surveillance programs for viruses. Combined with the need to create advanced training courses in One Health, this is paramount in order to ensure greater effectiveness in fighting the next pandemics.
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9
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Hierweger MM, Remy-Wohlfender F, Franzen J, Koch MC, Blau D, Schoster A, Nicholson P, Gerber V, Gurtner C, Fouché N, Unger L, Seuberlich T. Outbreak of equine coronavirus disease in adult horses, Switzerland 2021. Transbound Emerg Dis 2022; 69:1691-1694. [PMID: 35243797 DOI: 10.1111/tbed.14501] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2021] [Revised: 02/14/2022] [Accepted: 02/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Coronaviruses are causing severe respiratory and enteric diseases in humans and animals. Here, we report an outbreak of equine coronavirus disease in adult horses, detected by a voluntary syndromic surveillance scheme for equine diseases in Switzerland. This scheme allowed a rapid concerted action to diagnose and contain the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melanie M Hierweger
- Division of Neurological Sciences, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | | | - Jan Franzen
- Institute of Animal Pathology, Vetsuisse-Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Michel C Koch
- Division of Neurological Sciences, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | | | - Angelika Schoster
- Clinic for Equine Internal Medicine, Equine Hospital, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Pamela Nicholson
- Next Generation Sequencing Platform, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Vinzenz Gerber
- Swiss Institute of Equine Medicine, Vetsuisse-Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Corinne Gurtner
- Institute of Animal Pathology, Vetsuisse-Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Nathalie Fouché
- Swiss Institute of Equine Medicine, Vetsuisse-Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Lucia Unger
- Swiss Institute of Equine Medicine, Vetsuisse-Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Torsten Seuberlich
- Division of Neurological Sciences, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
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10
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Outbreak of equine coronavirus infection among riding horses in Tokyo, Japan. Comp Immunol Microbiol Infect Dis 2021; 77:101668. [PMID: 34004508 DOI: 10.1016/j.cimid.2021.101668] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2021] [Revised: 04/28/2021] [Accepted: 05/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
In 2020, an outbreak of equine coronavirus (ECoV) infection occurred among 41 horses at a riding stable in Tokyo, Japan. This stable had 16 Thoroughbreds and 25 horses of other breeds, including Andalusians, ponies and miniature horses. Fifteen horses (37 %) showed mild clinical signs such as fever, lethargy, anorexia and diarrhoea, and they recovered within 3 days of onset. A virus neutralization test showed that all 41 horses were infected with ECoV, signifying that 26 horses (63 %) were subclinical. The results suggest that subclinical horses played an important role as spreaders. A genome sequence analysis revealed that the lengths from genes p4.7 to p12.7 or NS2 in ECoV differed from those of ECoVs detected previously, suggesting that this outbreak was caused by a virus different from those that caused previous outbreaks among draughthorses in Japan. Among 30 horses that tested positive by real-time RT-PCR, ECoV shedding periods of non-Thoroughbreds were significantly longer than those of Thoroughbreds. The difference in shedding periods may indicate that some breeds excrete ECoV longer than other breeds and can contribute to the spread of ECoV.
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11
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Seroprevalence and Risk Factors for Exposure to Equine Coronavirus in Apparently Healthy Horses in Israel. Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:ani11030894. [PMID: 33800990 PMCID: PMC8004030 DOI: 10.3390/ani11030894] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2021] [Revised: 03/11/2021] [Accepted: 03/18/2021] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Equine coronavirus (ECoV) is a β-coronavirus that, together with other coronaviruses, are pathogenic to both human and animals, as seen in the recent COVID-19 pandemic. ECoV is considered as a diarrheic pathogen in foals and is included in the list of viral causes of enteritis. During the last decade, outbreaks of ECoV were reported in adult horses in the USA, EU and Japan. In Israel, other coronaviruses were reported in cattle, camels and in humans; however, coronaviruses have not been reported in horses. In this study, we aimed to determine the exposure of healthy horses to ECoV and determine the selected risk factors for infection. For this purpose, serum samples were collected from 333 healthy horses, 41 (12.3%) of which had anti-ECoV antibodies. Seropositive horses were found in more than half (58.6%) of the farms and horses located in central Israel were more likely to be positive. ECoV should be included in the differential diagnosis list of pathogens in cases of adult horses with acute onset of anorexia, lethargy, fever and gastrointestinal signs in Israel. Abstract Equine coronavirus (ECoV) infection is the cause of an emerging enteric disease of adult horses. Outbreaks have been reported in the USA, EU and Japan, as well as sporadic cases in the UK and Saudi Arabia. Infection of ECoV in horses in Israel has never been reported, and the risk of exposure is unknown. Importation and exportation of horses from and into Israel may have increased the exposure of horses in Israel to ECoV. While the disease is mostly self-limiting, with or without supportive treatment, severe complications may occur in some animals, and healthy carriers may pose a risk of infection to other horses. This study was set to evaluate the risk of exposure to ECoV of horses in Israel by using a previously validated, S1-based enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). A total of 41 out of 333 horses (12.3%) were seropositive. Exposure to ECoV was detected in 17 of 29 farms (58.6%) and the seroprevalence varied between 0 and 37.5% amongst farms. The only factor found to be significantly associated with ECoV exposure in the multivariable model was the geographical area (p < 0.001). ECoV should be included in the differential diagnosis list of pathogens in cases of adult horses with anorexia, lethargy, fever and gastrointestinal signs in Israel.
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12
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Colina SE, Serena MS, Echeverría MG, Metz GE. Clinical and molecular aspects of veterinary coronaviruses. Virus Res 2021; 297:198382. [PMID: 33705799 PMCID: PMC7938195 DOI: 10.1016/j.virusres.2021.198382] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2020] [Revised: 12/20/2020] [Accepted: 03/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Coronaviruses are a large group of RNA viruses that infect a wide range of animal species. The replication strategy of coronaviruses involves recombination and mutation events that lead to the possibility of cross-species transmission. The high plasticity of the viral receptor due to a continuous modification of the host species habitat may be the cause of cross-species transmission that can turn into a threat to other species including the human population. The successive emergence of highly pathogenic coronaviruses such as the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) in 2003, the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus in 2012, and the recent SARS-CoV-2 has incentivized a number of studies on the molecular basis of the coronavirus and its pathogenesis. The high degree of interrelatedness between humans and wild and domestic animals and the modification of animal habitats by human urbanization, has favored new viral spreads. Hence, knowledge on the main clinical signs of coronavirus infection in the different hosts and the distinctive molecular characteristics of each coronavirus is essential to prevent the emergence of new coronavirus diseases. The coronavirus infections routinely studied in veterinary medicine must be properly recognized and diagnosed not only to prevent animal disease but also to promote public health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Santiago Emanuel Colina
- Virology, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, National University of La Plata, La Plata, Argentina; CONICET (National Scientific and Technical Research Council), CCT La Plata, Argentina
| | - María Soledad Serena
- Virology, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, National University of La Plata, La Plata, Argentina; CONICET (National Scientific and Technical Research Council), CCT La Plata, Argentina
| | - María Gabriela Echeverría
- Virology, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, National University of La Plata, La Plata, Argentina; CONICET (National Scientific and Technical Research Council), CCT La Plata, Argentina
| | - Germán Ernesto Metz
- Virology, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, National University of La Plata, La Plata, Argentina; CONICET (National Scientific and Technical Research Council), CCT La Plata, Argentina.
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13
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Khamassi Khbou M, Daaloul Jedidi M, Bouaicha Zaafouri F, Benzarti M. Coronaviruses in farm animals: Epidemiology and public health implications. Vet Med Sci 2021; 7:322-347. [PMID: 32976707 PMCID: PMC7537542 DOI: 10.1002/vms3.359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2020] [Revised: 08/27/2020] [Accepted: 08/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Coronaviruses (CoVs) are documented in a wide range of animal species, including terrestrial and aquatic, domestic and wild. The geographic distribution of animal CoVs is worldwide and prevalences were reported in several countries across the five continents. The viruses are known to cause mainly gastrointestinal and respiratory diseases with different severity levels. In certain cases, CoV infections are responsible of huge economic losses associated or not to highly public health impact. Despite being enveloped, CoVs are relatively resistant pathogens in the environment. Coronaviruses are characterized by a high mutation and recombination rate, which makes host jumping and cross-species transmission easy. In fact, increasing contact between different animal species fosters cross-species transmission, while agriculture intensification, animal trade and herd management are key drivers at the human-animal interface. If contacts with wild animals are still limited, humans have much more contact with farm animals, during breeding, transport, slaughter and food process, making CoVs a persistent threat to both humans and animals. A global network should be established for the surveillance and monitoring of animal CoVs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Médiha Khamassi Khbou
- Laboratory of Infectious Animal Diseases, Zoonoses, and Sanitary RegulationUniv. Manouba. Ecole Nationale de Médecine Vétérinaire de Sidi ThabetSidi ThabetTunisia
| | - Monia Daaloul Jedidi
- Laboratory of Microbiology and ImmunologyUniv. ManoubaEcole Nationale de Médecine Vétérinaire de Sidi ThabetSidi ThabetTunisia
| | - Faten Bouaicha Zaafouri
- Department of Livestock Semiology and MedicineUniv. ManoubaEcole Nationale de Médecine Vétérinaire de Sidi ThabetSidi ThabetTunisia
| | - M’hammed Benzarti
- Laboratory of Infectious Animal Diseases, Zoonoses, and Sanitary RegulationUniv. Manouba. Ecole Nationale de Médecine Vétérinaire de Sidi ThabetSidi ThabetTunisia
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14
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Pusterla N. Science-in-brief: Equine coronavirus - a decade long journey to investigate an emerging enteric virus of adult horses. Equine Vet J 2020; 52:651-653. [PMID: 32589298 DOI: 10.1111/evj.13288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2020] [Accepted: 05/15/2020] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Nicola Pusterla
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
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15
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Mattei DN, Kopper JJ, Sanz MG. Equine Coronavirus-Associated Colitis in Horses: A Retrospective Study. J Equine Vet Sci 2020; 87:102906. [PMID: 32172908 PMCID: PMC7126555 DOI: 10.1016/j.jevs.2019.102906] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2019] [Revised: 08/06/2019] [Accepted: 12/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
Equine coronavirus (ECoV) is a known cause of fever, anorexia, and lethargy in adult horses. Although there are multiple reports of ECoV outbreaks, less is known about the clinical presentation of individual horses during a nonoutbreak situation. The purpose of this study was to describe the clinical presentation of horses diagnosed with ECoV infection that were not associated with an outbreak. Medical records of all horses admitted to Washington State University, Veterinary Teaching Hospital, during an 8-year period were reviewed (2010-2018). The five horses included in this study were older than 1 year of age, were diagnosed with colitis, tested positive for ECoV using real-time polymerase chain reaction, and were negative to other enteric pathogens. Interestingly, 4 of 5 horses had moderate to severe diarrhea, 3 had abnormal large colon ultrasonography, 2 had transient ventricular tachycardia and 2 had clinicopathologic evidence of liver dysfunction. ECoV should be included as a differential diagnosis for individual horses presenting with anorexia, fever, lethargy, and colitis. Early identification of ECoV cases is key to implement appropriate biosecurity measures to prevent the potential spread of this disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Debora N Mattei
- Equine Veterinary Medical Center, Member of Qatar Foundation, Doha, Qatar
| | - Jamie J Kopper
- Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Washington State University, Pullman, WA
| | - Macarena G Sanz
- Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Washington State University, Pullman, WA.
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