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Pusterla N, Lawton K, Barnum S. Investigation of the seroprevalence to equine coronavirus and SARS-CoV-2 in healthy adult horses recently imported to the United States. Vet Q 2024; 44:1-6. [PMID: 38010292 PMCID: PMC10949836 DOI: 10.1080/01652176.2023.2288876] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2023] [Accepted: 11/24/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Adult horses are susceptible to equine coronavirus (ECoV) and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), although, only ECoV has been linked to clinical disease. Little information is available regarding the seroprevalence against ECoV and SARS-CoV-2 in adult healthy horses. The goal of the present study was to determine the seroprevalence against two coronaviruses known to infect horses using convenience samples collected from horses recently imported from Europe to the United States from 2019 to 2023. A total of 385 banked serum samples were tested against ECoV and SARS-CoV-2 using previously validated ELISA assays. Prevalence factors including date of arrival in the United States, signalment and country of origin were available for the majority of the horses. A total of 9/385 (2.3%) and 4/385 (1.0%) horses tested seropositive for ECoV and SARS-CoV-2, respectively. The ECoV seropositive horses were all mares, ages 4 to 26 years (median 9 years) and originated from Germany, the Netherlands, Ireland, Belgium and Italy. These mares were predominantly imported during the summer and fall months. All SARS-CoV-2 seropositive horses were mares ages 5 to 10 years (median 7.5 years) imported from the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. The majority of the SARS-CoV-2 seropositive horses were imported during the colder months of the year. The study results support the presence of ECoV in Europe and report on the first SARS-CoV-2 seropositive healthy adult horses outside the United States. Commingling for movements by air and close contact to humans may predispose transmission with ECoV and SARS-CoV-2, respectively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicola Pusterla
- Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Kaila Lawton
- Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Samantha Barnum
- Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
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Soboll‐Hussey G, Dorman DC, Burgess BA, Goehring L, Gross P, Neinast C, Osterrieder K, Pusterla N, Lunn DP. Relationship between equine herpesvirus-1 viremia and abortion or equine herpesvirus myeloencephalopathy in domesticated horses: A systematic review. J Vet Intern Med 2024; 38:1872-1891. [PMID: 38069576 PMCID: PMC11099755 DOI: 10.1111/jvim.16948] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2023] [Accepted: 11/09/2023] [Indexed: 05/18/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Equine herpes virus type 1 (EHV-1) infection in horses is associated with upper respiratory disease, neurological disease, abortions, and neonatal death. OBJECTIVE To determine if there is an association between the level and duration of EHV-1 viremia and either abortion or equine herpesvirus myeloencephalopathy (EHM) in domesticated horses? METHODS A systematic review was performed searching numerous databases to identify peer reviewed reports that evaluated viremia and EHM, or viremia and abortion published before January 19, 2021. Randomized controlled trials and observational studies were assessed for risk of bias or publication quality. RESULTS A total of 189 unique studies were identified, of which 34 met the inclusion criteria. Thirty studies evaluated viremia and neurologic outcomes including 4 observational studies. Eight experimental studies examined viremia and abortion, which used the Ab4 and OH03 virus strains or recombinant Ab4 derivatives. Incidence rates for both EHM and abortion in experimental studies varied among the studies as did the level of evidence. Viremia was generally detectable before the onset of either EHM or abortion. Risk of bias was generally low to moderate, sample sizes were small, and multiple studies reported negative outcome data. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE The results of this study support that viremia is regularly present before EHM or abortion occurs. However, no inferences could be made about the relationship between the occurrence of either neurological signs or abortion and the magnitude or duration of viremia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gisela Soboll‐Hussey
- College of Veterinary MedicineMichigan State University, Veterinary Medical Center, Room G331, 784 Wilson RoadEast Lansing, Michigan 48824USA
| | - David C. Dorman
- College of Veterinary MedicineNorth Carolina State University, 1060 William Moore DriveRaleigh, North Carolina 27607USA
| | - Brandy A. Burgess
- College of Veterinary MedicineUniversity of Georgia, 2200 College Station RoadAthens, Georgia 30602USA
| | - Lutz Goehring
- College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, Maxwell H. Gluck Equine Research Center, University of Kentucky, 1400 Nicholasville RoadLexington, Kentucky 40546‐0099USA
| | - Peggy Gross
- College of Veterinary MedicineNorth Carolina State University, 1060 William Moore DriveRaleigh, North Carolina 27607USA
| | - Claire Neinast
- College of Veterinary MedicineNorth Carolina State University, 1060 William Moore DriveRaleigh, North Carolina 27607USA
| | - Klaus Osterrieder
- Institut für Virologie, Freie Universität Berlin, Robert‐von‐Ostertag‐Strasse 7Berlin 14163Germany
| | - Nicola Pusterla
- School of Veterinary MedicineUniversity of California, Davis, One Garrod DriveDavis, California 95616USA
| | - David P. Lunn
- School of Veterinary ScienceUniversity of Liverpool, Leahurst Campus, Chester High RoadNeston CH64 7TEUnited Kingdom
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Pusterla N, Dorman DC, Burgess BA, Goehring L, Gross M, Osterrieder K, Soboll Hussey G, Lunn DP. Viremia and nasal shedding for the diagnosis of equine herpesvirus-1 infection in domesticated horses. J Vet Intern Med 2024; 38:1765-1791. [PMID: 38069548 PMCID: PMC11099742 DOI: 10.1111/jvim.16958] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2023] [Accepted: 11/16/2023] [Indexed: 05/18/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Equine herpesvirus type 1 (EHV-1) infection is associated with upper respiratory disease, EHM, abortions, and neonatal death. RESEARCH QUESTIONS Are nasal secretions a more sensitive biological sample compared to blood for the detection of EHV-1 infection? How long is EHV-1 detectable after primary infection by PCR? METHODS MedLine and Web of Science searches identified original peer-reviewed reports evaluating nasal shedding and viremia using virus isolation methods or PCR published in English before October 9, 2023. RESULTS Sixty experimental and 20 observational studies met inclusion criteria. EHV-1 detection frequency by qPCR in nasal secretions and blood from naturally-infected horses with fever and respiratory signs were 15% and 9%, respectively; qPCR detection rates in nasal secretions and blood from horses with suspected EHM were 94% and 70%, respectively. In experimental studies the sensitivity of qPCR matched or exceeded that seen for virus isolation from either nasal secretions or blood. Detection of nasal shedding typically occurred within 2 days after EHV-1 inoculation with a detection period of 3 to 7 days. Viremia lasted 2 to 7 days and was usually detected ≥1 days after positive identification of EHV-1 in nasal secretions. Nasal shedding and viremia decreased over time and remained detectable in some horses for several weeks after inoculation. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE Under experimental conditions, blood and nasal secretions have similar sensitivity for the detection of EHV-1 when horses are sampled on multiple consecutive days. In contrast, in observational studies detection of EHV-1 in nasal secretions was consistently more successful.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicola Pusterla
- School of Veterinary MedicineUniversity of CaliforniaDavisCaliforniaUSA
| | - David C. Dorman
- College of Veterinary MedicineNorth Carolina State UniversityRaleighNorth CarolinaUSA
| | | | - Lutz Goehring
- College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, Maxwell H. Gluck Equine Research CenterUniversity of KentuckyLexingtonKentuckyUSA
| | - Margaret Gross
- College of Veterinary MedicineNorth Carolina State UniversityRaleighNorth CarolinaUSA
| | | | - Gisela Soboll Hussey
- College of Veterinary MedicineMichigan State University, Veterinary Medical CenterEast LansingMichiganUSA
| | - David P. Lunn
- School of Veterinary ScienceUniversity of Liverpool, Leahurst CampusNestonUK
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Osterrieder K, Dorman DC, Burgess BA, Goehring LS, Gross P, Neinast C, Pusterla N, Hussey GS, Lunn DP. Vaccination for the prevention of equine herpesvirus-1 disease in domesticated horses: A systematic review and meta-analysis. J Vet Intern Med 2024; 38:1858-1871. [PMID: 37930113 PMCID: PMC11099739 DOI: 10.1111/jvim.16895] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2023] [Accepted: 09/22/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Equine herpes virus type 1 (EHV-1) infection in horses is associated with respiratory and neurologic disease, abortion, and neonatal death. HYPOTHESIS Vaccines decrease the occurrence of clinical disease in EHV-1-infected horses. METHODS A systematic review was performed searching multiple databases to identify relevant studies. Selection criteria were original peer-reviewed research reports that investigated the in vivo use of vaccines for the prevention of disease caused by EHV-1 in domesticated horses. Main outcomes of interest included pyrexia, abortion, neurologic disease, viremia, and nasal shedding. We evaluated risk of bias, conducted exploratory meta-analyses of incidence data for the main outcomes, and performed a GRADE evaluation of the quality of evidence for each vaccine subtype. RESULTS A total of 1018 unique studies were identified, of which 35 met the inclusion criteria. Experimental studies accounted for 31/35 studies, with the remainder being observational studies. Eight vaccine subclasses were identified including commercial (modified-live, inactivated, mixed) and experimental (modified-live, inactivated, deletion mutant, DNA, recombinant). Risk of bias was generally moderate, often because of underreporting of research methods, and sample sizes were small leading to imprecision in the estimate of the effect size. Several studies reported either no benefit or minimal vaccine efficacy for the primary outcomes of interest. Meta-analyses revealed significant heterogeneity was present, and our confidence in the quality of evidence for most outcomes was low to moderate. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE Our review indicates that commercial and experimental vaccines minimally reduce the incidence of clinical disease associated with EHV-1 infection.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - David C. Dorman
- College of Veterinary MedicineNorth Carolina State UniversityRaleighNorth CarolinaUSA
| | | | - Lutz S. Goehring
- College of Agriculture, Food and EnvironmentUniversity of Kentucky, Maxwell H. Gluck Equine Research CenterLexingtonKentuckyUSA
| | - Peggy Gross
- College of Veterinary MedicineNorth Carolina State UniversityRaleighNorth CarolinaUSA
| | - Claire Neinast
- College of Veterinary MedicineNorth Carolina State UniversityRaleighNorth CarolinaUSA
| | - Nicola Pusterla
- School of Veterinary Medicine, University of CaliforniaDavisCaliforniaUSA
| | - Gisela Soboll Hussey
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University, Veterinary Medical CenterEast LansingMichiganUSA
| | - David P. Lunn
- School of Veterinary Science, University of LiverpoolLiverpoolUK
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Lunn DP, Burgess BA, Dorman DC, Goehring LS, Gross P, Osterrieder K, Pusterla N, Soboll Hussey G. Updated ACVIM consensus statement on equine herpesvirus-1. J Vet Intern Med 2024; 38:1290-1299. [PMID: 38497217 PMCID: PMC11099706 DOI: 10.1111/jvim.17047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2024] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 03/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Equine herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1) is a highly prevalent and frequently pathogenic infection of equids. The most serious clinical consequences of infection are abortion and equine herpesvirus myeloencephalopathy (EHM). The previous consensus statement was published in 2009 and considered pathogenesis, strain variation, epidemiology, diagnostic testing, vaccination, outbreak prevention and control, and treatment. A recent survey of American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine large animal diplomates identified the need for a revision to this original consensus statement. This updated consensus statement is underpinned by 4 systematic reviews that addressed key questions concerning vaccination, pharmaceutical treatment, pathogenesis, and diagnostic testing. Evidence for successful vaccination against, or effective treatment of EHV-1 infection was limited, and improvements in experimental design and reporting of results are needed in future studies of this important disease. This consensus statement also updates the topics considered previously in 2009.
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Affiliation(s)
- David P. Lunn
- School of Veterinary ScienceUniversity of LiverpoolLiverpoolUnited Kingdom
| | - Brandy A Burgess
- College of Veterinary MedicineUniversity of GeorgiaAthensGeorgiaUSA
| | - David C. Dorman
- College of Veterinary MedicineNorth Carolina State UniversityRaleighNorth CarolinaUSA
| | - Lutz S. Goehring
- Maxwell H. Gluck Equine Research CenterUniversity of Kentucky, College of Agriculture, Food and EnvironmentLexingtonKentuckyUSA
| | - Peggy Gross
- College of Veterinary MedicineNorth Carolina State UniversityRaleighNorth CarolinaUSA
| | | | - Nicola Pusterla
- School of Veterinary MedicineUniversity of CaliforniaDavisCaliforniaUSA
| | - Gisela Soboll Hussey
- College of Veterinary MedicineMichigan State University, Veterinary Medical CenterEast LansingMichiganUSA
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Goehring L, Dorman DC, Osterrieder K, Burgess BA, Dougherty K, Gross P, Neinast C, Pusterla N, Soboll‐Hussey G, Lunn DP. Pharmacologic interventions for the treatment of equine herpesvirus-1 in domesticated horses: A systematic review. J Vet Intern Med 2024; 38:1892-1905. [PMID: 38380685 PMCID: PMC11099759 DOI: 10.1111/jvim.17016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2023] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 02/22/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Equine herpes virus type 1 (EHV-1) infection in horses is associated with upper respiratory disease, neurological disease, abortions, and neonatal death. REVIEW QUESTION Does pharmacological therapy decrease either the incidence or severity of disease or infection caused by EHV-1 in domesticated horses? METHODS A systematic review was preformed searching AGRICOLA, CAB Abstracts, Cochrane, PubMed, Web of Science, and WHO Global Health Index Medicus Regional Databases to identify articles published before February 15, 2021. Selection criteria were original research reports published in peer reviewed journals, and studies investigating in vivo use of therapeutic agents for prevention or treatment of EHV-1 in horses. Outcomes assessed included measures related to clinical outcomes that reflect symptomatic EHV-1 infection or virus infection. We evaluated risk of bias and performed a GRADE evaluation of the quality of evidence for interventions. RESULTS A total of 7009 unique studies were identified, of which 9 met the inclusion criteria. Two studies evaluated valacyclovir or small interfering RNAs, and single studies evaluated the use of a Parapoxvirus ovis-based immunomodulator, human alpha interferon, an herbal supplement, a cytosine analog, and heparin. The level of evidence ranged between randomized controlled studies and observational trials. The risk of bias was moderate to high and sample sizes were small. Most studies reported either no benefit or minimal efficacy of the intervention tested. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE Our review indicates minimal or limited benefit either as a prophylactic or post-exposure treatment for any of the studied interventions in the mitigation of EHV-1-associated disease outcome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lutz Goehring
- University of Kentucky, College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, Maxwell H. Gluck Equine Research Center, 1400 Nicholasville RoadLexington, Kentucky 40546‐0099USA
| | - David C. Dorman
- College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, 1060 William Moore DriveRaleigh, North Carolina 27607USA
| | - Klaus Osterrieder
- Institut für Virologie, Freie Universität Berlin, Robert‐von‐Ostertag‐Str. 714163 BerlinGermany
| | - Brandy A. Burgess
- College of Veterinary MedicineUniversity of Georgia, 2200 College Station RoadAthens, Georgia 30602USA
| | - Kelsie Dougherty
- College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, 1060 William Moore DriveRaleigh, North Carolina 27607USA
| | - Peggy Gross
- College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, 1060 William Moore DriveRaleigh, North Carolina 27607USA
| | - Claire Neinast
- College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, 1060 William Moore DriveRaleigh, North Carolina 27607USA
| | - Nicola Pusterla
- School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, One Garrod DriveDavis, California 95616USA
| | - Gisela Soboll‐Hussey
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University, Veterinary Medical Center, Room G331, 784 Wilson RoadEast Lansing, Michigan 48824USA
| | - David P. Lunn
- School of Veterinary Science, University of Liverpool, Leahurst Campus, Chester High RoadNeston CH64 7TEUnited Kingdom
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Stasi D, Wagner B, Barnum S, Pusterla N. Comparison of antibody and antigen response to intranasal and intramuscular EHV-1 modified-live vaccination in healthy adult horses. J Equine Vet Sci 2024; 133:104992. [PMID: 38160702 DOI: 10.1016/j.jevs.2023.104992] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2023] [Revised: 12/28/2023] [Accepted: 12/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
During neurological EHV-1 outbreaks, modified-live vaccines (MLV) are often administrated intranasally in an off-label fashion to healthy cohort horses in order to achieve rapid mucosal immunity. Thus, the goal of the present study was to determine if a commercially available EHV-1 MLV given intranasally to healthy horses would trigger a measurable systemic and/or mucosal antibody response. Eight healthy adult horses were given the EHV-1 MLV vaccine intranasally, while 8 healthy adult horses received the vaccine intramuscularly. An additional 8 healthy horses served as unvaccinated controls. EHV-1 specific antibodies (total IgG, IgG4/7, IgG1 and IgA) were measured in blood and nasal secretions prior to vaccine administration and 14- and 30-days post-vaccine administration. Further, nasal secretions and whole blood were tested for the presence of EHV-1 DNA by qPCR prior to and 5 days after vaccine administration. EHV-1 was detected by qPCR for the first 48 hours post-intranasal vaccine administration in nasal secretions in a total of three horses. Total EHV-1 IgG and IgG4/7 antibody values in serum increased only in horses receiving the intramuscular MLV. Antibody values at 14- and 30-days post vaccine administration were not different from values prior to vaccine administration in horses receiving the intranasal vaccine. The results support the intramuscular use of the EHV-1 MLV as recommended by the manufacturer. Intranasal vaccination with the study-specific EHV-1 MLV did not induce an increase in systemic or nasal antibodies, therefore, this vaccine route seems suboptimal and should not be used to vaccinate adult horses that have received multiple EHV-1 vaccinations and have pre-existing antibodies against EHV-1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Denise Stasi
- Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Bettina Wagner
- Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Samantha Barnum
- Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - 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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Hüttl J, Reitt K, Meli ML, Meili T, Bönzli E, Pineroli B, Ginders J, Schoster A, Jones S, Tyson GB, Hosie MJ, Pusterla N, Wernike K, Hofmann-Lehmann R. Serological and Molecular Investigation of SARS-CoV-2 in Horses and Cattle in Switzerland from 2020 to 2022. Viruses 2024; 16:224. [PMID: 38400000 PMCID: PMC10892882 DOI: 10.3390/v16020224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2023] [Revised: 01/27/2024] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Horses and cattle have shown low susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2, and there is no evidence of experimental intraspecies transmission. Nonetheless, seropositive horses in the US and seropositive cattle in Germany and Italy have been reported. The current study investigated the prevalence of antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 in horses and cattle in Switzerland. In total, 1940 serum and plasma samples from 1110 horses and 830 cattle were screened with a species-specific ELISA based on the SARS-CoV-2 receptor-binding domain (RBD) and, in the case of suspect positive results, a surrogate virus neutralization test (sVNT) was used to demonstrate the neutralizing activity of the antibodies. Further confirmation of suspect positive samples was performed using either a pseudotype-based virus neutralization assay (PVNA; horses) or an indirect immunofluorescence test (IFA; cattle). The animals were sampled between February 2020 and December 2022. Additionally, in total, 486 bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL), oropharyngeal, nasal and rectal swab samples from horses and cattle were analyzed for the presence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA via reverse transcriptase quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). Six horses (0.5%; 95% CI: 0.2-1.2%) were suspect positive via RBD-ELISA, and neutralizing antibodies were detected in two of them via confirmatory sVNT and PVNA tests. In the PVNA, the highest titers were measured against the Alpha and Delta SARS-CoV-2 variants. Fifteen cattle (1.8%; 95% CI: 1.0-3.0%) were suspect positive in RBD-ELISA; 3 of them had SARS-CoV-2-specific neutralizing antibodies in sVNT and 4 of the 15 were confirmed to be positive via IFA. All tested samples were RT-qPCR-negative. The results support the hypotheses that the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infections in horses and cattle in Switzerland was low up to the end of 2022.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Hüttl
- Center for Laboratory Medicine, Veterinary Diagnostic Services, Frohbergstrasse 3, 9001 St. Gallen, Switzerland;
- Clinical Laboratory, Vetsuisse Faculty, Department of Clinical Diagnostics and Services, and Center for Clinical Studies, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 260, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland; (M.L.M.); (T.M.); (E.B.); (B.P.); (J.G.); (R.H.-L.)
| | - Katja Reitt
- Center for Laboratory Medicine, Veterinary Diagnostic Services, Frohbergstrasse 3, 9001 St. Gallen, Switzerland;
| | - Marina L. Meli
- Clinical Laboratory, Vetsuisse Faculty, Department of Clinical Diagnostics and Services, and Center for Clinical Studies, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 260, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland; (M.L.M.); (T.M.); (E.B.); (B.P.); (J.G.); (R.H.-L.)
| | - Theres Meili
- Clinical Laboratory, Vetsuisse Faculty, Department of Clinical Diagnostics and Services, and Center for Clinical Studies, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 260, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland; (M.L.M.); (T.M.); (E.B.); (B.P.); (J.G.); (R.H.-L.)
| | - Eva Bönzli
- Clinical Laboratory, Vetsuisse Faculty, Department of Clinical Diagnostics and Services, and Center for Clinical Studies, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 260, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland; (M.L.M.); (T.M.); (E.B.); (B.P.); (J.G.); (R.H.-L.)
| | - Benita Pineroli
- Clinical Laboratory, Vetsuisse Faculty, Department of Clinical Diagnostics and Services, and Center for Clinical Studies, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 260, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland; (M.L.M.); (T.M.); (E.B.); (B.P.); (J.G.); (R.H.-L.)
| | - Julia Ginders
- Clinical Laboratory, Vetsuisse Faculty, Department of Clinical Diagnostics and Services, and Center for Clinical Studies, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 260, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland; (M.L.M.); (T.M.); (E.B.); (B.P.); (J.G.); (R.H.-L.)
| | - Angelika Schoster
- Clinic for Equine Internal Medicine, Equine Department, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland;
| | - Sarah Jones
- School of Biodiversity, One Health and Veterinary Medicine, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Bearsden Road, Glasgow G61 1QH, UK; (S.J.)
| | - Grace B. Tyson
- School of Biodiversity, One Health and Veterinary Medicine, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Bearsden Road, Glasgow G61 1QH, UK; (S.J.)
- MRC-University of Glasgow, Centre for Virus Research, Bearsden Road, Glasgow G61 1QH, UK;
| | - Margaret J. Hosie
- MRC-University of Glasgow, Centre for Virus Research, Bearsden Road, Glasgow G61 1QH, UK;
| | - Nicola Pusterla
- Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA;
| | - Kerstin Wernike
- Institute of Diagnostic Virology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut (FLI), Suedufer 10, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany;
| | - Regina Hofmann-Lehmann
- Clinical Laboratory, Vetsuisse Faculty, Department of Clinical Diagnostics and Services, and Center for Clinical Studies, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 260, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland; (M.L.M.); (T.M.); (E.B.); (B.P.); (J.G.); (R.H.-L.)
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Kreutzfeldt N, Chambers TM, Reedy S, Spann KM, Pusterla N. Effect of dexamethasone on antibody response of horses to vaccination with a combined equine influenza virus and equine herpesvirus-1 vaccine. J Vet Intern Med 2024; 38:424-430. [PMID: 38141173 PMCID: PMC10800231 DOI: 10.1111/jvim.16978] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2023] [Accepted: 12/13/2023] [Indexed: 12/25/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Dexamethasone is routinely administered to horses but its effect on the antibody response to a commercial EIV/EHV vaccine is unclear. HYPOTHESIS Horses receiving dexamethasone will have lower postvaccination antibody levels against EIV and EHV-1 than vaccinated controls. ANIMALS Fifty-five healthy adult research horses. METHODS Randomized cohort study. Control (no vaccine, group 1), vaccination only (EIV/EHV-1/EHV-4, Prestige 2, Merck Animal Health, group 2), vaccination and concurrent single intravenous dose of dexamethasone (approximately .05 mg/kg, group 3), vaccination and 3 intravenous doses of dexamethasone at 24 hours intervals (group 4). Serum SAA levels were measured on day 1 and day 3. Antibody levels against EIV (hemagglutination inhibition assay, Kentucky 2014 antigen) and EHV-1 (multiplex ELISA targeting total IgG and IgG 4/7) were measured on day 1 and day 30. RESULTS Significantly increased mean antibody titers after vaccination were only noted against EIV and only after the vaccination alone (n = 14, prevaccine mean [prvm] 166.9, SD 259.6, 95% CI 16.95-316.8; postvaccine mean [povm] 249.1, SD 257.2, 95% confidence interval [CI] 100.6-397.6, P = .02) and the single dose dexamethasone (n = 14, prvm 93.14, SD 72.2, CI 51.45-134.8; povm 185.1, SD 118, CI 116.7-253.6, P = .01), but not after multiple doses of dexamethasone (n = 14, prvm 194.3, SD 258.3, CI 45.16-343.4; povm 240.0, SD 235.7, CI 103.9-376.1, P > .05). CONCLUSION The effect of dexamethasone on the postvaccine antibody response varies depending on the dosing frequency and the antigen-specific antibody type.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole Kreutzfeldt
- William R. Pritchard Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, School of Veterinary MedicineUniversity of CaliforniaDavisCaliforniaUSA
| | - Thomas M. Chambers
- Maxwell H. Gluck Equine Research CenterUniversity of KentuckyLexingtonKentuckyUSA
| | - Stephanie Reedy
- Maxwell H. Gluck Equine Research CenterUniversity of KentuckyLexingtonKentuckyUSA
| | | | - Nicola Pusterla
- Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary MedicineUniversity of CaliforniaDavisCaliforniaUSA
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Aleman M, Vedavally U, Pusterla N, Wensley F, Berryhill E, Madigan JE. Common and atypical presentations of Anaplasma phagocytophilum infection in equids with emphasis on neurologic and muscle disease. J Vet Intern Med 2024; 38:440-448. [PMID: 38038253 PMCID: PMC10800209 DOI: 10.1111/jvim.16964] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2023] [Accepted: 11/17/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Comprehensive descriptions of equids with granulocytic anaplasmosis (EGA) with neurologic or muscle disease and other atypical presentations are scarce in the literature. OBJECTIVE Describe the clinical signs, laboratory findings, treatment, and outcome of equids with EGA with emphasis on neurologic and muscle disease. ANIMALS Thirty-eight horses, 1 donkey. METHODS Retrospective study. Equids with EGA were included. The electronic data base was searched from January 2000 to December 2022 using the words anaplasmosis, ehrlichiosis, granulocytic, and rickettsia. Signalment and clinical data were reviewed. Data were evaluated for normality using Shapiro-Wilk test. Parametric and nonparametric statistics were used for normally and non-normally distributed data. RESULTS Common (41%) and other (59%) presentations were seen in horses ≥ 4 years of age (median, 14 years) with an overrepresentation of males (77%). Neurologic disease was common (41%), mainly presenting as diffuse symmetrical proprioceptive ataxia. Brain disease was less common manifesting as obtundation and cranial nerve deficits. Muscle disease was less common, with QH breeds with the variant causing myosin heavy chain myopathy (MYHM) having severe disease. Cavitary effusion, cardiomyopathy and disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) were uncommon. Clinical laboratory results varied depending on disease stage. Muscle enzyme activities were significantly higher in horses with muscle disease. Outcome was favorable with prompt tetracycline treatment. Death and long-term sequelae were not reported. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE Common and atypical presentations of EGA have a favorable outcome with prompt tetracycline treatment. Quarter horse breeds with muscle disease should be genotyped for MYHM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monica Aleman
- Department of Medicine and EpidemiologySchool of Veterinary Medicine, University of CaliforniaDavisCaliforniaUSA
| | - Ujwala Vedavally
- Department of Medicine and EpidemiologySchool of Veterinary Medicine, University of CaliforniaDavisCaliforniaUSA
| | - Nicola Pusterla
- Department of Medicine and EpidemiologySchool of Veterinary Medicine, University of CaliforniaDavisCaliforniaUSA
| | - Fiona Wensley
- William R. Pritchard Veterinary Medical Teaching HospitalSchool of Veterinary Medicine, University of CaliforniaDavisCaliforniaUSA
| | - Emily Berryhill
- Department of Medicine and EpidemiologySchool of Veterinary Medicine, University of CaliforniaDavisCaliforniaUSA
| | - John E. Madigan
- Department of Medicine and EpidemiologySchool of Veterinary Medicine, University of CaliforniaDavisCaliforniaUSA
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11
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Schneider C, James K, Craig BW, Chappell DE, Vaala W, van Harreveld PD, Wright CA, Barnum S, Pusterla N. Characterization of Equine Rhinitis B Virus Infection in Clinically Ill Horses in the United States during the Period 2012-2023. Pathogens 2023; 12:1324. [PMID: 38003789 PMCID: PMC10674924 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens12111324] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2023] [Revised: 10/27/2023] [Accepted: 11/01/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Equine rhinitis B virus is a lesser-known equine respiratory pathogen that is being detected with increasing frequency via a voluntary upper respiratory biosurveillance program in the United States. This program received 8684 nasal swab submissions during the years 2012-2023. The nasal swabs were submitted for qPCR testing for six common upper respiratory pathogens: Streptococcus equi subspecies equi (S. equi), equine influenza virus (EIV), equine herpesvirus type 1 (EHV-1), equine herpesvirus type 4 (EHV-4), equine rhinitis A virus (ERAV), and equine rhinitis B virus (ERBV). The overall ERBV qPCR-positivity rate was 5.08% (441/8684). ERBV was detected as a single pathogen in 291 cases (65.99% of positives, 291/441) and was detected as a coinfection with at least one other respiratory pathogen in 150 cases (34.01%, 150/441). Young horses, less than a year of age, with acute onset of fever and respiratory signs and horses used for competition are more likely to test qPCR-positive for ERBV. Horses with ERBV may present with fever, nasal discharge, ocular discharge, and/or cough. Coinfection is a common feature of ERBV infection and S. equi, EHV-4 and EIV were the most common pathogens coinfected with ERBV. This report provides important information regarding the clinical relevance of ERBV in the horse and begins investigating the impact of coinfection on clinical disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chrissie Schneider
- Merck Animal Health, Rahway, NJ 07065, USA (B.W.C.); (D.E.C.); (W.V.); (P.D.v.H.); (C.A.W.)
| | - Kaitlyn James
- Merck Animal Health, Rahway, NJ 07065, USA (B.W.C.); (D.E.C.); (W.V.); (P.D.v.H.); (C.A.W.)
| | - Bryant W. Craig
- Merck Animal Health, Rahway, NJ 07065, USA (B.W.C.); (D.E.C.); (W.V.); (P.D.v.H.); (C.A.W.)
| | - Duane E. Chappell
- Merck Animal Health, Rahway, NJ 07065, USA (B.W.C.); (D.E.C.); (W.V.); (P.D.v.H.); (C.A.W.)
| | - Wendy Vaala
- Merck Animal Health, Rahway, NJ 07065, USA (B.W.C.); (D.E.C.); (W.V.); (P.D.v.H.); (C.A.W.)
| | | | - Cara A. Wright
- Merck Animal Health, Rahway, NJ 07065, USA (B.W.C.); (D.E.C.); (W.V.); (P.D.v.H.); (C.A.W.)
| | - Samantha Barnum
- Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA (N.P.)
| | - Nicola Pusterla
- Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA (N.P.)
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12
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Lawton K, Runk D, Hankin S, Mendonsa E, Hull D, Barnum S, Pusterla N. Detection of Selected Equine Respiratory Pathogens in Stall Samples Collected at a Multi-Week Equestrian Show during the Winter Months. Viruses 2023; 15:2078. [PMID: 37896855 PMCID: PMC10612055 DOI: 10.3390/v15102078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2023] [Revised: 10/02/2023] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The aim of this study was to use environmental sampling to determine the frequency of detection of selected equine respiratory viruses and bacteria in horses attending a multi-week equestrian show during the winter months. At four time points during showing, environmental sponge samples were collected from all stalls on the property and tested for the presence of equine herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1), EHV-2, EHV-4, equine influenza virus (EIV), equine rhinitis B virus (ERBV), Streptococcus equi ss. equi (S. equi), and S. equi ss. zooepidemicus (S. zooepidemicus) using real-time PCR (PCR). Environmental sponges were collected from all 53 barns by using one sponge for up to 10 stalls. Further, 2/53 barns were randomly selected for individual stall sampling in order to compare the results between individual and pooled stall samples. A total of 333/948 (35.13%, 95% CI 32.09-38.26%) pooled environmental stall sponges tested PCR-positive for at least one of the selected respiratory pathogens. Streptococcus zooepidemicus was the most commonly detected pathogen in pooled samples (28.69%, 95% CI 25.83-31.69%), followed by EHV-2 (14.45%, 95% CI 12.27-16.85%), EHV-4 (1.37%, 95% CI 0.73-2.33%), and a very small percentage of pooled stall sponges tested PCR-positive for EHV-1, ERBV, EIV, and S. equi. In individual samples, 171/464 (36.85%, 95% CI 32.45-41.42%) environmental stall sponges tested PCR-positive for at least one of the selected pathogens, following a similar frequency of pathogen detection as pooled samples. The detection frequency of true respiratory pathogens from environmental samples was higher during the winter months compared to previous studies performed during spring and summer, and this testing highlights that such pathogens circulate with greater frequency during the colder months of the year. The strategy of monitoring environmental stall samples for respiratory pathogens circumvents the often labor-intensive collection of respiratory secretions from healthy horses and allows for a more efficient assessment of pathogen buildup over time. However, environmental stall testing for respiratory pathogens should not replace proper biosecurity protocols, but it should instead be considered as an additional tool to monitor the silent circulation of respiratory pathogens in at-risk horses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaila Lawton
- Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA; (K.L.); (S.B.)
| | - David Runk
- Desert International Horse Park, Thermal, CA 92274, USA; (D.R.); (S.H.)
| | - Steve Hankin
- Desert International Horse Park, Thermal, CA 92274, USA; (D.R.); (S.H.)
| | | | - Dale Hull
- Fluxergy, Irvine, CA 92618, USA; (E.M.); (D.H.)
| | - Samantha Barnum
- Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA; (K.L.); (S.B.)
| | - Nicola Pusterla
- Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA; (K.L.); (S.B.)
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13
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Trsan J, Nottle BF, Pusterla N. Effect of Procaine Penicillin G and Flunixin Meglumine on Serum Amyloid A Response in Healthy Adult Horses. J Equine Vet Sci 2023; 129:104876. [PMID: 37451522 DOI: 10.1016/j.jevs.2023.104876] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2023] [Revised: 05/29/2023] [Accepted: 06/27/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023]
Abstract
This study was designed to determine the effect of PPG and/or flunixin meglumine on SAA response when used at clinical dosing regimens in healthy adult horses. Six healthy adult horses were enrolled in a crossover study design including one control and three treatment groups: no treatment (control); PPG alone (intramuscularly q12h for 72h); flunixin meglumine alone (intravenously q24h for 72h); and PPG (intramuscularly q12h for 72h) and flunixin meglumine (intravenously q24h for 72h). Whole blood was collected at 0, 24, 48, 72, 96 and 120 hours post-initial drug administration to measure SAA using a commercial lateral-flow immunoassay. The washout period was 30 days. Individual SAA values were within the reference range (≤ 20 µg/mL) for almost all horses in the control group. One control horse displayed a SAA value of 28 µg/mL at 72 hours. All horses from the PPG group showed normal SAA values throughout the study. Apart from one horse (SAA of 24 µg/mL at 96 hours) from the flunixin meglumine group, all horses showed normal SAA values. For the PPG and flunixin meglumine group, 5 horses had SAA values within reference range. One horse displayed increased SAA values (32-45 µg/mL) between 48 to 96 hours post-drug administration. There was no difference in area under the SAA time curve amongst control and treatment groups (P > 0.05). The administration of intramuscular PPG and/or intravenous flunixin meglumine does not trigger an inflammatory response that induces a SAA value above reference range in most adult healthy horses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jurica Trsan
- Equine Internal Medicine, William R. Pritchard Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA.
| | - Bridget F Nottle
- Equine Internal Medicine, William R. Pritchard Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA; Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO
| | - Nicola Pusterla
- Equine Internal Medicine, William R. Pritchard Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA
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14
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Wasik BR, Rothschild E, Voorhees IEH, Reedy SE, Murcia PR, Pusterla N, Chambers TM, Goodman LB, Holmes EC, Kile JC, Parrish CR. Understanding the divergent evolution and epidemiology of H3N8 influenza viruses in dogs and horses. Virus Evol 2023; 9:vead052. [PMID: 37692894 PMCID: PMC10484056 DOI: 10.1093/ve/vead052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2023] [Revised: 06/12/2023] [Accepted: 08/16/2023] [Indexed: 09/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Cross-species virus transmission events can lead to dire public health emergencies in the form of epidemics and pandemics. One example in animals is the emergence of the H3N8 equine influenza virus (EIV), first isolated in 1963 in Miami, FL, USA, after emerging among horses in South America. In the early 21st century, the American lineage of EIV diverged into two 'Florida' clades that persist today, while an EIV transferred to dogs around 1999 and gave rise to the H3N8 canine influenza virus (CIV), first reported in 2004. Here, we compare CIV in dogs and EIV in horses to reveal their host-specific evolution, to determine the sources and connections between significant outbreaks, and to gain insight into the factors controlling their different evolutionary fates. H3N8 CIV only circulated in North America, was geographically restricted after the first few years, and went extinct in 2016. Of the two EIV Florida clades, clade 1 circulates widely and shows frequent transfers between the USA and South America, Europe and elsewhere, while clade 2 was globally distributed early after it emerged, but since about 2018 has only been detected in Central Asia. Any potential zoonotic threat of these viruses to humans can only be determined with an understanding of its natural history and evolution. Our comparative analysis of these three viral lineages reveals distinct patterns and rates of sequence variation yet with similar overall evolution between clades, suggesting epidemiological intervention strategies for possible eradication of H3N8 EIV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian R Wasik
- Baker Institute for Animal Health, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Evin Rothschild
- Baker Institute for Animal Health, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Ian E H Voorhees
- Baker Institute for Animal Health, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Stephanie E Reedy
- Department of Veterinary Science, Gluck Equine Research Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40546, USA
| | - Pablo R Murcia
- MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, School of Infection and Immunity, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G61 1QH, Scotland
| | - Nicola Pusterla
- Department of Medicine & Epidemiology, School Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Thomas M Chambers
- Department of Veterinary Science, Gluck Equine Research Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40546, USA
| | - Laura B Goodman
- Baker Institute for Animal Health, Department of Public and Ecosystems Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Edward C Holmes
- Sydney Institute for Infectious Diseases, School of Medical Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - James C Kile
- Influenza Division, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA
| | - Colin R Parrish
- Baker Institute for Animal Health, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
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15
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Pusterla N, Naranatt P, Swadia H, Winfield L, Hartwig A, Barnum S, Mendonsa E. Multi-Centered Field Evaluation of a Salmonella spp. Point-of-Care PCR Assay Using Equine Feces and Environmental Samples. J Equine Vet Sci 2023; 126:104538. [PMID: 37150233 DOI: 10.1016/j.jevs.2023.104538] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2023] [Revised: 04/28/2023] [Accepted: 05/02/2023] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
The introduction of microfluidic card technology has opened the field for rapid point-of-care (POC) molecular assays, including fecal and environmental Salmonella spp. testing. The purpose of this study was to evaluate a novel POC PCR assay for the detection of Salmonella spp. in feces and environmental samples. A total of 143 fecal samples and 132 environmental samples were collected for POC PCR Salmonella spp. testing as well as qPCR testing. Each sample was inoculated into selenite broth and incubated for 18 to 24 hours. For the POC PCR assay, 14 μl of selenite broth were mixed with 126 μl of PCR reaction mix and pipetted into a microfluidic test card targeting the invA and ttrC gene of Salmonella enterica. For qPCR analysis, 200 µl of the selenite broth were processed for DNA purification and Salmonella spp. testing targeting the invA gene. The overall agreement between the POC PCR Salmonella spp. assay and qPCR assay was 88.1% for feces and 97.0% for environmental samples. Strong agreement and short turn-around-time make the POC device the first molecular diagnostic platform allowing detection of Salmonella spp. in a hospital setting without having to ship out samples to a veterinary diagnostic laboratory. The availability of an accurate POC PCR assay for the detection of Salmonella spp. will enhance the diagnostic capability of equine veterinarians to timely support a diagnosis of salmonellosis and also monitor the environment in order to reduce the risk of nosocomial infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicola Pusterla
- Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA.
| | | | | | | | | | - Samantha Barnum
- Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA
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16
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Pusterla N, Kalscheur M, Peters D, Bidwell L, Holtz S, Barnum S, Lawton K, Morrissey M, Schumacher S. Investigation of the Frequency of Detection of Common Respiratory Pathogens in Nasal Secretions and Environment of Healthy Sport Horses Attending a Multi-Week Show Event during the Summer Months. Viruses 2023; 15:1225. [PMID: 37376525 DOI: 10.3390/v15061225] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2023] [Revised: 05/21/2023] [Accepted: 05/22/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Little information is presently available regarding the frequency of the silent shedders of respiratory viruses in healthy sport horses and their impact on environmental contamination. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the detection frequency of selected respiratory pathogens in nasal secretions and environmental stall samples of sport horses attending a multi-week equestrian event during the summer months. Six out of fifteen tents were randomly selected for the study with approximately 20 horse/stall pairs being sampled on a weekly basis. Following weekly collection for a total of 11 weeks, all samples were tested for the presence of common respiratory pathogens (EIV, EHV-1, EHV-4, ERAV, ERBV, and Streptococcus equi ss equi (S. equi)) using qPCR. A total of 19/682 nasal swabs (2.8%) and 28/1288 environmental stall sponges (2.2%) tested qPCR-positive for common respiratory pathogens. ERBV was the most common respiratory virus (17 nasal swabs, 28 stall sponges) detected, followed by EHV-4 (1 nasal swab) and S. equi (1 nasal swab). EIV, EHV-1, EHV-4 and ERAV were not detected in any of the study horses or stalls. Only one horse and one stall tested qPCR-positive for ERBV on two consecutive weeks. All the other qPCR-positive sample results were related to individual time points. Furthermore, only one horse/stall pair tested qPCR-positive for ERBV at a single time point. The study results showed that in a selected population of sport horses attending a multi-week equestrian event in the summer, the frequency of the shedding of respiratory viruses was low and primarily restricted to ERBV with little evidence of active transmission and environmental contamination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicola Pusterla
- Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | | | - Duncan Peters
- East-West Equine Sports Medicine, Lexington, KY 40583, USA
| | - Lori Bidwell
- East-West Equine Sports Medicine, Lexington, KY 40583, USA
| | - Sara Holtz
- East-West Equine Sports Medicine, Lexington, KY 40583, USA
| | - Samantha Barnum
- Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Kaila Lawton
- Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Matt Morrissey
- Morrissey Management Group, LLC, Wellington, FL 33414, USA
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17
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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] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [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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18
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Pusterla N, Barnum S, Lawton K, Wademan C, Corbin R, Hodzic E. Investigation of the EHV-1 Genotype (N 752, D 752, and H 752) in Swabs Collected From Equids With Respiratory and Neurological Disease and Abortion From the United States (2019-2022). J Equine Vet Sci 2023; 123:104244. [PMID: 36773852 DOI: 10.1016/j.jevs.2023.104244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2022] [Revised: 02/01/2023] [Accepted: 02/06/2023] [Indexed: 02/12/2023]
Abstract
Contemporary data on equine herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1) genotype (non-neuropathogenic or N752, neuropathogenic or D752 and new variant or H752) in clinically diseased equids is important in order to determine the frequency of these genotypes and their association with disease expression. A total of 297 EHV-1 qPCR-positive swabs collected from 2019 to 2022 from horses with respiratory disease (EHV-1), neurological disease (equine herpesvirus-1 myeloencephalopathy [EHM]) and abortion were tested for the three different EHV-1 genotypes (N752, D752 and H752) using qPCR allelic discrimination assays. All submissions originated from the United States and included 257 EHV-1 cases, 35 EHM cases and 5 cases of abortion. EHV-1 qPCR-positive cases were predominantly seen during winter and spring. N752 was the predominant genotype detected in EHV-1 cases (87.5%), EHM cases (74.3%) and abortions (80%). D752 was detected less frequently in EHV-1 cases (9.3%) and EHM cases (25.7%), while H752 was only detected in EHV-1 cases (3.1%). While the N752 genotype has remained the predominant genotype affecting horses with respiratory disease and abortion, it has also become a leading genotype in cases of EHM, when compared to historical data. The new H752 genotype, first reported in the United States in 2021, has remained confined to a cluster of geographically and temporally related outbreaks and the data showed no emerging spread of H752 since it was first reported. While the monitoring of EHV-1 genotypes is important from a diagnostic and epidemiological standpoint, it may also help establish medical interventions and preventive protocols to reduce the risk of severe complications associated with EHV-1 infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicola Pusterla
- Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA.
| | - Samantha Barnum
- Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA
| | - Kaila Lawton
- Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA
| | - Cara Wademan
- Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA
| | - Rachel Corbin
- Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA
| | - Emir Hodzic
- Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA
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19
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Bernardino PN, Pusterla N, Conrad PA, Packham AE, Tamez-Trevino E, Aleman M, James K, Smith WA. Evidence of intrathecally-derived antibodies against Toxoplasma gondii in horses suspected of neurological disease consistent with equine protozoal myeloencephalitis. Vet Parasitol 2023; 318:109919. [PMID: 37043865 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2023.109919] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2022] [Revised: 03/17/2023] [Accepted: 03/28/2023] [Indexed: 03/31/2023]
Abstract
Among the recognized neurologic diseases in horses, equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM) has been reported around the world and still presents challenges in diagnosis and treatment. Horses can present with clinical neurologic signs consistent with EPM while testing negative for the two main causative agents, Sarcocystis neurona or Neospora hughesi, and may still be clinically responsive to anti-parasitic drug therapy. This context led to our hypothesis that another protozoal parasite, Toxoplasma gondii, which is known to cause toxoplasmosis in other mammalian species, is a potential pathogen to cause neurologic disease in horses. To evaluate this hypothesis, serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) were collected from 210 horses presenting with clinical signs compatible with EPM, and the indirect immunofluorescent antibody test (IFAT) was used to detect antibody titers for T. gondii, S. neurona, and N. hughesi. Additionally, the serum to CSF titer ratio was calculated for T. gondii, S. neurona, and N. hughesi infections, suggesting intrathecally-derived antibodies for each of the three agents if the serum:CSF ratio was ≤ 64. There were 133 (63.3%) horses positive for serum T. gondii antibodies using a cutoff titer of 160, and 31 (14.8%) positive for CSF T. gondii antibodies using a cutoff titer of 5. Overall, 21 (10.0%) of EPM-suspect horses had a serum:CSF ratio ≤ 64 for antibodies for T. gondii, while 43 (20.5%) and 8 (3.8%) horses had a serum to CSF ratio ≤ 64 for antibodies for S. neurona and N. hughesi, respectively. A total of 6 (2.9%) animals presented evidence of concurrent intrathecally-derived antibodies for T. gondii and at least one other apicomplexan parasite in this study. Signalment and clinical signs were not different across the groups aforementioned. These data provide evidence of intrathecal production of anti-T. gondii antibodies, indicative of T. gondii infection in the brain and/or spinal cord of horses with EPM-like disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pedro N Bernardino
- Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, 1 Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Nicola Pusterla
- Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, 1 Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Patricia A Conrad
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, 1 Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Andrea E Packham
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, 1 Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Eva Tamez-Trevino
- William R. Pritchard Veterinary Medicine Teaching Hospital, Immunology/Virology Laboratory, 1 Garrod Drive, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Monica Aleman
- Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, 1 Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Kaitlyn James
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Woutrina A Smith
- Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, 1 Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA.
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20
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Spann K, Barnum S, Pusterla N. Investigation of the Systemic Antibody Response and Antigen Detection Following Intranasal Administration of Two Commercial Equine Herpesvirus-1 Vaccines to Adult Horses. J Equine Vet Sci 2023; 122:104229. [PMID: 36657628 DOI: 10.1016/j.jevs.2023.104229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2022] [Revised: 12/21/2022] [Accepted: 01/12/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
EHV-1 vaccines are often administered intranasally during emergency situation such as outbreaks of equine herpesvirus myeloencephalopathy. However, there is currently no data available on the efficacy of such protocols, nor the diagnostic challenge when recently vaccinated horses become clinically infected and nasal secretions are collected to support a diagnosis of EHV-1 infection. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine if two commercially available EHV-1 vaccines, a killed-adjuvanted (Calvenza) and a modified-live (Rhinomune) EHV-1 vaccine, could induce a measurable systemic antibody response postintranasal administration. A second objective was to determine the detection time of EHV-1 in nasal secretions by qPCR following the intranasal administration of the respective EHV-1 vaccines. Thirty healthy adult horses, with no recent EHV-1 vaccine administration, were randomly assigned to one of three groups: Rhinomune group, Calvenza group, and unvaccinated control group. Total Ig and isotype-specific IgG4/7 against EHV-1 measured pre- and 30-days post-vaccination were not different amongst the three study groups. Vaccine-derived EHV-1 was only detected in the two EHV-1 vaccine groups with 9/10 horses in the Rhinomune group and 8/10 horses in the Calvenza group testing qPCR-positive for EHV-1 for 1 to 3 days. There was no significant difference in number of horses testing qPCR-positive for EHV-1 and absolute quantitation of EHV-1 in nasal secretions by qPCR between the two vaccine groups. The intranasal administration of two commercial EHV-1 vaccines did not elicit a systemic immune response. Further, vaccine derived EHV-1 could be detected in the majority of the intranasally vaccinated horses, potentially impacting diagnostic interpretation of EHV-1 during outbreak situations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kennedy Spann
- Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA
| | - Samantha Barnum
- Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA
| | - Nicola Pusterla
- Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA.
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21
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Chappell DE, Barnett DC, James K, Craig B, Bain F, Gaughan E, Schneider C, Vaala W, Barnum SM, Pusterla N. Voluntary Surveillance Program for Equine Influenza Virus in the United States during 2008-2021. Pathogens 2023; 12:pathogens12020192. [PMID: 36839464 PMCID: PMC9961984 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens12020192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2022] [Revised: 01/06/2023] [Accepted: 01/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
A voluntary upper respiratory biosurveillance program in the USA received 9740 nasal swab submissions during the years 2008-2021 from 333 veterinarians and veterinary clinics. The nasal swabs were submitted for qPCR testing for six common upper respiratory pathogens:equine influenza virus (EIV), equine herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1), equine herpesvirus-4 (EHV-4), Streptococcus equi subspecies equi (S. equi), equine rhinitis A virus (ERAV), and equine rhinitis B virus (ERBV). Additional testing was performed for equine gamma herpesvirus-2 (EHV-2) and equine gamma herpesvirus-5 (EHV-5) and the results are reported. Basic frequency statistics and multivariate logistic regression models were utilized to determine the associations between risk factors and EIV positivity. The EIV qPCR-positivity rate was 9.9%. Equids less than 9 years of age with a recent history of travel and seasonal occurrence in winter and spring were the most common population that were qPCR positive for EIV. This ongoing biosurveillance program emphasizes the need for molecular testing for pathogen identification, which is critical for decisions associated with therapeutics and biosecurity intervention for health management and vaccine evaluations and development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Duane E. Chappell
- Merck Animal Health, Madison, NJ 07940, USA
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-866-349-3497
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Samantha M. Barnum
- Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Nicola Pusterla
- Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
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22
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Straub J, Weber C., Pusterla N, Freise F, Venner M. Comparison of refractometer and biuret reaction as measurement methods for serum total protein concentration in Warmblood foals. PFERDEHEILKUNDE 2023. [DOI: 10.21836/pem20230101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
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23
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Pusterla N, Vaala W, Bain FT, Chappell DE, Craig B, Schneider C, Barnett DC, Gaughan E, Papich MG. Pharmacokinetics of a FDA-labeled dose of diclazuril administered orally once weekly to adult horses. J Equine Vet Sci 2023; 120:104183. [PMID: 36470515 DOI: 10.1016/j.jevs.2022.104183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2022] [Revised: 11/24/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
Equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM) has remained a devastating neurological disease of the Americas, especially in young performance horses. Prophylactic treatment strategies with diclazuril have shown to reduce seroprevalence and titer levels to Sarcocystis neurona in healthy horses continuously exposed to the apicomplexan parasite. The goal of this study was to determine if the FDA-labeled dose of 1 mg/kg of 1.56% diclazuril (ProtazilTM) given once weekly to healthy adult horses would achieve steady-state concentrations in plasma known to be inhibitory to S. neurona in cell culture. Five individual diclazuril doses were administered at weekly intervals to 8 adult horses. Blood was collected via venipuncture immediately before (trough concentration) and 10 hours after (peak concentration) each diclazuril administration. Following the fifth dose, additional blood samples were collected every 24 hours after the peak blood collection for 7 days. All plasma samples were analyzed by high-pressure liquid chromatography. The pharmacokinetic analysis was performed using a nonlinear mixed effects model. The mean population-derived peak concentration was 264 ng/mL and the mean terminal half-life was 3.6 days. Thus, the oral administration of an FDA-labeled dose of diclazuril to healthy horses once a week was able to produce steady-state plasma drug concentrations known to inhibit S. neurona in vitro.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicola Pusterla
- Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA, USA.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Mark G Papich
- College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
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24
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Cavalleri JV, Korbacska‐Kutasi O, Leblond A, Paillot R, Pusterla N, Steinmann E, Tomlinson J. European College of Equine Internal Medicine consensus statement on equine flaviviridae infections in Europe. Vet Med (Auckl) 2022; 36:1858-1871. [DOI: 10.1111/jvim.16581] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2022] [Accepted: 10/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jessika‐M. V. Cavalleri
- Clinical Unit of Equine Internal Medicine, Department for Companion Animals and Horses University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna Vienna Austria
| | - Orsolya Korbacska‐Kutasi
- Clinical Unit of Equine Internal Medicine, Department for Companion Animals and Horses University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna Vienna Austria
- Department for Animal Breeding, Nutrition and Laboratory Animal Science University of Veterinary Medicine Budapest Hungary
- Hungarian Academy of Sciences—Szent Istvan University (MTA‐SZIE) Large Animal Clinical Research Group Üllő Dóra major Hungary
| | - Agnès Leblond
- EPIA, UMR 0346, Epidemiologie des maladies animales et zoonotiques, INRAE, VetAgro Sup University of Lyon Marcy l'Etoile France
| | - Romain Paillot
- School of Equine and Veterinary Physiotherapy Writtle University College Chelmsford UK
| | - Nicola Pusterla
- Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine University of California Davis California USA
| | - Eike Steinmann
- Department of Molecular and Medical Virology, Faculty of Medicine Ruhr University Bochum Bochum Germany
| | - Joy Tomlinson
- Baker Institute for Animal Health Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine Ithaca New York USA
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25
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Lawton K, Keller SM, Barnum S, Arredondo-Lopez C, Spann K, Pusterla N. Seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 in 1186 Equids Presented to a Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital in California from 2020 to 2022. Viruses 2022; 14:v14112497. [PMID: 36423106 PMCID: PMC9696554 DOI: 10.3390/v14112497] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2022] [Revised: 11/08/2022] [Accepted: 11/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
While some companion animals have been shown to be susceptible to SARS-CoV-2, their role in the COVID-19 pandemic has remained poorly investigated. Equids are susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 based on the similarity of the human ACE-2 receptor and reports of infection. Clinical disease and prevalence factors associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection in equids have not yet been investigated. The aim of this study was to determine the seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 and selected prevalence factors in 1186 equids presented for various conditions to a Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital over a two-year period. Blood samples were tested for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies using an ELISA targeting the receptor binding domain (RBD) of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. Further, selected prevalence factors (season, age, breed, sex, presenting complaint) were retrieved from the medical records. No information was available on whether the horses had come into contact with COVID-19-positive individuals. Among the study animals, 42/1186 (3.5%) horses had detectable SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. Amongst the prevalence factors investigated, only seasonality (spring) was associated with a greater frequency of seropositivity to SARS-CoV-2. Horses with medical and surgical complaints were more likely to test seropositive to SARS-CoV-2 compared to horses presented for routine health care procedures, suggesting more frequent and/or longer interactions with individuals with COVID-19. While horses can become infected with SARS-CoV-2 via the occasional spillover from COVID-19 individuals, clinical disease expression remains subclinical, making horses an unlikely contributor to the spread of SARS-CoV-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaila Lawton
- Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Stefan M. Keller
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Samantha Barnum
- Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Christina Arredondo-Lopez
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Kennedy Spann
- Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Nicola Pusterla
- Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
- Correspondence:
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26
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Pusterla N, Sandler-Burtness E, Barnum S, Hill LA, Mendonsa E, Khan R, Portener D, Ridland H, Schumacher S. Frequency of detection of respiratory pathogens in nasal secretions from healthy sport horses attending a spring show in California. J Equine Vet Sci 2022; 117:104089. [PMID: 35908600 DOI: 10.1016/j.jevs.2022.104089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2022] [Revised: 07/20/2022] [Accepted: 07/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The objective of this study was to determine detection frequency of respiratory viruses (equine influenza virus (EIV), equine herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1), EHV-2, EHV-4, EHV-5, equine rhinitis A virus (ERAV), ERBV) and bacteria (Streptococcus equi ss. equi (S. equi), S. equi ss. zooepidemicus (S. zooepidemicus)) in 162 nasal secretions and 149 stall swabs from healthy sport horses attending a spring show in California. Nasal and stall swabs were collected at a single time point and analyzed using qPCR. The detection frequency of respiratory pathogens in nasal secretions was 38.9% for EHV-2, 36.4% for EHV-5, 19.7% for S. zooepidemicus, 1.2% for ERBV, 0.6% for S. equi and 0% for EIV, EHV-1, EHV-4 and ERAV. The detection frequency of respiratory pathogens in stall swabs was 65.8% for S. zooepidemicus, 33.5% for EHV-2, 27.5% for EHV-5, 3.3% for EHV-1, 1.3% for EHV-4 and 0% for EIV, ERAV, ERBV and S. equi. Commensal viruses and bacteria were frequently detected in nasal secretions and stall swabs from healthy sport horses. This was in sharp contrast to the subclinical shedding of well-characterized respiratory pathogens. Of interest was the clustering of five EHV-1 qPCR-positive stalls from apparently healthy horses with no evidence of clinical spread. The results highlight the role of subclinical shedders in introducing respiratory pathogens to shows and their role in environmental contamination. The results also highlight the need to improve cleanliness and disinfection of stalls utilized by performance horses during show events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicola Pusterla
- Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA, USA.
| | | | - Samantha Barnum
- Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Leigh Ann Hill
- Pacific Coast Equine Veterinary Services, Ramona, CA, USA
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27
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Kirtland A, Pusterla N, Bozorgmanesh R. Successful management of an outbreak of Tyzzer's disease on a Thoroughbred breeding farm in central Kentucky; use of sorbitol dehydrogenase to identify sub‐clinical cases. EQUINE VET EDUC 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/eve.13699] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Abbe Kirtland
- McGee Medicine Center Hagyard Equine Medical Institute Lexington Kentucky USA
| | - Nicola Pusterla
- Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine University of California Davis California USA
| | - Rana Bozorgmanesh
- McGee Medicine Center Hagyard Equine Medical Institute Lexington Kentucky USA
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28
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Price D, Barnum S, Mize J, Pusterla N. Investigation of the Use of Non-Invasive Samples for the Molecular Detection of EHV-1 in Horses with and without Clinical Infection. Pathogens 2022; 11:pathogens11050574. [PMID: 35631095 PMCID: PMC9144909 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens11050574] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2022] [Revised: 05/10/2022] [Accepted: 05/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to explore sampling options for a reliable and logistically more feasible protocol during a large EHV-1 outbreak. Seventeen horses with clinical infection as well as nineteen healthy herdmates, all part of an EHM outbreak, were enrolled in the study. Each horse was sampled two–four times at intervals of 2–6 days during the outbreak. All samples were collected using 6′′ rayon-tipped swabs. Nasal secretions were used as the diagnostic sample of choice. Additional samples, including swabs from the muzzle/nares, swabs from the front limbs, rectal swabs, swabs of the feed bin, and swabs of the water troughs were collected as well. All swabs were tested for the presence of EHV-1 by qPCR. With the exception of two EHV-1 qPCR-positive swabs from two different horses, all remaining swabs collected from healthy herdmates tested qPCR-negative for EHV-1. For horses with clinical infection, EHV-1 was detected in 31 nasal swabs, 30 muzzle/nares swabs, 7 front limb swabs, 7 feeders, 6 water troughs and 6 rectal swabs. Not all positive muzzle/nares swabs correlated with a positive nasal swab from the same set, however, and all other positive swabs did correlate with a positive nasal swab in their respective set. The agreement between nasal swabs and muzzle/nares swabs was 74%. The sampling of non-invasive swabs from the muzzle/nares should facilitate the identification of EHV-1 shedders during an outbreak, allowing for prompt isolation and implementation of biosecurity measures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danielle Price
- Steinbeck Peninsula Equine Clinics, Menlo Park Clinic, Menlo Park, CA 94028, USA; (D.P.); (J.M.)
| | - Samantha Barnum
- Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA;
| | - Jenny Mize
- Steinbeck Peninsula Equine Clinics, Menlo Park Clinic, Menlo Park, CA 94028, USA; (D.P.); (J.M.)
| | - Nicola Pusterla
- Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA;
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +530-752-1039
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29
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Lee K, Pusterla N, Barnum SM, Lee DH, Martínez-López B. Investigation of cross-regional spread and evolution of equine influenza H3N8 at US and global scales using Bayesian phylogeography based on balanced subsampling. Transbound Emerg Dis 2022; 69:e1734-e1748. [PMID: 35263501 DOI: 10.1111/tbed.14509] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2021] [Revised: 03/03/2022] [Accepted: 03/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Equine influenza virus (EIV) is a highly contagious pathogen of equids, and a well-known burden in global equine health. EIV H3N8 variants seasonally emerged and resulted in EIV outbreaks in the United States (US) and worldwide. The present study evaluated the pattern of cross-regional EIV H3N8 spread and evolutionary characteristics at US and global scales using Bayesian phylogeography with balanced subsampling based on regional horse population size. A total of 297 Haemagglutinin (HA) sequences of global EIV H3N8 were collected from 1963 to 2019 and subsampled to global subset (n = 67), raw US sequences (n = 100) and US subset (n = 44) datasets. Discrete trait phylogeography analysis was used to estimate the transmission history of EIV using four global and US genome datasets. The North American lineage was the major source of globally dominant EIV variants and spread to other global regions. The US EIV strains generally spread from the southern and midwestern regions to other regions. The EIV H3N8 accumulated approximately three nucleotide substitutions per year in the HA gene under heterogenous local positive selection. Our findings will guide better decision making of target intervention strategies of EIV H3N8 infection and provide the better scheme of genomic surveillance in the US and global equine health. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyuyoung Lee
- Center for Animal Disease Modeling and Surveillance (CADMS), Department of Medicine & Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, USA
| | - Nicola Pusterla
- Department of Medicine & Epidemiology, School Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, USA
| | - Samantha M Barnum
- Department of Medicine & Epidemiology, School Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, USA
| | - Dong-Hun Lee
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Konkuk University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Beatriz Martínez-López
- Center for Animal Disease Modeling and Surveillance (CADMS), Department of Medicine & Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, USA
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30
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Lawton KOY, Arthur RM, Moeller BC, Barnum S, Pusterla N. Investigation of the Role of Healthy and Sick Equids in the COVID-19 Pandemic through Serological and Molecular Testing. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12050614. [PMID: 35268183 PMCID: PMC8909032 DOI: 10.3390/ani12050614] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2021] [Revised: 01/03/2022] [Accepted: 02/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary The objective of the present study was to determine if horses are susceptible to SARS-CoV-2. Nasal swabs from 667 equids with acute onset of fever and respiratory signs were tested by qPCR for SARS-CoV-2. Further, 633 serum samples collected from a cohort of 587 healthy racing Thoroughbreds with possible exposure to humans with SARS-CoV-2 infection were tested for antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 using an ELISA targeting the receptor-binding domain of the spike protein. All 667 horses with fever and respiratory signs tested qPCR-negative for SARS-CoV-2. A total of 35/587 (5.9%) Thoroughbred racing horses had detectable IgG antibodies to SARS-CoV-2. While horses appear to be susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 when in close contact with humans with SARS-CoV-2 infection, clinical disease was not observed in the study horses. Experimental challenge studies using pure inocula are needed in order to study the clinical, hematological, molecular, and serological features of adult horses infected with SARS-CoV-2. Abstract More and more studies are reporting on the natural transmission of SARS-CoV-2 between humans with COVID-19 and their companion animals (dogs and cats). While horses are apparently susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection based on the homology between the human and the equine ACE-2 receptor, no clinical or subclinical infection has yet been reported in the equine species. To investigate the possible clinical role of SARS-CoV-2 in equids, nasal secretions from 667 horses with acute onset of fever and respiratory signs were tested for the presence of SARS-CoV-2 by qPCR. The samples were collected from January to December of 2020 and submitted to a commercial molecular diagnostic laboratory for the detection of common respiratory pathogens (equine influenza virus, equine herpesvirus-1/-4, equine rhinitis A and B virus, Streptococcus equi subspecies equi). An additional 633 serum samples were tested for antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 using an ELISA targeting the receptor-binding domain of the spike protein. The serum samples were collected from a cohort of 587 healthy racing Thoroughbreds in California after track personnel tested qPCR-positive for SARS-CoV-2. While 241/667 (36%) equids with fever and respiratory signs tested qPCR-positive for at least one of the common respiratory pathogens, not a single horse tested qPCR-positive for SARS-CoV-2. Amongst the racing Thoroughbreds, 35/587 (5.9%) horses had detectable antibodies to SARS-CoV-2. Similar to dogs and cats, horses do not seem to develop clinical SARS-CoV-2 infection. However, horses can act as incidental hosts and experience silent infection following spillover from humans with COVID-19. SARS-CoV-2-infected humans should avoid close contact with equids during the time of their illness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaila O. Y. Lawton
- Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA; (K.O.Y.L.); (S.B.)
| | - Rick M. Arthur
- School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA;
| | - Benjamin C. Moeller
- KL Maddy Equine Analytical Chemistry Laboratory, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA;
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Samantha Barnum
- Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA; (K.O.Y.L.); (S.B.)
| | - Nicola Pusterla
- Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA; (K.O.Y.L.); (S.B.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-530-752-1039
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31
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Smith FL, Heller MC, Crossley BM, Clothier KA, Anderson ML, Barnum SS, Pusterla N, Rowe JD. Diarrhea outbreak associated with coronavirus infection in adult dairy goats. J Vet Intern Med 2022; 36:805-811. [PMID: 35165938 PMCID: PMC8965271 DOI: 10.1111/jvim.16354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2021] [Revised: 12/19/2021] [Accepted: 12/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Infection by coronaviruses cause gastrointestinal disease in many species. Little is known about its prevalence and importance in goats. Objective Identify the etiology, demographics, and clinical features of an outbreak of diarrhea in adult goats. Hypothesis Bovine coronavirus (BCoV) PCR would detect viral material in feces of goats in the herds involved in the diarrhea outbreak. Animals Twelve herds with 4 to 230 adult goats were affected. Goats sampled for fecal PCR were ≥1‐year‐old: 25 from affected herds and 6 from a control herd. Methods This is a cross‐sectional descriptive study of an outbreak of diarrheal disease in adult goats. BCoV PCR primers for the spike (S) or nucleocapsid (N) proteins were used to test fecal material from affected goats. The N protein sequencing and phylogenetic analysis was performed. Herd records and owner surveys were used to characterize morbidity, clinical signs, and treatment. Results In 2 affected herds 18/25 of animals had at least 1 positive BCoV PCR test. Goats from affected herds were significantly more likely to be PCR positive than the control herd (OR 8.75, 95% CI 1.11‐104, P = .05). The most common clinical signs were change in fecal consistency (19/20) and decreased milk production (14/15). Phylogenetic analysis of the N protein showed this virus was closely related to a bovine‐like coronavirus isolated from a giraffe. Conclusions and Clinical Importance Bovine coronavirus primers detected nucleic acids of the N and S proteins in feces of goats in affected herds. Coronavirus shedding frequency was temporally associated with the outbreak.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fauna Leah Smith
- Graduate Group in Integrative Pathobiology, Center for Immunology and Infectious Disease, University of California, Davis, Davis, California, USA
| | - Meera C Heller
- Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, University of California Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, Davis, California, USA
| | - Beate M Crossley
- Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, University of California Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, Davis, California, USA.,California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory System, Davis, California, USA
| | - Kristin A Clothier
- California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory System, Davis, California, USA.,Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, University of California Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, Davis, California, USA
| | - Mark L Anderson
- California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory System, Davis, California, USA.,Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, University of California Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, Davis, California, USA
| | - Samantha S Barnum
- School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, California, USA
| | - Nicola Pusterla
- Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, University of California Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, Davis, California, USA
| | - Joan D Rowe
- Department of Population, Health & Reproduction, University of California, Davis, California, USA
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Dohrmann J, Straub J, Wadephul R, Freise F, Pusterla N, Venner M. Evaluation of the detection of antibodies against Lawsonia intracellularis and changes in serum biochemistry in foals with and without equine proliferative enteropathy. PFERDEHEILKUNDE 2022. [DOI: 10.21836/pem20220405] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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Dohrmann J, Hildebrand F, Straub J, Wadephul R, Pusterla N, Freise F, Venner M. Equine proliferative enteropathy in weanling foals on a German breeding farm: clinical course, treatment and long-term outcome. J Equine Vet Sci 2022; 111:103873. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jevs.2022.103873] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2021] [Revised: 01/16/2022] [Accepted: 01/17/2022] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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Straub J, Dohrmann J, Wadephul R, Singer A, Böse R, Barnum S, Pusterla N, Venner M. Kinetics of Lawsonia intracellularis antibodies in foals on a breeding farm with equine proliferative enteropathy. PFERDEHEILKUNDE 2022. [DOI: 10.21836/pem20220204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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Hay AN, Wagner B, Leeth CM, LeRoith T, Cecere TE, Lahmers KK, Andrews FM, Werre SR, Johnson AL, Clark CK, Pusterla N, Reed SM, Lindsay DS, Taylor S, Estell KE, Furr M, MacKay RJ, Del Piero F, Witonsky SG. Horses affected by EPM have increased sCD14 compared to healthy horses. Vet Immunol Immunopathol 2021; 242:110338. [PMID: 34717126 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetimm.2021.110338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2021] [Revised: 10/05/2021] [Accepted: 10/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM) is a debilitating neurologic disease affecting horses across the Americas. Gaps in understanding the inflammatory immune response in EPM-affected horses create difficulties with diagnosis and treatment, subsequently negatively impacting the prognosis of affected horses. The purpose of the current study was to evaluate circulating levels of the inflammatory immune marker soluble CD14 (sCD14), in horses with EPM (n = 7) and determine if they differed from healthy neurologically normal horses (n = 6). Paired sera and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples were analyzed for sCD14. Inclusion criteria for EPM horses consisted of the presence of neurologic signs consistent with EPM, Sarcocystis neurona surface antigens 2, 4/3 (SnSAG 2, 4/3) ELISA serum: CSF antibody ratio ≤ 100, and a postmortem diagnosis of EPM. Control horses were neurologically normal, healthy horses with SnSAG 2, 4/3 ELISA serum: CSF antibody ratios of > 100. Serum anti-Sarcocystis neurona antibodies indicate that healthy control horses were exposed to S. neurona but resistant to developing clinical EPM. EPM cases had significantly greater concentrations of sCD14 in CSF samples compared to control horses and increased serum sCD14 concentrations. A positive correlation between sCD14 serum and CSF concentrations was observed in EPM-affected horses but not healthy horses. Soluble CD14 is an inflammatory marker, and the study results suggest it is elevated in EPM patients. When performed in conjunction with clinical evaluation and standard antibody testing, there may be potential for sCD14 to be utilized as a correlate for EPM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alayna N Hay
- Department of Animal and Poultry Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| | - Bettina Wagner
- Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Caroline M Leeth
- Department of Animal and Poultry Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| | - Tanya LeRoith
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology, Virginia- Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| | - Thomas E Cecere
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology, Virginia- Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| | - Kevin K Lahmers
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology, Virginia- Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| | - Frank M Andrews
- Equine Health Studies Program, Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, USA
| | - Stephen R Werre
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Virginia- Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| | - Amy L Johnson
- Department of Clinical Studies, University of Pennsylvania, School of Veterinary Medicine, New Bolton Center, Kennett Square, PA, USA
| | | | - Nicola Pusterla
- Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | | | - David S Lindsay
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology, Virginia- Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| | - Sandra Taylor
- Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
| | - Krista E Estell
- Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, Marion duPont Scott Equine Medical Center, Leesburg, VA, USA
| | - Martin Furr
- Department of Physiological Sciences, Center for Veterinary Health Sciences, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, USA
| | - Robert J MacKay
- Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Fabio Del Piero
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, USA
| | - Sharon G Witonsky
- Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, Virginia- Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, USA.
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Magdesian KG, Barnum S, Pusterla N. Fecal PCR testing for detection of Clostridium perfringens and Clostridioides difficile toxin genes and other pathogens in foals with diarrhea: 28 cases. J Vet Diagn Invest 2021; 34:396-401. [PMID: 34554023 DOI: 10.1177/10406387211047529] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Clostridium perfringens and Clostridioides difficile cause significant morbidity and mortality in foals. Antemortem diagnosis of C. perfringens infection has been complicated by a paucity of tests available for toxin detection. Fecal PCR panels have assays for a variety of C. perfringens toxin gene sequences as well as for several other foal gastrointestinal pathogens. We evaluated results of a comprehensive fecal diarrhea PCR panel in 28 foals that had been presented to a referral hospital because of diarrhea. Sixteen (57%) foals were positive for C. perfringens and/or C. difficile toxin gene sequences on fecal PCR, including 3 foals positive for NetF toxin. These foals were younger (p = 0.0029) and had higher hematocrits (p = 0.0087), hemoglobin (p = 0.0067), and red blood cell concentrations (p = 0.028) than foals with diarrhea that tested negative for clostridial toxins. The foals had lower total protein concentrations (p = 0.045) and were more likely to have band neutrophils on a CBC (p = 0.013; OR: 16.2). All 3 foals with NetF toxin gene sequences detected in feces survived to discharge, indicating that diarrhea caused by NetF toxigenic C. perfringens isolates is not uniformly fatal.
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Affiliation(s)
- K Gary Magdesian
- Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Samantha Barnum
- Lucy Whittier Molecular and Diagnostic Core Facility, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Nicola Pusterla
- Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA, USA
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Pusterla N, Leutenegger CM, Barnum S, Wademan C, Hodzic E. Challenges in navigating molecular diagnostics for common equine respiratory viruses. Vet J 2021; 276:105746. [PMID: 34487804 DOI: 10.1016/j.tvjl.2021.105746] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2021] [Revised: 08/30/2021] [Accepted: 09/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Equine respiratory viruses remain a leading cause of equine morbidity and mortality, with the resurgence of certain infections, an increasing population of elderly, more susceptible horses, the growth of international equine commerce, and an expansion in geographic distribution of pathogens. The focus of rapid diagnosis of infectious diseases has also shifted recently, with the appearance and increasing importance of nucleic acid amplification-based techniques, primarily polymerase chain reaction (PCR), at the expense of traditional methods such as clinical microbiology. While PCR is fast, reliable, cost-effective, and more sensitive than conventional detection methods, careful interpretation of diagnostic test results is required, taking into account the clinical status of the patient, sample type, assay used and biological relevance of the detected viruses. The interpretation of common equine respiratory viruses such as influenza virus (EIV), alpha herpesviruses (EHV-1, EHV-4), arteritis virus (EAV) and rhinoviruses (ERAV, ERBV) is straight forward as causality can generally be established. However, the testing of less-characterized viruses, such as the gamma herpesviruses (EHV-2, EHV-5), may be confusing, considering their well-established host relationship and frequent detection in both diseased and healthy horses. For selected viruses, absolute quantitation (EHV-1 and EHV-4) and genotyping (EIV and EHV-1) has allowed additional information to be gained regarding viral state and virulence, respectively. This information is relevant when managing outbreaks so that adequate biosecurity measures can be instituted and medical interventions can be considered. The goal of this review is to help the equine practitioner navigate through the rapidly expanding field of molecular diagnostics for respiratory viruses and facilitate the interpretation of results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicola Pusterla
- Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA.
| | | | - Samantha Barnum
- Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Cara Wademan
- Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Emir Hodzic
- Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
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Pusterla N, James K, Bain F, Barnett DC, Chappell D, Gaughan E, Craig B, Schneider C, Vaala W, Papich M. Investigation of the Bi-Weekly Administration of Diclazuril on the Antibody Kinetics to Sarcocystis Neurona in Healthy Horses. J Equine Vet Sci 2021; 104:103713. [PMID: 34416990 DOI: 10.1016/j.jevs.2021.103713] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2021] [Accepted: 07/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
The aim of this study was to determine if bi-weekly administration of diclazuril at half the label dose would reduce seroprevalence and magnitude of titers to S. neurona in healthy horses naturally exposed to the apicomplexan protozoal parasite. 12 healthy adult horses were moved from a low-risk exposure to a farm with high exposure rate to S. neurona in their horse population. The horses were randomly assigned to either a treatment or a control group. Treatment consisted in the administration of half the label dose (0.5 mg/kg) of diclazuril (Protazil) pelleted top dress twice weekly (every 3-4 days) for 12 months. Prior to initiation of treatment and monthly thereafter, blood was collected for the detection of antibodies to S. neurona using a quantitative immunoassay. Further, trough plasma diclazuril levels were determined every 60 days. All 20 horses remained healthy during the entire study period. Seroprevalence to S. neurona decreased initially in the treatment group to 50% at 30 days post-treatment commencement. This was followed by a slow increase in seroprevalence in the treatment group before reaching 100% in both groups by 90 days post-treatment commencement. The seroprevalence remained 100% in both groups from 90 to 360 study days. While titer distribution between the two groups was similar at study commencement, treated horses had significantly lower titers throughout the treatment period (P < 0.05). All treated study horses had detectable plasma trough diclazuril levels at the 6 time points and the levels were above the concentration known to inhibit S. neurona in vitro (1.0 ng/mL). The administration of diclazuril pelleted top dress at half the label dose twice weekly was able to maintain low titers to S. neurona in healthy adult horses naturally exposed to the protozoal parasite. Further, trough diclazuril levels were in excess of the minimal concentration known to inhibit S. neurona.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicola Pusterla
- Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, California.
| | - Kaitlyn James
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Mark Papich
- College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina
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Lee K, Pusterla N, Barnum SM, Lee DH, Martínez-López B. Genome-informed characterisation of antigenic drift in the haemagglutinin gene of equine influenza strains circulating in the United States from 2012 to 2017. Transbound Emerg Dis 2021; 69:e52-e63. [PMID: 34331828 DOI: 10.1111/tbed.14262] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2021] [Revised: 07/14/2021] [Accepted: 07/24/2021] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Equine influenza virus (EIV) is a major infectious pathogen causing significant respiratory signs in equids worldwide. Voluntary surveillances in the United States recently reported EIV detection in horses with respiratory signs even with adequate vaccine protocols and biosecurity programs and posed a concern about suboptimal effectiveness of EIV vaccine in the United States. This study aims to determine the genetic characteristics of 58 field EIV H3N8 strains in the United States from 2012 to 2017 using the phylogenetic analysis based on the haemagglutinin (HA) gene. Amino acid substitution and acquisition of N-glycosylation of the HA gene were also evaluated. Phylogenetic analysis identified that almost all US field strains belonged to the Florida clade 1 (FC1) except one Florida clade 2 strain from a horse imported in 2014. US EIV strains in 2017 shared 11 fixed amino acid substitutions in the HA gene, compared to the vaccine strain (A/equine/Ohio/2003), and two additional amino acid substitutions were detected in 2019. The introduction of foreign EIV strains into the United States was not detected, but antigenic drift without acquisition of N-glycosylation in the HA gene was observed in US field strains until 2017. Considering the global dominance of FC1 strains, subsequent antigenic drift of US EIV strains should be monitored for better effectiveness of the EIV vaccine in the United States and global equine industries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyuyoung Lee
- Center for Animal Disease Modeling and Surveillance (CADMS), Department of Medicine & Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, USA
| | - Nicola Pusterla
- Department of Medicine & Epidemiology, School Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, USA
| | - Samantha M Barnum
- Department of Medicine & Epidemiology, School Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, USA
| | - Dong-Hun Lee
- Department of Pathobiology and Veterinary Science, the University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut, USA
| | - Beatriz Martínez-López
- Center for Animal Disease Modeling and Surveillance (CADMS), Department of Medicine & Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, USA
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Pusterla N, Barnum S, Miller J, Varnell S, Dallap-Schaer B, Aceto H, Simeone A. Investigation of an EHV-1 Outbreak in the United States Caused by a New H 752 Genotype. Pathogens 2021; 10:747. [PMID: 34199153 PMCID: PMC8231618 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens10060747] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2021] [Revised: 06/07/2021] [Accepted: 06/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Here we report on an EHV-1 outbreak investigation caused by a novel genotype H752 (histidine in amino acid position 752 of the ORF 30 gene). The outbreak involved 31 performance horses. Horses were monitored over a period of 35 days for clinical signs, therapeutic outcome and qPCR results of EHV-1 in blood and nasal secretions. The morbidity of the EHV-1 outbreak was 84% with 26 clinically infected horses displaying fever and less frequently anorexia and distal limb edema. Four horses showed mild transient neurological deficits. Clinically diseased horses experienced high viral load of EHV-1 in blood and/or nasal secretions via qPCR, while subclinically infected horses had detectable EHV-1 mainly in nasal secretions. The majority of infected horses showed a rise in antibody titers to EHV-1 during the outbreak. All 31 horses were treated with valacyclovir, while clinically infected horses further received flunixin meglumine and sodium heparin. This investigation highlights various relevant aspects of an EHV-1 outbreak caused by a new H752 genotype: (i) importance of early detection of EHV-1 infection; (ii) diagnostic challenge to assess H752 genotype; (iii) apparent benefit of valacyclovir use in the early stage of the outbreak; and (iv) weekly testing of blood and nasal secretions by qPCR in order to monitor individual infection status and lift quarantine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicola Pusterla
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA;
| | - Samantha Barnum
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA;
| | - Julia Miller
- Alliance Equine Health Care, Glenmoore, PA 19343, USA; (J.M.); (S.V.)
| | - Sarah Varnell
- Alliance Equine Health Care, Glenmoore, PA 19343, USA; (J.M.); (S.V.)
| | - Barbara Dallap-Schaer
- Department of Clinical Studies, New Bolton Center, University of Pennsylvania, Kennett Square, PA 19348, USA; (B.D.-S.); (H.A.)
| | - Helen Aceto
- Department of Clinical Studies, New Bolton Center, University of Pennsylvania, Kennett Square, PA 19348, USA; (B.D.-S.); (H.A.)
| | - Aliza Simeone
- Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Animal Health, Collegeville, PA 17110, USA;
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Couetil L, Ivester K, Barnum S, Pusterla N. Equine respiratory viruses, airway inflammation and performance in thoroughbred racehorses. Vet Microbiol 2021; 257:109070. [PMID: 33865081 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetmic.2021.109070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2020] [Accepted: 04/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Equine asthma is a common cause of poor performance in racehorses but it is unclear if respiratory viruses contribute to its etiology. The objective of the study was to determine if respiratory viruses were associated with clinical signs and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) cytology in Thoroughbred racehorses. Equine herpesviruses (EHV-1, 2, 4, 5) and equine rhinitis A and B viruses (ERBV, ERAV) genomes were quantified by qPCR in nasopharyngeal, tracheal, and BALF samples collected after racing. The relationships between virus detection and load and clinical signs, performance, BALF cytology, and environmental exposures were examined with generalized linear mixed models. Ninety-two samples were collected from 31 horses. EHV-1 and ERAV were not found; EHV-4 was detected in only one sample. EHV-2, EHV-5 and ERBV were more likely to be detected in upper airway samples than in BALF (P < 0.0001). Neither respiratory virus detection nor load was associated with clinical signs or performance. Nasopharyngeal detection and load of ERBV and tracheal detection and load of EHV-5 were associated with increased proportions of neutrophils in BALF (P < 0.003). However, nasopharyngeal detection and load of EHV-5 was not (P = 0.11). Nasopharyngeal detection and load of EHV-2 were associated with decreased BALF mast cell proportions. Respirable dust exposures were significantly higher in horses with detection of ERBV when compared to horses with no detectable ERBV (P < 0.001). Our results suggest that ERBV, EHV-2 and EHV-5 are commonly present in upper airways of healthy racehorses; however, the role they play in the etiology of equine asthma remains unclear.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laurent Couetil
- Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA.
| | - Kathleen Ivester
- Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA
| | - Samantha Barnum
- Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Nicola Pusterla
- Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
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Bernardino P, James K, Barnum S, Corbin R, Wademan C, Pusterla N. What have we learned from 7 years of equine rhinitis B virus qPCR testing in nasal secretions from horses with respiratory signs. Vet Rec 2021; 188:e26. [PMID: 33759193 DOI: 10.1002/vetr.26] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2020] [Revised: 10/19/2020] [Accepted: 10/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Equine rhinitis B virus (ERBV) has been given little attention by practitioners compared to other respiratory viruses, mainly because of the lack of diagnostic modalities and association with clinical disease. The objective of the study was to determine the frequency of detection of ERBV in nasal secretions from 6568 horses with acute onset of respiratory signs. METHODS ERBV-positive qPCR results from nasal secretions submitted to a molecular diagnostic laboratory from 2013 to 2019 were reviewed. RESULTS A total of 333 ERBV qPCR-positive samples (5.1%) were detected with increasing yearly frequency since the introduction of the assay in 2013. In comparison, only three of 356 (0.8%) healthy horses tested qPCR-positive for ERBV. Median age for ERBV qPCR-positive horses was 3 years of age, and fever, coughing and nasal discharge were the most common signs reported. Further, co-infections with other respiratory pathogens were reported in 73 (21.9%) of ERBV qPCR-positive samples. CONCLUSION ERBV is a commonly detected respiratory virus from nasal secretions of young horses presenting with fever, nasal discharge and coughing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pedro Bernardino
- Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, California, USA
| | - Kaitlyn James
- Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, California, USA
| | - Samantha Barnum
- Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, California, USA
| | - Rachel Corbin
- Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, California, USA
| | - Cara Wademan
- Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, California, USA
| | - Nicola Pusterla
- Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, California, USA
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Karam B, Wilson WD, Chambers TM, Reedy S, Pusterla N. Hemagglutinin inhibition antibody responses to commercial equine influenza vaccines in vaccinated horses. Can Vet J 2021; 62:266-272. [PMID: 33692582 PMCID: PMC7877680] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The use of a hemagglutination inhibition (HI) assay to assess humoral immune response to equine influenza virus (EIV) vaccines from various manufacturers administered to previously immunized adult horses was investigated. Subjects were allocated into one of 3 groups and vaccinated with various commercially available vaccines. Groups were subdivided into subjects that received 1 dose of a particular vaccine and those that received a second dose, 30 d later. Serum was collected at various times to assess antibody responses to contemporary EIV Florida sub-lineage strains. Statistical significance was set at P < 0.05 and all groups had a significant increase in antibody titers pre- and post-administration of the first dose. In contrast, there was no significant difference between day 30 titers and titers at subsequent time points, regardless of protocol. We concluded that administration of various commercial influenza vaccines containing a different sub-lineage clade stimulated equivalent HI antibody titers after 1 booster vaccination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruno Karam
- William R. Pritchard Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital (Karam), Department of Medicine and Epidemiology (Wilson, Pusterla), School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, California, USA; Department of Veterinary Science, Maxwell H. Gluck Equine Research Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA (Chambers, Reedy)
| | - William D Wilson
- William R. Pritchard Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital (Karam), Department of Medicine and Epidemiology (Wilson, Pusterla), School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, California, USA; Department of Veterinary Science, Maxwell H. Gluck Equine Research Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA (Chambers, Reedy)
| | - Thomas M Chambers
- William R. Pritchard Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital (Karam), Department of Medicine and Epidemiology (Wilson, Pusterla), School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, California, USA; Department of Veterinary Science, Maxwell H. Gluck Equine Research Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA (Chambers, Reedy)
| | - Stephanie Reedy
- William R. Pritchard Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital (Karam), Department of Medicine and Epidemiology (Wilson, Pusterla), School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, California, USA; Department of Veterinary Science, Maxwell H. Gluck Equine Research Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA (Chambers, Reedy)
| | - Nicola Pusterla
- William R. Pritchard Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital (Karam), Department of Medicine and Epidemiology (Wilson, Pusterla), School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, California, USA; Department of Veterinary Science, Maxwell H. Gluck Equine Research Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA (Chambers, Reedy)
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Bernardino PN, Smith WA, Conrad PA, Packham AE, Tamez-Trevino E, Barnum S, Pusterla N. Molecular detection of Sarcocystis neurona in cerebrospinal fluid from 210 horses with suspected neurologic disease. Vet Parasitol 2021; 291:109372. [PMID: 33578198 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2021.109372] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2020] [Revised: 01/25/2021] [Accepted: 01/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
An ante-mortem diagnosis of equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM) is presently based on clinical presentation, immunodiagnostics performed on serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), and ruling out other neurological disorders. Molecular techniques introduce a novel and promising approach for the detection of protozoal agents in CSF. Hypothesizing that real-time PCR (rtPCR) can be a useful complement to EPM diagnostics, 210 CSF samples from horses suspected of neurological disease with EPM included as a differential diagnosis were tested using rtPCR to detect Sarcocystis neurona DNA and immunodiagnostics targeting antibodies against the same pathogen, performed on serum and CSF samples. Molecular and immunological results were compared with respect to origin of the horse, time of the year, signalment, clinical signs and treatment history. Twenty-five horses tested positive in CSF for S. neurona by rtPCR only, while 30 horses had intrathecally-derived antibodies to S. neurona only (serum to CSF ratio ≤ 64 by indirect fluorescent antibody test - IFAT), and 13 horses tested rtPCR-positive in CSF with evidence of intrathecally-derived antibodies to S. neurona. Previous treatment for EPM was the only variable presenting statistical difference between the two testing modalities, highlighting that animals with history of anti-protozoal treatment were more likely to test positive solely in IFAT, while horses without treatment were more likely to test positive by rtPCR only. The results support the use of molecular diagnosis for EPM caused by S. neurona as a complement to immunodiagnostics. The use of rtPCR in CSF for the detection of S. neurona may improve the diagnostic work-up of neurologic disease suspected horses, especially in animals without previous anti-protozoal treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pedro N Bernardino
- Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, 1 Shields Avenue, Davis, CA, 95616, USA.
| | - Woutrina A Smith
- Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, 1 Shields Avenue, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Patricia A Conrad
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, 1 Shields Avenue, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Andrea E Packham
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, 1 Shields Avenue, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Eva Tamez-Trevino
- William R. Pritchard Veterinary Medicine Teaching Hospital, Immunology/Virology Laboratory, 1 Garrod Drive, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Samantha Barnum
- Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, 1 Shields Avenue, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Nicola Pusterla
- Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, 1 Shields Avenue, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
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45
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Willis AT, Barnum S, Pusterla N. Validation of a point-of-care polymerase chain reaction assay for detection of Streptococcus equi subspecies equi in rostral nasal swabs from horses with suspected strangles. Can Vet J 2021; 62:51-54. [PMID: 33390599 PMCID: PMC7739398] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
This study aimed to validate a point-of-care polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay for detection of Streptococcus equi subsp. equi (S. equi) in rostral nasal swabs from horses with suspected acute strangles and to compare the results against the molecular gold standard of quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Two hundred thirty-two individual swabs of rostral nasal passages were characterized by qPCR as S. equi positive, S. equi subsp. zooepidemicus (S. zooepidemicus) positive, or S. equi and S. zooepidemicus negative. The specificity and sensitivity of the point-of-care PCR assay were 89% and 84%, respectively. The limits of detection of the qPCR assay and the point-of-care PCR analyzer were 3 and 277 eqbE target genes of S. equi, respectively. Overall agreement and short turnaround time make the point-of-care PCR assay a potential molecular diagnostic platform that will enhance the capability of equine veterinarians to timely support a diagnosis of strangles and institute proper biosecurity protocols.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew T Willis
- William R. Pritchard Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, 1 Garrod Drive, Davis, California, USA (Willis); Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, One Shields Avenue, Davis, California, USA (Barnum, Pusterla)
| | - Samantha Barnum
- William R. Pritchard Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, 1 Garrod Drive, Davis, California, USA (Willis); Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, One Shields Avenue, Davis, California, USA (Barnum, Pusterla)
| | - Nicola Pusterla
- William R. Pritchard Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, 1 Garrod Drive, Davis, California, USA (Willis); Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, One Shields Avenue, Davis, California, USA (Barnum, Pusterla)
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46
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Oertly M, Gerber V, Anhold H, Chan DS, Pusterla N. The Accuracy of Serum Amyloid A in Determining Early Inflammation in Horses After Long-Distance Transportation by Air. J Equine Vet Sci 2020; 97:103337. [PMID: 33478761 DOI: 10.1016/j.jevs.2020.103337] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2018] [Revised: 11/22/2020] [Accepted: 11/23/2020] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Transportation of sporthorses increases their susceptibility to infectious diseases. Before, caretakers relied on rectal temperature together with their clinical impression to detect travel-associated infections. This study's aim was to assess and compare serum amyloid A (SAA) to rectal temperature as an indicator of early inflammation in sporthorses after air transportation. One hundred and twenty-two Warmblood horses were followed during the Longines Global Champions Tour 2016 to three destinations where the horses flew to compete. Clinical health checks and SAA measurements were performed before flying, upon arrival (0 hours), and 24 hours postarrival. Serum amyloid A was tested using a stall-side lateral flow immunoassay. Rectal temperature was measured twice a day using a commercially available digital thermometer. An SAA cutoff value of 23 μg/mL measured 24 hours postarrival was able to correctly distinguish between a healthy and sick horse with a sensitivity and specificity of 93.3% and 91.3%, respectively. Conversely, elevated rectal temperature had a sensitivity of only 3% to distinguish between the two horse groups. Monitoring SAA in traveling sporthorses is a more sensitive indicator of clinical health than monitoring body temperature and may aid in early identification of inflammatory processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marc Oertly
- Swiss Institute of Equine Medicine, Vetsuisse Faculty University of Berne, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
| | - Vinzenz Gerber
- Swiss Institute of Equine Medicine, Vetsuisse Faculty University of Berne, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Heinrich Anhold
- Epona Biotech Limited, Business Innovation Centre, Institute of Technology Campus, Co. Sligo, Ireland
| | - Di-Sien Chan
- Epona Biotech Limited, Business Innovation Centre, Institute of Technology Campus, Co. Sligo, Ireland
| | - Nicola Pusterla
- Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA
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47
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Pusterla N, Barnum SM, Byrne BA. Investigation of a 24-Hour Culture Step to Determine the Viability of Streptococcus equi Subspecies equi Via Quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction in Nasal Secretions From Horses With Suspected Strangles. J Equine Vet Sci 2020; 97:103328. [PMID: 33478766 DOI: 10.1016/j.jevs.2020.103328] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2020] [Revised: 11/16/2020] [Accepted: 11/16/2020] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based detection assays for Streptococcus equi subspecies equi often overestimate the prevalence of samples containing viable organisms. The objective of this study was to determine if viability could be determined using genome quantitation and detection of messenger RNA (mRNA) transcripts for the SeM gene of S. equi in pre- and post-cultured samples. Nasal secretions collected from 42 horses with suspected strangles were tested by culture and by quantitative PCR (qPCR) before and 24 hours after a culture step. Viable S. equi was determined based on the detection of S. equi via culture, the detection of mRNA transcripts for the SeM gene of S. equi by qPCR, and/or an increase in absolute number of SeM target genes of S. equi between pre- and post-cultured samples. Viability was determined in 28/42 samples based on isolation of S. equi (11 samples), the presence of mRNA transcripts for the SeM gene of S. equi (25), and/or an increase in absolute quantitation of the SeM gene of S. equi between pre- and post-culture (17). The overall agreement between culture alone and the three criteria to determine viability was 59%. The overall agreement for the detection of mRNA transcripts and increase in absolute target genes was 88% and 74%, respectively. The combination of mRNA transcripts and increase in absolute target genes was able to determine the viability status in all 42 samples. In the absence of a culture-positive result for S. equi, the determination of viability can be achieved by using molecular strategies applied to samples undergoing a 24-hour culture step.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicola Pusterla
- Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA.
| | - Samantha M Barnum
- Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA
| | - Barbara A Byrne
- Department of Veterinary Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA
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48
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Leszkowicz Mazuz M, Mimoun L, Schvartz G, Tirosh-Levy S, Savitzki I, Edery N, Blum SE, Baneth G, Pusterla N, Steinman A. Detection of Neospora caninum Infection in Aborted Equine Fetuses in Israel. Pathogens 2020; 9:pathogens9110962. [PMID: 33228059 PMCID: PMC7699351 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens9110962] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2020] [Revised: 11/11/2020] [Accepted: 11/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
In horses, Neospora caninum and Neospora hughesi have been associated with fetal loss, and neurological disease, respectively. This study investigated the role of Neospora spp. infection in equine abortion in Israel. The presence of anti-Neospora spp. antibodies was evaluated in 31 aborting mares by indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT) and the presence of parasite DNA in their aborted fetuses was evaluated by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), using two target loci (ITS1 and Nc5). The seroprevalence found in aborting mares was 70.9% and the prevalence by DNA detection in the aborted fetuses was 41.9%. Transplacental transmission from positive mares to their fetuses was 45.4% (10/22), while 33.3% (3/9) of fetuses of seronegative mares also tested positive for Neospora. The use of two PCR targets improved the sensitivity of parasite detection, and positive samples were identified by sequence analyses as N. caninum. These finding suggest that N. caninum could be a significant cause of abortion in horses, and that transplacental transmission in horses is an important way of transmission of N.caninum. The results presented here demonstrated the necessity to use several tests concurrently, including serological and molecular assays in order to confirm the involvement of Neospora in mare abortions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monica Leszkowicz Mazuz
- Division of Parasitology, Kimron Veterinary Institute, Beit Dagan 50200, Israel; (S.T.-L.); (I.S.)
- Correspondence: (M.L.M.); (A.S.); Tel.: +972-3-968-1690 (M.L.M.); +972-3-968-8544 (A.S.)
| | - Lea Mimoun
- Koret School of Veterinary Medicine, The Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot 7610001, Israel; (L.M.); (G.S.); (G.B.)
| | - Gili Schvartz
- Koret School of Veterinary Medicine, The Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot 7610001, Israel; (L.M.); (G.S.); (G.B.)
| | - Sharon Tirosh-Levy
- Division of Parasitology, Kimron Veterinary Institute, Beit Dagan 50200, Israel; (S.T.-L.); (I.S.)
- Koret School of Veterinary Medicine, The Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot 7610001, Israel; (L.M.); (G.S.); (G.B.)
| | - Igor Savitzki
- Division of Parasitology, Kimron Veterinary Institute, Beit Dagan 50200, Israel; (S.T.-L.); (I.S.)
| | - Nir Edery
- Division of Pathology, Kimron Veterinary Institute, Beit Dagan 50200, Israel;
| | - Shlomo E. Blum
- Division of Bacteriology, Kimron Veterinary Institute, Beit Dagan 50200, Israel;
| | - Gad Baneth
- Koret School of Veterinary Medicine, The Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot 7610001, Israel; (L.M.); (G.S.); (G.B.)
| | - Nicola Pusterla
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA;
| | - Amir Steinman
- Koret School of Veterinary Medicine, The Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot 7610001, Israel; (L.M.); (G.S.); (G.B.)
- Correspondence: (M.L.M.); (A.S.); Tel.: +972-3-968-1690 (M.L.M.); +972-3-968-8544 (A.S.)
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49
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Haake C, Cook S, Pusterla N, Murphy B. Coronavirus Infections in Companion Animals: Virology, Epidemiology, Clinical and Pathologic Features. Viruses 2020; 12:E1023. [PMID: 32933150 PMCID: PMC7551689 DOI: 10.3390/v12091023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2020] [Revised: 09/11/2020] [Accepted: 09/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Coronaviruses are enveloped RNA viruses capable of causing respiratory, enteric, or systemic diseases in a variety of mammalian hosts that vary in clinical severity from subclinical to fatal. The host range and tissue tropism are largely determined by the coronaviral spike protein, which initiates cellular infection by promoting fusion of the viral and host cell membranes. Companion animal coronaviruses responsible for causing enteric infection include feline enteric coronavirus, ferret enteric coronavirus, canine enteric coronavirus, equine coronavirus, and alpaca enteric coronavirus, while canine respiratory coronavirus and alpaca respiratory coronavirus result in respiratory infection. Ferret systemic coronavirus and feline infectious peritonitis virus, a mutated feline enteric coronavirus, can lead to lethal immuno-inflammatory systemic disease. Recent human viral pandemics, including severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS), and most recently, COVID-19, all thought to originate from bat coronaviruses, demonstrate the zoonotic potential of coronaviruses and their potential to have devastating impacts. A better understanding of the coronaviruses of companion animals, their capacity for cross-species transmission, and the sharing of genetic information may facilitate improved prevention and control strategies for future emerging zoonotic coronaviruses. This article reviews the clinical, epidemiologic, virologic, and pathologic characteristics of nine important coronaviruses of companion animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine Haake
- School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Sarah Cook
- Graduate Group Integrative Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA;
| | - Nicola Pusterla
- Department of Medicine & Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA;
| | - Brian Murphy
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA;
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50
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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] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [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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