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Fortier C, El-Hage C, Normand C, Hue ES, Sutton G, Marcillaud-Pitel C, Jeffers K, Bamford N, Oden E, Paillot R, Hartley C, Gilkerson J, Pronost S. Detection of Equine Parvovirus-Hepatitis Virus and Equine Hepacivirus in Archived Sera from Horses in France and Australia. Viruses 2024; 16:862. [PMID: 38932156 PMCID: PMC11209535 DOI: 10.3390/v16060862] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2024] [Revised: 05/24/2024] [Accepted: 05/25/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Reports of newly discovered equine hepatotropic flavi- and parvoviruses have emerged throughout the last decade in many countries, the discovery of which has stimulated a great deal of interest and clinical research. Although commonly detected in horses without signs of disease, equine parvovirus hepatitis (EqPV-H) and equine hepacivirus (EqHV) have been associated with liver disease, including following the administration of contaminated anti-toxin. Our aim was to determine whether EqPV-H and EqHV are present in Australian horses and whether EqPV-H was present in French horses and to examine sequence diversity between strains of both viruses amongst infected horses on either side of the globe. Sera from 188 Australian horses and 256 French horses from horses with and without clinical signs of disease were collected. Twelve out of 256 (4.7%) and 6 out of 188 (3.2%) French and Australian horses, respectively, were positive for the molecular detection of EqPV-H. Five out of 256 (1.9%) and 21 out of 188 (11.2%) French and Australian horses, respectively, were positive for the molecular detection of EqHV. Australian strains for both viruses were genomically clustered, in contrast to strains from French horses, which were more broadly distributed. The findings of this preliminary survey, with the molecular detection of EqHV and EqPV-H in Australia and the latter in France, adds to the growing body of awareness regarding these recently discovered hepatotropic viruses. It has provided valuable information not just in terms of geographic endemicity but will guide equine clinicians, carers, and authorities regarding infectious agents and potential impacts of allogenic tissue contamination. Although we have filled many gaps in the world map regarding equine hepatotropic viruses, further prospective studies in this emerging field may be useful in terms of elucidating risk factors and pathogenesis of these pathogens and management of cases in terms of prevention and diagnosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine Fortier
- LABÉO, 14280 Saint-Contest, France; (C.F.); (E.S.H.); (G.S.); (E.O.); (R.P.)
- Normandie Université, UNICAEN, Biotargen, 14280 Saint-Contest, France
| | - Charles El-Hage
- Centre for Equine Infectious Diseases, Melbourne Veterinary School, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia; (C.E.-H.); (K.J.); (N.B.); (C.H.); (J.G.)
| | - Camille Normand
- LABÉO, 14280 Saint-Contest, France; (C.F.); (E.S.H.); (G.S.); (E.O.); (R.P.)
- Normandie Université, UNICAEN, Biotargen, 14280 Saint-Contest, France
| | - Erika S. Hue
- LABÉO, 14280 Saint-Contest, France; (C.F.); (E.S.H.); (G.S.); (E.O.); (R.P.)
- Normandie Université, UNICAEN, Biotargen, 14280 Saint-Contest, France
| | - Gabrielle Sutton
- LABÉO, 14280 Saint-Contest, France; (C.F.); (E.S.H.); (G.S.); (E.O.); (R.P.)
- Cytokines and Adaptive Immunity Lab, Sainte-Justine University Hospital and Research Center, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC H3C 3J7, Canada
- Microbiology, Infectiology and Immunology Department, Faculty of Medicine, University of Montréal, Montreal, QC H3C 3J7, Canada
| | | | - Kim Jeffers
- Centre for Equine Infectious Diseases, Melbourne Veterinary School, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia; (C.E.-H.); (K.J.); (N.B.); (C.H.); (J.G.)
| | - Nicholas Bamford
- Centre for Equine Infectious Diseases, Melbourne Veterinary School, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia; (C.E.-H.); (K.J.); (N.B.); (C.H.); (J.G.)
| | - Elise Oden
- LABÉO, 14280 Saint-Contest, France; (C.F.); (E.S.H.); (G.S.); (E.O.); (R.P.)
| | - Romain Paillot
- LABÉO, 14280 Saint-Contest, France; (C.F.); (E.S.H.); (G.S.); (E.O.); (R.P.)
- Faculty of Science & Engineering, School of Agriculture, Animal & Environmental Sciences, Anglia Ruskin University (ARU Writtle), Lordship Road, Writtle Chelmsford CM1 3RR, UK
| | - Carol Hartley
- Centre for Equine Infectious Diseases, Melbourne Veterinary School, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia; (C.E.-H.); (K.J.); (N.B.); (C.H.); (J.G.)
| | - James Gilkerson
- Centre for Equine Infectious Diseases, Melbourne Veterinary School, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia; (C.E.-H.); (K.J.); (N.B.); (C.H.); (J.G.)
| | - Stéphane Pronost
- LABÉO, 14280 Saint-Contest, France; (C.F.); (E.S.H.); (G.S.); (E.O.); (R.P.)
- Normandie Université, UNICAEN, Biotargen, 14280 Saint-Contest, France
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Molecular Prevalence of Equine Parvovirus-Hepatitis in the Sera of Clinically Healthy Horses in South Korea. Vet Sci 2021; 8:vetsci8110282. [PMID: 34822655 PMCID: PMC8619122 DOI: 10.3390/vetsci8110282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2021] [Revised: 11/11/2021] [Accepted: 11/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Equine parvovirus-hepatitis (EqPV-H) causes equine hepatitis. The prevalence of EqPV-H in healthy horses has been reported in the United States, China, Germany, and Austria. The present study determined the prevalence of EqPV-H in the sera of clinically healthy horses in South Korea to identify the potential factors for infection and examine the genetic diversity of EqPV-H DNA sequences through comparison with foreign strains. Serum samples collected from 321 horses were tested for EqPV-H using non-structural protein 1 (NS1)-specific polymerase chain reaction. The associations of EqPV-H infection with sex, age, aspartate aminotransferase and γ-glutamyl transferase levels, and race performance were analyzed. Fourteen samples tested positive for EqPV-H (4.4%, 14/321), and EqPV-H infection was associated with sex (p = 0.006) and performance (p = 0.049). In both EqPV-H-positive and control horses, liver-specific biochemical analytes were within the normal ranges. Phylogenetic analyses based on the partial sequences of EqPV-H NS1 revealed that the Korean EqPV-H isolates shared approximately 98.7-100% similarity. Of these, 11 Korean isolates shared high similarity with strains from the United States, Germany, and China, and the remaining three strains were distinct in phylogenetic analyses. The present study describes the current molecular prevalence, potential risk factors, and genetic diversity of Korean EqPV-H.
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Reinecke B, Klöhn M, Brüggemann Y, Kinast V, Todt D, Stang A, Badenhorst M, Koeppel K, Guthrie A, Groner U, Puff C, de le Roi M, Baumgärtner W, Cavalleri JMV, Steinmann E. Clinical Course of Infection and Cross-Species Detection of Equine Parvovirus-Hepatitis. Viruses 2021; 13:v13081454. [PMID: 34452320 PMCID: PMC8402690 DOI: 10.3390/v13081454] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2021] [Revised: 07/20/2021] [Accepted: 07/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Since its first discovery by Arnold Theiler in 1918, serum hepatitis also known as Theiler’s disease has been reported worldwide, causing idiopathic acute hepatitis and liver failure in horses. Recent studies have suggested a novel parvovirus, named equine parvovirus hepatitis (EqPV-H), to be associated with Theiler’s disease. Despite the severity and potential fatality of EqPV-H infection, little is known about the possibility of developing chronic infections and putative cross-species infection of equine sister species. In the present longitudinal study, we employed qPCR analysis, serology, and biochemical testing as well as pathology examination of liver biopsies and sequence analysis to investigate potential chronic EqPV-H infection in an isolated study cohort of in total 124 horses from Germany over five years (2013–2018). Importantly, our data suggest that EqPV-H viremia can become chronic in infected horses that do not show biochemical and pathological signs of liver disease. Phylogenetic analysis by maximum likelihood model also confirms high sequence similarity and nucleotide conservation of the multidomain nuclear phosphoprotein NS1 sequences from equine serum samples collected between 2013–2018. Moreover, by examining human, zebra, and donkey sera for the presence of EqPV-H DNA and VP1 capsid protein antibodies, we found evidence for cross-species infection in donkey, but not to human and zebra. In conclusion, this study provides proof for the occurrence of persistent EqPV-H infection in asymptomatic horses and cross-species EqPV-H detection in donkeys.
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Affiliation(s)
- Birthe Reinecke
- Institute of Experimental Virology, TWINCORE, a Joint Venture between Hannover Medical School and Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, 30625 Hannover, Germany;
| | - Mara Klöhn
- Department of Molecular and Medical Virology, Ruhr-University Bochum, 44801 Bochum, Germany; (M.K.); (Y.B.); (V.K.); (D.T.); (A.S.)
| | - Yannick Brüggemann
- Department of Molecular and Medical Virology, Ruhr-University Bochum, 44801 Bochum, Germany; (M.K.); (Y.B.); (V.K.); (D.T.); (A.S.)
| | - Volker Kinast
- Department of Molecular and Medical Virology, Ruhr-University Bochum, 44801 Bochum, Germany; (M.K.); (Y.B.); (V.K.); (D.T.); (A.S.)
| | - Daniel Todt
- Department of Molecular and Medical Virology, Ruhr-University Bochum, 44801 Bochum, Germany; (M.K.); (Y.B.); (V.K.); (D.T.); (A.S.)
- European Virus Bioinformatics Center (EVBC), 07743 Jena, Germany
| | - Alexander Stang
- Department of Molecular and Medical Virology, Ruhr-University Bochum, 44801 Bochum, Germany; (M.K.); (Y.B.); (V.K.); (D.T.); (A.S.)
| | - Marcha Badenhorst
- Department for Companion Animals and Horses, University of Veterinary Medicine, 1210 Vienna, Austria; (M.B.); (J.-M.V.C.)
- Department of Companion Animal Clinical Studies, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Onderstepoort, Pretoria 0110, South Africa
| | - Katja Koeppel
- Department of Production Animal Studies, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Onderstepoort, Pretoria 0110, South Africa;
- Centre for Veterinary Wildlife Studies, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, University of Pretoria, Onderstepoort, Pretoria 0110, South Africa
| | - Alan Guthrie
- Equine Research Centre, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Onderstepoort, Pretoria 0110, South Africa;
| | - Ursula Groner
- Economic Cooperative of German Veterinarians e.G. (WDT), 27318 Hoyerhagen, Germany;
| | - Christina Puff
- Department of Pathology, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, 30559 Hannover, Germany; (C.P.); (M.d.l.R.); (W.B.)
| | - Madeleine de le Roi
- Department of Pathology, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, 30559 Hannover, Germany; (C.P.); (M.d.l.R.); (W.B.)
| | - Wolfgang Baumgärtner
- Department of Pathology, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, 30559 Hannover, Germany; (C.P.); (M.d.l.R.); (W.B.)
| | - Jessika-M. V. Cavalleri
- Department for Companion Animals and Horses, University of Veterinary Medicine, 1210 Vienna, Austria; (M.B.); (J.-M.V.C.)
- Clinic for Horses, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, 30559 Hannover, Germany
| | - Eike Steinmann
- Department of Molecular and Medical Virology, Ruhr-University Bochum, 44801 Bochum, Germany; (M.K.); (Y.B.); (V.K.); (D.T.); (A.S.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +49-234-32-23189
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Ramsauer AS, Badenhorst M, Cavalleri JMV. Equine parvovirus hepatitis. Equine Vet J 2021; 53:886-894. [PMID: 34101906 PMCID: PMC8457058 DOI: 10.1111/evj.13477] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2020] [Revised: 04/27/2021] [Accepted: 05/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Equine parvovirus hepatitis (EqPV‐H) was first described in 2018 in a fatal case of Theiler's disease which followed the administration of an equine‐origin biological product. The virus has since been frequently identified in serum and liver tissue of horses affected by Theiler's disease—an acute, severe hepatitis characterised by fulminant hepatic necrosis with a fatal outcome in most cases. EqPV‐H is hepatotropic, appears to be associated with subclinical to severe hepatitis in horses, and is a likely cause of Theiler's disease. Although this disease is most frequently reported following the administration of equine‐origin biological products, it can also occur among in‐contact horses. Horizontal transmission may be iatrogenic, via contaminated equine‐origin biological products such as equine serum, botulism or tetanus antitoxin, and mesenchymal stem cells or by means of the oral route of infection. Other horizontal transmission routes, for example, arthropod vectors, warrant further investigation. A worldwide prevalence of EqPV‐H antibodies and DNA has been reported in asymptomatic horses. EqPV‐H‐positive horses suffering from acute, severe hepatitis have reportedly developed clinical signs including icterus, lethargy, inappetence, and neurological abnormalities and have had increased liver‐associated biochemistry parameters recorded. The most common histopathological abnormalities of the liver have been hepatocellular necrosis, collapse of the lobular architecture, and lymphocytic infiltration. Most horses infected experimentally with EqPV‐H have developed subclinical hepatitis, and close temporal associations between peak viraemia, seroconversion, and the onset of hepatitis have been observed. Based on strong evidence indicating that EqPV‐H causes hepatitis in horses, veterinarians should consider this virus an important differential diagnosis in such cases. Potential risks associated with the administration of equine‐origin biological products must be emphasised.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Sophie Ramsauer
- Department for Companion Animals and Horses, University Equine Clinic - Internal Medicine, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Marcha Badenhorst
- Department for Companion Animals and Horses, University Equine Clinic - Internal Medicine, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Jessika-M V Cavalleri
- Department for Companion Animals and Horses, University Equine Clinic - Internal Medicine, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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Characterization of Equine Parvovirus in Thoroughbred Breeding Horses from Germany. Viruses 2019; 11:v11100965. [PMID: 31635426 PMCID: PMC6833105 DOI: 10.3390/v11100965] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2019] [Revised: 10/17/2019] [Accepted: 10/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
An equine parvovirus-hepatitis (EqPV-H) has been recently identified in association with equine serum hepatitis, also known as Theiler's disease. The disease was first described by Arnold Theiler in 1918 and is often observed with parenteral use of blood products in equines. However, natural ways of viral circulation and potential risk factors for transmission still remain unknown. In this study, we investigated the occurrence of EqPV-H infections in Thoroughbred horses in northern and western Germany and aimed to identify potential risk factors associated with viral infections. A total of 392 Thoroughbreds broodmares and stallions were evaluated cross-sectionally for the presence of anti-EqPV-H antibodies and EqPV-H DNA using a luciferase immunoprecipitation assay (LIPS) and a quantitative PCR, respectively. In addition, data regarding age, stud farm, breeding history, and international transportation history of each horse were collected and analysed. An occurrence of 7% EqPV-H DNA positive and 35% seropositive horses was observed in this study cohort. The systematic analysis of risk factors revealed that age, especially in the group of 11-15-year-old horses, and breeding history were potential risk factors that can influence the rate of EqPV-H infections. Subsequent phylogenetic analysis showed a high similarity on nucleotide level within the sequenced Thoroughbred samples. In conclusion, this study demonstrates circulating EqPV-H infections in Thoroughbred horses from central Europe and revealed age and breeding history as risk factors for EqPV-H infections.
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Equine Parvovirus-Hepatitis Frequently Detectable in Commercial Equine Serum Pools. Viruses 2019; 11:v11050461. [PMID: 31117220 PMCID: PMC6563276 DOI: 10.3390/v11050461] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2019] [Revised: 05/08/2019] [Accepted: 05/17/2019] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
An equine parvovirus-hepatitis (EqPV-H) has been recently identified in association with equine serum hepatitis, also known as Theiler’s disease. This disease was first described by Arnold Theiler in 1918 and is often observed after applications with blood products in equines. So far, the virus has only been described in the USA and China. In this study, we evaluated the presence of EqPV-H in several commercial serum samples to assess the potential risk of virus transmission by equine serum-based products for medical and research applications. In 11 out of 18 commercial serum samples, EqPV-H DNA was detectable with a viral load up to 105 copies/mL. The same serum batches as well as three additional samples were also positive for antibodies against the EqPV-H VP1 protein. The countries of origin with detectable viral genomes included the USA, Canada, New Zealand, Italy, and Germany, suggesting a worldwide distribution of EqPV-H. Phylogenetic analysis of the EqPV-H NS1 sequence in commercial serum samples revealed high similarities in viral sequences from different geographical areas. As horse sera are commonly used for the production of anti-sera, which are included in human and veterinary medical products, these results implicate the requirement for diagnostic tests to prevent EqPV-H transmission.
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