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Equine Coital Exanthema: New Insights on the Knowledge and Leading Perspectives for Treatment and Prevention. Pathogens 2021; 10:pathogens10081055. [PMID: 34451519 PMCID: PMC8398825 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens10081055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2021] [Revised: 06/24/2021] [Accepted: 06/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Equine coital exanthema (ECE) is a highly contagious, venereally-transmitted mucocutaneous disease, characterized by the formation of papules, vesicles, pustules and ulcers on the external genital organs of mares and stallions, and caused by equid alphaherpesvirus 3 (EHV-3). The infection is endemic worldwide and the virus is transmitted mainly through direct contact during sexual intercourse and by contaminated instruments during reproductive maneuvers in breeding facilities. The disease does not result in systemic illness, infertility or abortion, yet it does have a negative impact on the equine industry as it forces the temporary withdrawal of affected animals with the consequent disruption of mating activities in breeding facilities. The purpose of this review is to provide up-to-date relevant information on the knowledge of EHV-3 infection and to analyze new approaches on diagnostics, treatment and prevention in the interest of minimizing the negative consequences of ECE in light of the current situation of the equine industry.
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Vissani MA, Perglione CO, Zabal O, Alvarez G, Thiry E, Barrandeguy M, Parreño V. Topical Ganciclovir Reduces Viral Excretion in Mares With Equine Coital Exanthema. J Equine Vet Sci 2020; 94:103199. [PMID: 33077066 DOI: 10.1016/j.jevs.2020.103199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2020] [Revised: 06/21/2020] [Accepted: 07/20/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Equid alphaherpesvirus 3 (EHV-3) is the etiological agent of equine coital exanthema (ECE). Because no vaccines or antiviral therapies are available, prevention consists of clinical examination of mares and stallions before mating or semen collection and resting from breeding activities when lesions are present. However, this methodology does not identify subclinically infected animals. Ganciclovir is the most potent compound known to reduce EHV-3 replication. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of topical ganciclovir application to reduce EHV-3 replication in experimentally infected mares. A pilot study, after a double-blind completely randomized design, was carried out. Twenty mares were randomly divided into five groups (three treated with ganciclovir with different regimen of doses, one treated with a placebo, and one nontreated). Mares were experimentally infected with EHV-3 on day 0. Rectal temperature, clinical signs, and lesions were recorded. Daily perineal and vaginal swabs were evaluated by quantitative polymerase chain reaction for virus detection. The antibody response was assessed by a virus neutralization test in serum samples collected weekly. Mares experimentally infected with EHV-3 and treated with ganciclovir twice a day for 13 days showed reduced levels and duration of viral excretion and less severe lesions. The viral excretion period was reduced from 18 to nine days compared with the untreated groups. We concluded that ganciclovir had an antiviral effect on EHV-3 replication when topically administered in mares showing clinical signs of ECE. Further trials should be performed to optimize the dose of the antiviral for a definitive formulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Aldana Vissani
- Instituto de Virología e Innovaciones Tecnológicas (IVIT), Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA), Buenos Aires, Argentina; Cátedra de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Escuela de Veterinaria, Universidad del Salvador, Buenos Aires, Argentina; Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET) scientific career, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
| | - Cecilia Olguin Perglione
- Instituto de Virología e Innovaciones Tecnológicas (IVIT), Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Osvaldo Zabal
- Instituto de Virología e Innovaciones Tecnológicas (IVIT), Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA), Buenos Aires, Argentina; Cátedra de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Escuela de Veterinaria, Universidad del Salvador, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Gustavo Alvarez
- Dirección de Remonta y Veterinaria, Ejército Argentino, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Etienne Thiry
- Department of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases, Veterinary Virology and Animal Viral Diseases, FARAH Center, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Liege (B-4000), Liege, Belgium
| | - María Barrandeguy
- Instituto de Virología e Innovaciones Tecnológicas (IVIT), Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA), Buenos Aires, Argentina; Cátedra de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Escuela de Veterinaria, Universidad del Salvador, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Viviana Parreño
- Instituto de Virología e Innovaciones Tecnológicas (IVIT), Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA), Buenos Aires, Argentina; Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET) scientific career, Buenos Aires, Argentina
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Toishi Y, Tsunoda N, Kirisawa R. Period of excretion of equine herpesvirus 3 (EHV-3) from a stallion before showing clinical signs of equine coital exanthema and the effect of acyclovir treatment on the duration of EHV-3 excretion. J Vet Med Sci 2020; 82:1299-1305. [PMID: 32684614 PMCID: PMC7538329 DOI: 10.1292/jvms.20-0056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
In 2017, two Thoroughbred stallions, A and B in Farms A and B, respectively, in Hokkaido in Japan showed clinical signs of equine coital exanthema (ECE). In 2020, stallion C in
Farm B showed clinical signs of ECE. Eighteen mares were mated within five days before stallion A developed ECE. Ten mares that mated within 3 days before onset showed clinical
signs of ECE on the external genitalia. Equine herpesvirus 3 (EHV-3) was isolated from vaginal swabs from three mares that mated within 2 days before onset. Swabs from 12 mares
that mated within 4 days before onset were real-time PCR (rPCR)-positive and nine of those mares had an increased EHV-3 antibody titer. The three stallions were administered
valaciclovir orally and topical acyclovir ointment was applied. Treatment started on the next day after onset in stallion A and on the day of onset in stallions B and C. EHV-3 was
firstly isolated from penis swabs of stallions A and B before treatment and from penis swabs of stallion C 2 days after treatment. EHV-3 was not isolated after 8, 5 and 8 days from
onset in stallions A, B and C, respectively. However, swabs were rPCR-positive for at least 12, 9 and 15 days after onset of stallions A, B and C, respectively. EHV-3 was excreted
from the stallions at least within 4 days before the onset of ECE, and acyclovir treatment resulted in the termination of excretion within 8 days after onset.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuko Toishi
- Shadai Stallion Station, 275 Hayakita-Genbu, Abira-cho, Yufutsu-gun, Hokkaido 059-1432, Japan
| | - Nobuo Tsunoda
- Shadai Stallion Station, 275 Hayakita-Genbu, Abira-cho, Yufutsu-gun, Hokkaido 059-1432, Japan
| | - Rikio Kirisawa
- Laboratory of Veterinary Virology, Department of Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, Rakuno Gakuen University, 582 Bunkyoudai-Midorimachi, Ebetsu, Hokkaido 069-8501, Japan
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Kirisawa R, Toishi Y, Akamatsu A, Soejima K, Miyashita T, Tsunoda N. Isolation of equine herpesvirus 3 (EHV-3) from equine coital exanthema of two stallions and sero-epidemiology of EHV-3 infection in Japan. J Vet Med Sci 2017; 79:636-643. [PMID: 28132964 PMCID: PMC5383190 DOI: 10.1292/jvms.16-0518] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
In the spring of 2015, two stallions reared in Farms A and B in Hokkaido in Japan showed symptoms of equine coital exanthema. Equine herpesvirus 3 (EHV-3) was
isolated from penis swab samples of both stallions, and the isolates from each stallion in Farms A and B were designated as SS-1 and YS-1 strains, respectively.
BamHI restriction profiles of SS-1 and Japanese reference strain Iwate-1 were indistinguishable, but the BamHI-A fragment of
YS-1 was larger than those of SS-1 and Iwate-1 by 1.9 kbp because of the lack of two BamHI sites. Nucleotide sequence analyses of glycoprotein
G (gG), gB, gC and VP13/14 coding regions revealed that SS-1 and YS-1 had 99.77% to 100% identities to each other. These results suggested that the origins of
SS-1 and YS-1 were different. For a sero-epidemiological survey, serum neutralizing tests using SS-1 against 319 sera of horses from eight farms in Hokkaido
were conducted. Six of the eight farms were EHV-3 antibody-positive, and positive rates ranged from 2.6% to 17.6%. To determine the infection time of four EHV-3
antibody-positive horses, a retrospective study was conducted. Infection time of the four horses was in the breeding season, and re-infection or reactivation of
latently infected EHV-3 might have occurred in one horse. However, these four horses had never shown any clinical symptoms. The results suggested that several
EHV-3 strains are distributed in Japan and that infection is maintained widely in horses without clinical symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rikio Kirisawa
- Laboratory of Veterinary Virology, Department of Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, Rakuno Gakuen University, 582 Bunkyoudai-Midorimachi, Ebetsu, Hokkaido 069-8501, Japan
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