Ciência Animal Brasileira (Jul 2015)

OCCURRENCE OF ANTIBODIES AGAINST EQUINE HERPESVIRUS AND EQUINE ARTERITIS VIRUS IN HORSE HERDS OF RIO DE JANEIRO STATE, BRAZIL

  • Kathryn Anne Ford Diaz,
  • Silvia de Oliveira Hübne,
  • Gilberto D’ávila Varga,
  • Geferson Fischer,
  • Walter Lilenbaum,
  • Marcelo de Lima

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1590/1089-6891v16i326131
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 16, no. 3
pp. 410 – 418

Abstract

Read online

Infections by equine herpesvirus (EHV) and equine arteritis virus (EAV) have been associated with important economic losses for the equine industry worldwide. Serological studies have indicated the presence of these agents in Brazil. The aim of this study was to evaluate the occurrence of specific antibodies against EAV and EHV in horse herds from different regions of Rio de Janeiro state. For this purpose, serum samples of 581 non-vaccinated animals and 44 breeding mares regularly vaccinated against equine rhinopneumonitis were collected. All samples were submitted to the virus neutralization test for the detection of specific antibodies to each virus. Results showed 29.6% (172/581) of seropositive animals for EHV (titers between 2 and ≥ 256) and 0.79% (5/630) for EAV (titers between 2 and 4,096). Considering the non-vaccinated animals, these findings demonstrated that specific antibodies were induced after natural exposure to the respective viruses, suggesting a probable circulation of these agents in the studied herds.

Keywords