Highlighting on viral equine abortion syndrome in some regions in Egypt

Abstract

Equine herpes virus types 1 and 4 (EHV-1, EHV-4), Equine arteritis virus (EAV) and Equine infectious anemia virus (EIA) are viral causes responsible for significant economic losses in Equine due to abortion and neonatal mortality. In this study, 600 serum samples were collected from horses and donkeys in 6 Egyptian Governorates (Cairo, Alexandria, Giza, Minya, Monufia, and Qalyubia) between 2018 and 2021.Indirect ELISA kits were used for the detection of antibodies against EHV-1, EHV-4, EAV and EIA. Our results revealed that 173 samples out of 600 tested positive for EHV-1 and EHV-4 (28.83%) and 16 samples out of 600 tested positive for EAV (2.67%). However, none of the samples tested positive for EIA. In conclusion, Our study revealed that EHV-1and EHV-4 are one of the most important causes of abortion in Equine and the results of serosurveillance indicated the circulation of EHV-1, EHV-4 in horses and donkeys due to their latency and reactivation from time to time, or due to the horses movement and contacts with other potentially infected horses. Antibodies against EAV due to that percentage of infected horses become persistent infected carriers.