EQUINE VIRAL RHINOPNEUMONITIS (EVR)
● Equine viral rhinopneumonitis (EVR) is an acute respiratory catarrh, which is
inflammation due to excessive discharge or buildup of mucus in the throat and nose.
Etiology
● Caused by Equine Herpes Virus (EHV).
● Most significant and important are EHV-1 and EHV-4, they are 2 antigenically distinct
groups of viruses previously known as subtypes 1 and 2 of EHV-1.
● The natural reservoir of both EHV-1 and EHV-4 is the horse, latent infections and carrier
status occur with both types of the virus.
● Both of these viruses can be found commonly in horse populations worldwide.
Transmission
● Both direct and indirect contact with infectious nasal fluid, aborted fetus, placentas or the
fluids thereof.
Clinical Manifestations
● Incubation period of EHV is 2-10 days with the first classic symptom being a temperature
of 38.9-41.7° C
● Clear fluid nasal discharge, a vague feeling of bodily discomfort, pharyngitis, cough,
inappetence and/or swelling of the lymph nodes on the lower and back jaw.
● Secondary bacterial infection is common which is characterised by a thick pus-like nasal
discharge, this often causes pulmonary disease.
● Mares that, abort with EHV-1, have a sudden, the foetus is fresh or slightly decomposed,
and the placenta is expelled shortly afterwards. Abortions occur 2 to 12 weeks after
EHV-1 infection, during the period 7 to 11 months of pregnancy, the cause of death to the
foetal foal is characteristically damage to the liver, lungs and other organs.
● Certain strains of EHV-1 cause neurological disease.
● Symptoms present from as slight incoordination with a little lameness in the back legs to
severe paralysis of the hind limbs with the horse lying down, loss of bladder and tail
function with loss of sensation to the skin in area around the anus and genitals.
Diagnosis
● Isolation from samples obtained via nasopharyngeal swab and citrated blood sample
(buffy coat) early in the course of the disease
● In cases of suspected EHV-1 abortion, a diagnosis is based on characteristic gross and
microscopic lesions in the aborted fetus, virus isolation, and demonstration of viral
antigen in fetal tissues. Lung, liver, adrenal, and lymphoreticular tissues are productive
sources of virus.
● Demonstration of characteristic vascular lesions in sections of CNS tissue of horses that
die or are destroyed
Treatment
● There is no specific treatment for EHV infection.
● Antipyretics
● Intensive nursing care is necessary to avoid secondary bacterial complications,
pulmonary congestion, pneumonia, ruptured bladder, or bowel atony.
● Herbal remedy consisting of colloidal silver, stabilised oxygen, herbal anti-viral and
DMSO is suggested.
Immunity
● Immunity after natural infection with either EHV-1 or EHV-4 involves a combination of
humoral and cellular immunity.
● Significant cross-protection develops in horses after repeated infections with a particular
virus type. As compared after primary infection of immunologically naïve foals
● Most horses are latently infected with EHV-1 and EHV-4. The infection remains dormant
for most of the horse’s life, although stress or immunosuppression may result in
recrudescence of disease and shedding of infectious virus.
● Immunity to reinfection of the respiratory tract may persist for up to 3 months, but
multiple infections result in a level of immunity that prevents clinical signs of respiratory
disease.
● Diminished resistance in pregnant mares allows cell associated viremia, which may result
in transplacental infection of the fetus.
Prevention And Control
● New horses should be isolated for 3-4 weeks before commingling with resident horses,
especially pregnant mares.
● Management-related stress-inducing circumstances should be avoided to prevent
recrudescence of latent virus.
● Pregnant mares should be maintained in a group away from the weanlings, yearlings, and
horses out of training.
● In an outbreak of respiratory disease or abortion, affected horses should be isolated and
appropriate measures taken for disinfection of contaminated premises.
● Vaccine should be administered during 3rd, 5th, 7th, and 9th of pregnancy.
