Epidemiological and clinical aspects of equine Herpesvirus encephalitis infection in horses that died with neurological signs from Minas Gerais state, Brazil

Authors

  • Érica Azevedo Costa Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Departamento de Microbiologia, Belo Horizonte, MG
  • Anilton Cesar Vasconcelos Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Departamento de Patologia, Belo Horizonte, MG
  • Maria Rosa Quaresma Bomfim Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Departamento de Microbiologia, Belo Horizonte, MG
  • Marcos Xavier Silva Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Escola de Veterinária, Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva, Belo Horizonte, MG
  • João Paulo Amaral Haddad Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Escola de Veterinária, Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva, Belo Horizonte, MG
  • Hábner Bastos Amorim Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Escola de Veterinária, Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva, Belo Horizonte, MG
  • Gabriella Breder Lara Lima Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Departamento de Patologia, Belo Horizonte, MG
  • Ronaldo Furtini Instituto Mineiro de Agropecuária, Belo Horizonte, MG
  • Mauricio Resende Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Departamento de Microbiologia, Belo Horizonte, MG

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.11606/issn.1678-4456.bjvras.2009.26774

Keywords:

Horses, Central Nervous System, PCR, Equine Herpesvirus 1 (EHV-1), Epidemiology

Abstract

During the period of October 2004 until February 2006, 75 samples of central nervous system (CNS) obtained from horses that died with neurological signs in the state of Minas Gerais were sent to the Laboratory of Compared Virology in ICB/UFMG for diagnosis of equine herpesviruses. All samples were previously diagnosticated negative for rabies virus by the Laboratório de Saúde Animal of the Instituto Mineiro de Agropecuária (IMA). Among the analyzed samples, 39 (52%) were positive for the equine herpesvirus 1 (EHV-1) through the polymerase chain reaction assay (PCR). In most cases, the histopathological examination of the CNS revealed a mild vasculitis with perivascular mononuclear cuffing, congestion, arterial thrombosis and degeneration of nervous tissue. The positive CNS samples for EHV-1 were obtained from horses. sampled from 30 municipalities of Minas Gerais state. The cases occurred in an isolated form in different periods of the year, not presenting a seasonal character. The clinical course duration was acute, varying between one and four days. The most frequently observed neurological signs were ataxia, unsteadiness in the hind limb, paralysis of hind limbs and recumbency. According to information provided by IMA, the infections caused by EHV-1 were as frequent as the ones caused by rabies virus in horses of Minas Gerais state during the studied period. Hence, it became important to include EHV-1 encephalitis in the differential diagnosis from other diseases of the central nervous system in horses of Minas Gerais state.

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Published

2009-08-01

Issue

Section

UNDEFINIED

How to Cite

Epidemiological and clinical aspects of equine Herpesvirus encephalitis infection in horses that died with neurological signs from Minas Gerais state, Brazil. (2009). Brazilian Journal of Veterinary Research and Animal Science, 46(4), 262-272. https://doi.org/10.11606/issn.1678-4456.bjvras.2009.26774