[en] Contagious respiratory infections are an important cause of respiratory disease in horses, resulting in impaired pulmonary function, poor performance and sometimes severe illness. Although bacterial infections are often suspected to be involved, viruses are frequently overlooked and are an underestimated cause of respiratory disease outbreaks in horses. In this study, nasal swabs of 103 horses with acute symptoms of respiratory disease were analyzed for the presence of 13 different respiratory pathogens. Gamma herpesviruses were the most commonly detected, with 60% of the samples being positive, followed by streptococcus equi subsp. zooepidemicus infection (30%). Rhinovirus B, streptococcus equi subsp. equi, adenovirus 1 and EHV-4 were more rarely detected. Further research is necessary to correctly interpret the importance of gamma herpesviruses in horses, for example by screening a healthy control population. National surveillance of respiratory viruses in horses by PCR analysis on nasal swabs might be a useful, earlywarning system for viral epidemics. [nl] Infectieuze aandoeningen zijn een belangrijke oorzaak van ademhalingsproblemen bij paarden. Ze kunnen aanleiding geven tot een verstoorde longfunctie, verminderde prestaties en soms ernstige klinische ziekte. Hoewel meestal bacteriële infecties vermoed worden, zijn virussen een onderschatte oorzaak van besmettelijke ademhalingsinfecties bij paarden. In deze studie werden neusswabs genomen bij 103 paarden met symptomen van acute ademhalingsinfectie en gescreend op de aanwezigheid van 13 verschillende equine ademhalingspathogenen. Gammaherpesvirussen waren, met 60% positieve stalen, de meest gedetecteerde pathogenen, gevolgd door streptococcus equi subsp. zooepidemicus infecties (30%). Rhinovirus B, streptococcus equi subsp. equi, adenovirus 1 en EHV-4 werden minder frequent gevonden. Verder onderzoek is nodig om het belang van gammaherpesvirussen bij het paard correct te interpreteren. Nationale surveillance van ademhalingsvirussen bij paarden door middel van PCR-analyse op neusswabs zou een nuttig waarschuwingssysteem voor dreigende virale epidemieën kunnen zijn.
Disciplines :
Veterinary medicine & animal health
Author, co-author :
Broux, Barbara; Universiteit Gent - UGent > Faculty of Veterinary Medicine > Departement of Large Animal Internal Medicine
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