Immunity to equine herpesvirus 1 infection in foals during the first year of life.
A band of 23 pregnant mares on a Thoroughbred breeding farm all had serum virus-neutralizing antibody titres to equine herpesvirus 1 (EHV-1). Antibody was not transferred to their foals in utero. All foals received antibody from colostrum and developed antibody titres similar to their dams. The serum virus-neutralizing antibody titres were observed in 10 of these foals for 1 year. Decay of passive immunity occurred at the rate of 3.25 two-fold dilutions in 100 days and reached zero at the mean time of 180 days. The foals were exposed to EHV-1 twice. Foals with a geometric mean titre of 1 : 25 experienced infection and a rise of titre, while those with a geometric mean titre of 1 : 76 resisted infection.
D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000276:immunology* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary*; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control; D006736:Horses / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology; D007114:Immunization
D000914:Antibodies, Viral