A survey for antibodies to equine arteritis virus in donkeys, mules and zebra using virus neutralisation (VN) and enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).
A seroepidemiological survey of donkeys in South Africa (n = 4300) indicated a wide distribution and increasing prevalence of antibodies to equine arteritis virus (EAV). Donkey sera inhibited equine arteritis virus infection in virus neutralisation (VN) tests and in ELISA specifically bound to a recombinant antigen derived from the Bucyrus isolate of EAV. These results suggest that donkeys have been exposed to the same serotype of this virus as circulates among horses. A good correlation existed between EAV neutralising antibody titres and ELISA absorbance values (0.8631); the ELISA was sensitive and specific (99.2% and 80.3% respectively) for donkey sera when compared to the VN test and the recombinant ELISA antigen did not cross-react with sera positive for common African equine pathogens. VN+ ELISA+ donkeys were also found in Morocco and Zimbabwe and seropositive mules in both South Africa and Morocco. No seropositive zebra (n = 266) were detected from game reserves or zoos in 9 countries. The results confirm that in addition to horses and donkeys, mules are naturally infected with EAV.
Paweska
J T
JT
Onderstepoort Veterinary Institute, Division of Virology, Republic of South Africa.
Binns
M M
MM
Woods
P S
PS
Chirnside
E D
ED
D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D018174:Arterivirus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000662:veterinary*; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D001902:Botswana / Q000453:epidemiology; D002170:Canada / Q000453:epidemiology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards / Q000662:veterinary*; D007240:Equartevirus / Q000276:immunology*; D018397:Equidae; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D007630:Kenya / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D009018:Morocco / Q000453:epidemiology; D009276:Namibia / Q000453:epidemiology; D009426:Netherlands / Q000453:epidemiology; D009500:Neutralization Tests / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards / Q000662:veterinary*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013019:South Africa / Q000453:epidemiology; D006113:United Kingdom / Q000453:epidemiology; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D015030:Zimbabwe / Q000453:epidemiology
D000914:Antibodies, Viral