Ataxia and paresis with equine herpesvirus type 1 infection in a herd of riding school horses.
An outbreak of neurologic disease associated with serologic evidence of equine herpesvirus type 1 (EHV-1) infection occurred in a herd of 46 riding school horses. Ataxia and paresis were observed in 14 geldings and 5 barren mares. Eight affected horses had distal limb edema, 1 horse had a head tilt, and 3 others had urinary incontinence. Other clinical signs included fever, depression, and inappetance in 30 horses. Seven horses with neurologic signs were treated with acyclovir. Serum neutralizing antibody titers against EHV-1 increased 4-fold between acute and convalescent samples or exceeded 1:256 in 19 of 44 horses, confirming recent infection. A significantly greater proportion of horses that seroconverted were mares (P = .014). Of the 19 horses exhibiting ataxia and paresis, 17 made a complete recovery, 1 made a partial recovery, and 1 was euthanized.
Friday
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PA
Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg 24061-0443, USA. pfriday@vt.edu
Scarratt
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Elvinger
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Timoney
P J
PJ
Bonda
A
A
D000818:Animals; D001259:Ataxia / Q000209:etiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000662:veterinary; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000662:veterinary*; D004861:Herpesvirus 1, Equid / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D006736:Horses; D008297:Male; D010291:Paresis / Q000209:etiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D011379:Prognosis