Detection of equine herpesviruses in aborted foetuses by consensus PCR.
The major role of EHV-1 in equine abortion is widely reported in the literature but the contribution of EHV-2, EHV-3, EHV-4 or EHV-5 remains less well documented. The objective of this study is to evaluate the contribution of these five different EHVs to equine abortion in a variety of biological tissues using a consensus polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The test was validated for specificity and sensitivity in horses before screening specimens from 407 foetuses, stillbirths and premature foals collected over a 2.5-year interval. Positive results obtained with this assay were compared to other EHV type-specific PCR or by sequencing. EHV-1 was identified as the major cause of abortion in French mares (59/407 cases). However, there was evidence to suggest some variation in the potential of EHV-1 strains to induce abortion. Indeed, DNA samples from EHV-2 (in three cases) and EHV-5 (in one case) inferred a role of these viruses in abortion. The presence of viral DNA from EHV-3 or EHV-4 strains was not detected in the specimens studied. The data obtained suggest that the consensus herpesvirus PCR is an efficient screening tool. In association with a specific PCR, the test provides a rapid identification of the type of herpesvirus involved in abortion and is useful for routine diagnostic tests as it allows the identification of herpesviruses other than the EHV-1 strain.
Frank Duncombe Laboratory, 1 route de Rosel, 14053 Caen Cedex 4, France; Microbiology Service and EA 2128 Host Relations and Micro-organisms of the Epithelium, University Hospital of Caen, France.
A
A
Léon
G
G
Fortier
C
C
Fortier
F
F
Freymuth
J
J
Tapprest
R
R
Leclercq
S
S
Pronost
D037881:Aborted Fetus / Q000821:virology*; D000034:Abortion, Veterinary / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000821:virology*; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D005260:Female; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000662:veterinary* / Q000821:virology; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000821:virology*; D006736:Horses; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000662:veterinary*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D050497:Stillbirth / Q000662:veterinary; D018140:Varicellovirus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*