Detection of the neuropathogenic variant of equine herpesvirus 1 associated with abortions in mares in Poland.
BACKGROUND
The incidence of reported cases of equine herpesvirus myeloencephalopathy (EHM) caused by infection with neuropathogenic strains of equine herpesvirus 1 (EHV-1) has markedly increased over the last decade in many Western countries. The purpose of this study was to estimate the prevalence of the neuropathogenic (G2254) and non-neuropathogenic (A2254) variants of EHV-1 among isolates associated with abortions in Polish stud farms.


RESULTS
The results of polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) and sequencing were consistent, and showed that two out of 64 abortions (3.1%) were induced by the neuropathogenic genotype G2254. All remaining 18 EHV-1 positive abortion cases (28.1%) were caused by the non-neuropathogenic genotype A2254.


CONCLUSIONS
Most of the abortions in mares in Poland from 1999 to 2012 were associated with non-neuropathogenic strains of EHV-1. However, the presented data indicate that the neuropathogenic genotype of the virus is also present in Polish stud farms. Such a presence suggests that the future emergence of EHM in Poland is probable.
Department of Virology, National Veterinary Research Institute, Al. Partyzantow 57, 24-100, Pulawy, Poland. karol.stasiak@piwet.pulawy.pl.
Karol
K
Stasiak
Department of Virology, National Veterinary Research Institute, Al. Partyzantow 57, 24-100, Pulawy, Poland. jrola@piwet.pulawy.pl.
Jerzy
J
Rola
Department of Virology, National Veterinary Research Institute, Al. Partyzantow 57, 24-100, Pulawy, Poland. gabor.ploszay@piwet.pulawy.pl.
Gabor
G
Ploszay
Department of Virology, National Veterinary Research Institute, Al. Partyzantow 57, 24-100, Pulawy, Poland. wojciech.socha@piwet.pulawy.pl.
Wojciech
W
Socha
Department of Virology, National Veterinary Research Institute, Al. Partyzantow 57, 24-100, Pulawy, Poland. jfzmudzi@piwet.pulawy.pl.
Jan F
JF
Zmudzinski
D000034:Abortion, Veterinary / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D005260:Female; D014644:Genetic Variation; D004861:Herpesvirus 1, Equid / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*; D006736:Horses; D011044:Poland / Q000453:epidemiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary* / Q000821:virology
D004279:DNA, Viral