title: Comprehensive Serology Based on a Peptide ELISA to Assess the Prevalence of Closely Related Equine Herpesviruses in Zoo and Wild Animals.
abstract: Equine herpesvirus type 1 (EHV-1) causes respiratory disorders and abortion in equids while EHV-1 regularly causes equine herpesvirus myeloencephalopathy (EHM), a stroke-like syndrome following endothelial cell infection in horses. Both EHV-1 and EHV-9 infections of non-definitive hosts often result in neuronal infection and high case fatality rates. Hence, EHV-1 and EHV-9 are somewhat unusual herpesviruses and lack strict host specificity, and the true extent of their host ranges have remained unclear. In order to determine the seroprevalence of EHV-1 and EHV-9, a sensitive and specific peptide-based ELISA was developed and applied to 428 sera from captive and wild animals representing 30 species in 12 families and five orders. Members of the Equidae, Rhinocerotidae and Bovidae were serologically positive for EHV-1 and EHV-9. The prevalence of EHV-1 in the sampled wild zebra populations was significantly higher than in zoos suggesting captivity may reduce exposure to EHV-1. Furthermore, the seroprevalence for EHV-1 was significantly higher than for EHV-9 in zebras. In contrast, EHV-9 antibody prevalence was high in captive and wild African rhinoceros species suggesting that they may serve as a reservoir or natural host for EHV-9. Thus, EHV-1 and EHV-9 have a broad host range favoring African herbivores and may have acquired novel natural hosts in ecosystems where wild equids are common and are in close contact with other perissodactyls.
authors.affiliation: Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Azza
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Abdelgawad
authors.affiliation: Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hermes
authors.affiliation: Institut für Virologie, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Armando
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Damiani
authors.affiliation: Réserve Africaine de Sigean, 19 chemin du hameau du lac, Sigean, France.
authors.forename: Benjamin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lamglait
authors.affiliation: Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Gábor Á
authors.initials: GÁ
authors.lastname: Czirják
authors.affiliation: Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Marion
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: East
authors.affiliation: Bwabwata Ecological Institute, Susuwe, Zambezi Region, Namibia.
authors.forename: Ortwin
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Aschenborn
authors.affiliation: Zoo Basel, Binningerstrasse 40, Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wenker
authors.affiliation: Virology Department, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kafrelsheikh University, Kafrelsheikh, Egypt.
authors.forename: Samy
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kasem
authors.affiliation: Institut für Virologie, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Nikolaus
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Osterrieder
authors.affiliation: Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Alex D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Greenwood
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000835:Animals, Wild / Q000821:virology*; D000836:Animals, Zoo / Q000821:virology*; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000276:immunology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000379:methods; D018397:Equidae / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000662:veterinary* / Q000821:virology; D004861:Herpesvirus 1, Equid / Q000276:immunology*; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D006736:Horses / Q000821:virology; D010455:Peptides / Q000276:immunology; D015995:Prevalence
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D010455:Peptides