Epidemiology and reproductive outcomes of EHV-1 abortion epizootics in unvaccinated thoroughbred mares in South Africa

dc.contributor.authorSchulman, M.L. (Martin)
dc.contributor.authorBecker, A.
dc.contributor.authorVan der Merwe, B.D.
dc.contributor.authorGuthrie, Alan John
dc.contributor.authorStout, T.A.E. (Tom)
dc.contributor.emailmartin.schulman@up.ac.zaen_ZA
dc.date.accessioned2015-09-30T08:10:46Z
dc.date.issued2015-03
dc.description.abstractREASONS FOR PERFORMING STUDY : EHV-1 is one of the most common causes of infectious abortion in mares. Analyzing the demography of outbreaks and detailing subsequent reproductive performance of affected mares will assist in the management of future (threatened) epizootics. OBJECTIVES : To examine the epidemiology and reproductive outcomes of two EHV-1 abortion epizootics with very different patterns of morbidity. Study design: Epidemiological and reproductive data were analyzed retrospectively following abortion epizootics associated with EHV-1, but initiated via different routes, among unvaccinated mares on two Thoroughbred farms in South Africa. METHODS : Aborting mares were assigned to either the EHV-1 abortion cohort via positive immunostaining (farm 1 and 2) or qPCR (farm 2) on tissue samples, or to the non-EHV abortion cohort. RESULTS : During their respective epizootics, EHV-1 abortions affected 9/30 (30.0%) and 18/316 (5.7%) of the pregnant mares on farms 1 and 2 respectively; there were also 25 (7.9%) non-EHV abortions on farm 2. Epizootic differences included: durations (farm 1 = 135 d; farm 2 = 34 d), intervals between first and subsequent abortions (farm 1 = 39 d; farm 2 = 2 d), and intervals to confirmation of EHV-1 (farm 1 = 40 d; farm 2 = 2 d). The median age of EHV-1 abortion mares (8.0; 5-18 years) in both epizootics was similar, but significantly younger (P= 0.004) than the 25 non- EHV-1 abortion mares (11.0; 4-24 years) on farm 2. Gestation stage (median; range) of EHV-1 (291.5; 277-313) and non-EHV-1 (211.9; 61-339 d) abortions were significantly different (P=0.001). The post-abortion complications and subsequent reproductive outcomes had no significant association with EHV-1 abortion. CONCLUSIONS : The marked difference in morbidity between the two epizootics may be associated with routes of introduction or intervention strategy dictated by availability of molecular diagnostic techniques. Unexpectedly, EHV-1 was not more commonly associated with post-abortion complications.en_ZA
dc.description.embargo2016-03-31
dc.description.librarianhb2015en_ZA
dc.description.urihttp://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1001/(ISSN)2042-3306en_ZA
dc.identifier.citationSchulman, ML, Becker, A, Van der Merwe, BD, Guthrie, AJ & Stout, TAE 2015, 'Epidemiology and reproductive outcomes of EHV-1 abortion epizootics in unvaccinated thoroughbred mares in South Africa', Equine Veterinary Journal, vol. 47, no. 2, pp. 155-159.en_ZA
dc.identifier.issn0425-1644 (print)
dc.identifier.issn2042-3306 (online)
dc.identifier.other10.1111/evj.12264
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/2263/50105
dc.language.isoenen_ZA
dc.publisherWileyen_ZA
dc.rights© 2014 EVJ Ltd. This is the pre-peer reviewed version of the following article : Epidemiology and reproductive outcomes of EHV-1 abortion epizootics in unvaccinated thoroughbred mares in South Africa, Equine Veterinary Journal, vol. 47, no. 2, pp.155-159, 2015. doi : 10.1111/evj.12264. The definite version is available at : http://onlinelibrary.wiley.comjournal/10.1001/(ISSN)2042-3306.en_ZA
dc.subjectHorsesen_ZA
dc.subjectEquine herpesvirusen_ZA
dc.subjectqPCRen_ZA
dc.subjectPlacentitisen_ZA
dc.subjectRetained fetal membranesen_ZA
dc.subjectPremature placental separationen_ZA
dc.subjectSouth Africaen_ZA
dc.titleEpidemiology and reproductive outcomes of EHV-1 abortion epizootics in unvaccinated thoroughbred mares in South Africaen_ZA
dc.typePostprint Articleen_ZA

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