EHV-1: A Constant Threat to the Horse Industry

Fatai S Oladunni; David W Horohov; Thomas M Chambers

doi:10.3389/fmicb.2019.02668

EHV-1: A Constant Threat to the Horse Industry

Front Microbiol. 2019 Dec 3:10:2668. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.02668. eCollection 2019.

Authors

Fatai S Oladunni^{1

2}, David W Horohov¹, Thomas M Chambers¹

Affiliations

¹ Maxwell H. Gluck Equine Research Center, Department of Veterinary Science, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, United States.
² Department of Veterinary Microbiology, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria.

Abstract

Equine herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1) is one of the most important and prevalent viral pathogens of horses and a major threat to the equine industry throughout most of the world. EHV-1 primarily causes respiratory disease but viral spread to distant organs enables the development of more severe sequelae; abortion and neurologic disease. The virus can also undergo latency during which viral genes are minimally expressed, and reactivate to produce lytic infection at any time. Recently, there has been a trend of increasing numbers of outbreaks of a devastating form of EHV-1, equine herpesviral myeloencephalopathy. This review presents detailed information on EHV-1, from the discovery of the virus to latest developments on treatment and control of the diseases it causes. We also provide updates on recent EHV-1 research with particular emphasis on viral biology which enables pathogenesis in the natural host. The information presented herein will be useful in understanding EHV-1 and formulating policies that would help limit the spread of EHV-1 within horse populations.

Keywords: EHV-1; abortion; horse; latency; myeloencephalopathy.

Publication types

Review