Comprehensive Serology Based on a Peptide ELISA to Assess the Prevalence of Closely Related Equine Herpesviruses in Zoo and Wild Animals

ABDELGAWAD A, HERMES R., DAMIANI A., LAMGLAIT B., CZIRJÁK G.Á., EAST M., ASCHENBORN O., WENKER C., KASEM S., OSTERRIEDER N., GREENWOOD A. D.

PLOS ONE

PUBLIC LIBRARY SCIENCE

Lugar: San Francisco; Año: 2015 vol. 10

1932-6203

Equine herpesvirus type 1 (EHV-1) causes respiratory disorders and abortion in equidswhile EHV-1 regularly causes equine herpesvirus myeloencephalopathy (EHM), a strokelikesyndrome following endothelial cell infection in horses. Both EHV-1 and EHV-9 infectionsof 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 determinethe seroprevalence of EHV-1 and EHV-9, a sensitive and specific peptide-based ELISAwas developed and applied to 428 sera from captive and wild animals representing 30 speciesin 12 families and five orders. Members of the Equidae, Rhinocerotidae and Bovidaewere serologically positive for EHV-1 and EHV-9. The prevalence of EHV-1 in the sampledwild zebra populations was significantly higher than in zoos suggesting captivity may reduceexposure to EHV-1. Furthermore, the seroprevalence for EHV-1 was significantly higherthan for EHV-9 in zebras. In contrast, EHV-9 antibody prevalence was high in captive andwild African rhinoceros species suggesting that they may serve as a reservoir or naturalhost for EHV-9. Thus, EHV-1 and EHV-9 have a broad host range favoring African herbivoresand may have acquired novel natural hosts in ecosystems where wild equids arecommon and are in close contact with other