%0 Journal Article
%T Viremia and nasal shedding for the diagnosis of equine herpesvirus-1 infection in domesticated horses.
%A Pusterla N
%A Dorman DC
%A Burgess BA
%A Goehring L
%A Gross M
%A Osterrieder K
%A Soboll Hussey G
%A Lunn DP
%J J Vet Intern Med
%V 38
%N 3
%D 2024 May-Jun 9
%M 38069548
%F 3.175
%R 10.1111/jvim.16958
%X BACKGROUND: Equine herpesvirus type 1 (EHV-1) infection is associated with upper respiratory disease, EHM, abortions, and neonatal death.
OBJECTIVE: Are nasal secretions a more sensitive biological sample compared to blood for the detection of EHV-1 infection? How long is EHV-1 detectable after primary infection by PCR?
METHODS: MedLine and Web of Science searches identified original peer-reviewed reports evaluating nasal shedding and viremia using virus isolation methods or PCR published in English before October 9, 2023.
RESULTS: Sixty experimental and 20 observational studies met inclusion criteria. EHV-1 detection frequency by qPCR in nasal secretions and blood from naturally-infected horses with fever and respiratory signs were 15% and 9%, respectively; qPCR detection rates in nasal secretions and blood from horses with suspected EHM were 94% and 70%, respectively. In experimental studies the sensitivity of qPCR matched or exceeded that seen for virus isolation from either nasal secretions or blood. Detection of nasal shedding typically occurred within 2 days after EHV-1 inoculation with a detection period of 3 to 7 days. Viremia lasted 2 to 7 days and was usually detected ≥1 days after positive identification of EHV-1 in nasal secretions. Nasal shedding and viremia decreased over time and remained detectable in some horses for several weeks after inoculation.
CONCLUSIONS: Under experimental conditions, blood and nasal secretions have similar sensitivity for the detection of EHV-1 when horses are sampled on multiple consecutive days. In contrast, in observational studies detection of EHV-1 in nasal secretions was consistently more successful.