First report of Equine Parvovirus-Hepatitis (EqPV-H) in Argentina.
Authors: Olguin-Perglione C, Politzki R, Alvarez I, Ruiz V
Journal: Veterinary journal (London, England : 1997)
Summary
# Editorial Summary: First Detection of Equine Parvovirus-Hepatitis in Argentina Equine Parvovirus-Hepatitis (EqPV-H) has recently emerged as the probable causative agent of Theiler's disease, a fatal hepatic condition in horses, yet its geographical distribution remains poorly understood—until now, the virus had only been confirmed in Brazil within South America. Researchers employed quantitative PCR and nested-PCR techniques to screen 51 commercial serum pools, 5 commercial serum batches, and 175 individual donor horse sera sourced from Argentina, with positive or indeterminate samples undergoing phylogenetic analysis. Whilst direct qPCR detection yielded no positive serum pools, the more sensitive nested-PCR approach identified EqPV-H DNA in 15.7% of pools; notably, 60% of commercial serum batches tested positive, and 1.71% of individual donor samples were confirmed infected. The detected Argentine isolates clustered phylogenetically with EqPV-H strains previously documented in Germany and China, suggesting global distribution of this emerging pathogen. These findings have significant implications for biosecurity protocols around equine-derived blood products, particularly for practitioners administering commercial sera therapeutically, and underscore the necessity for rigorous screening of biological materials to prevent iatrogenic transmission of this potentially fatal viral infection.
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Practical Takeaways
- •Veterinarians using commercial equine serum products in Argentina should be aware of potential EqPV-H contamination; implement biosecurity measures and consider serum testing before use
- •Clinicians treating horses with unexplained hepatitis or suspected Theiler's disease should consider EqPV-H as a differential diagnosis, particularly when serum products have been administered
- •Blood-derived biological products of equine origin require enhanced quality control and screening protocols to prevent transmission of EqPV-H and protect both individual horses and herds
Key Findings
- •EqPV-H DNA was detected in 15.7% of horse serum pools (8/51) via nested-PCR, representing the first identification of this virus in Argentina
- •60% of commercial horse serum batches (3/5) contained EqPV-H DNA, detected by qPCR and/or nested-PCR
- •Individual horse serum samples showed 1.71% prevalence (3/175) of EqPV-H by both molecular techniques
- •Genetic analysis of 12 partial NS1 sequences showed local Argentine isolates were similar to EqPV-H sequences from Germany and China