Updated ACVIM consensus statement on equine herpesvirus-1.
Authors: Lunn David P, Burgess Brandy A, Dorman David C, Goehring Lutz S, Gross Peggy, Osterrieder Klaus, Pusterla Nicola, Soboll Hussey Gisela
Journal: Journal of veterinary internal medicine
Summary
# Editorial Summary: ACVIM Consensus on Equine Herpesvirus-1 Equine herpesvirus-1 remains a significant threat to stud farms and competition yards, with abortion and neurological disease (EHM) representing the most costly manifestations of infection in working and breeding populations. The American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine has released a substantially updated consensus statement in 2024—the first major revision since 2009—drawing on four systematic reviews that critically evaluated the evidence base for vaccination efficacy, pharmaceutical interventions, disease pathogenesis, and diagnostic protocols. A concerning finding across these reviews was the paucity of high-quality evidence supporting current vaccination strategies or therapeutic approaches, with the authors emphasising that future research requires significantly improved experimental methodology and transparent reporting standards. The revised statement addresses vaccination programmes, outbreak management, diagnostic testing protocols, and treatment options with particular emphasis on the neurological form of disease, providing practitioners with evidence-weighted guidance for clinical decision-making. For farriers, vets and yard managers, this consensus underscores the limitations of existing preventative tools and highlights the critical importance of rigorous biosecurity measures during outbreaks, whilst signalling that both pharmaceutical and immunological approaches warrant further investigation before their efficacy can be definitively established.
Read the full abstract on PubMed
Practical Takeaways
- •Current vaccination protocols have limited efficacy evidence—discuss realistic expectations with clients regarding abortion and neurological disease prevention
- •Outbreak management and treatment decisions should be based on the limited evidence available; antimicrobial and antiviral therapies lack strong supporting data
- •Maintain strict biosecurity protocols during EHV-1 outbreaks as pharmacological interventions have unproven effectiveness
Key Findings
- •EHV-1 is highly prevalent and frequently pathogenic in equids with serious consequences including abortion and neurological disease (EHM)
- •Evidence for successful vaccination against EHV-1 infection is limited despite its prevalence as a clinical problem
- •Evidence for effective pharmaceutical treatment of EHV-1 infection is limited, indicating need for improved study design
- •Systematic reviews identified significant gaps in experimental design and reporting standards in existing EHV-1 literature