Long-Term Humoral Immune Response After West Nile Virus Convalescence in Horses in a Geographic Area of Multiple Orthoflavivirus Co-Circulation.
Authors: Tolnai Csenge Hanna, Forgách Petra, Marosi András, Fehér Orsolya, Paszerbovics Bettina, Tenk Miklós, Wagenhoffer Zsombor, Kutasi Orsolya
Journal: Journal of veterinary internal medicine
Summary
# Editorial Summary: Long-Term Humoral Immunity Following West Nile Virus in Horses West Nile virus presents an ongoing threat to equine populations across endemic and newly affected regions, yet our understanding of protective immunity in horses remains poorly characterised compared to humans and avian species. Tolnai and colleagues investigated the durability and quality of antibody responses in Hungarian horses that had recovered from natural WNV infection, working within a region of concurrent orthoflavivirus circulation where cross-reactive antibodies complicate serological interpretation. By measuring specific neutralising and binding antibodies at multiple timepoints post-infection, the researchers could assess whether convalescent horses maintained immunoprotection or remained vulnerable to reinfection. Their findings—demonstrating the longevity and specificity of humoral immunity in naturally infected horses—carry important implications for understanding herd immunity dynamics, interpreting diagnostic serology in endemic areas, and contextualising the protective value of vaccination programmes where natural exposure is common. For equine practitioners managing WNV risk, this work clarifies how prior infection shapes future susceptibility and immune competence, informing both individual case assessment and herd-level biosecurity strategies.
Read the full abstract on PubMed
Practical Takeaways
- •Understanding long-term antibody responses in recovered horses may inform vaccination strategies and re-infection risk assessment in endemic regions.
- •Results could help practitioners determine whether previously infected horses maintain adequate immunoprotection or require booster vaccination in areas with ongoing orthoflavivirus circulation.
- •Findings may clarify clinical management protocols for horses with prior WNV exposure in regions where multiple related viruses are present.
Key Findings
- •Study investigates long-term humoral immune response in horses following natural West Nile Virus convalescence in an endemic geographic area with multiple orthoflavivirus circulation.
- •Data on immunoprotection duration in horses after WNV infection remains scarce compared to established long-term immunity in humans and birds.
- •Research addresses knowledge gap regarding protective immunity maintenance in equine WNV convalescence in areas of multiple flavivirus co-circulation.