Subclinical infection and potential shedding routes of equine parvovirus-hepatitis among hospitalized horses in Austria.
Authors: Lale Dilara, Dirks Esther E, Preining Irina, Lyrakis Manolis, Gömer Andre, Steinmann Eike, Cavalleri Jessika-M V, Ramsauer Anna Sophie
Journal: Journal of veterinary internal medicine
Summary
# Equine Parvovirus-Hepatitis: Subclinical Infection and Transmission Risk in Hospital Settings Equine parvovirus-hepatitis (EqPV-H) remains a concern in equine medicine, capable of causing both overt Theiler's disease and silent hepatic inflammation, yet its epidemiology in hospitalised populations remains poorly characterised. Dilara and colleagues screened 116 horses admitted to a tertiary referral hospital for non-hepatic reasons between February 2021 and March 2022, collecting serum, faecal, nasal and buccal samples to determine seroprevalence and identify potential transmission routes using serological and quantitative PCR methods. Approximately one in ten horses (10.3%) carried anti-EqPV-H antibodies, whilst viraemia was demonstrated in 12.9% of seropositive animals, with serum viral loads reaching 1.3 × 10⁶ genome equivalents per millilitre; critically, viral DNA was also detected in nasal secretions (2 cases) and faeces (1 case) from viremic horses. These findings suggest that subclinically infected horses in hospital environments pose a genuine risk of transmission via respiratory and faecal-oral routes to naive animals, particularly concerning given the potential for iatrogenic spread through blood and plasma donation. Practitioners should consider routine EqPV-H screening protocols for hospitalised donor animals and implement appropriate biosecurity measures to mitigate nosocomial transmission risk.
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Practical Takeaways
- •Request EqPV-H screening for horses being considered as blood or plasma donors to prevent disease transmission to recipient horses
- •Be aware that approximately 1 in 10 hospitalized horses may be seropositive for EqPV-H, and viremic individuals can shed virus through respiratory and fecal routes, requiring appropriate biosecurity measures
- •Implement enhanced infection control protocols in equine hospitals, particularly isolating viremic horses to reduce risk to naive hospitalized patients
Key Findings
- •Seroprevalence of EqPV-H was 10.3% (12/116) in hospitalized horses presenting for non-hepatic causes
- •Viremia occurred in 12.9% (15/116) of serologically positive horses with viral loads up to 1.3 × 10⁶ genome equivalents per milliliter
- •EqPV-H DNA was detected in nasal secretions (2 swabs) and feces (1 sample) of viremic horses, indicating potential transmission routes
- •Screening of blood and plasma donors is recommended to prevent iatrogenic transmission in hospitalized populations