Molecular detection of equid herpesvirus in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid from asymptomatic horses in Southern Brazil

Research (Published online: 17-11-2022)

12. Molecular detection of equid herpesvirus in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid from asymptomatic horses in Southern Brazil

Mariane Angélica Finger, Janaina Socolovski Biava, Peterson Triches Dornbusch, João Henrique Perotta, Leila Sabrina Ullmann, Priscila Beatriz da SiIva Serpa, Louise Bach Kmetiuk, Andrea Pires dos Santos, Alexander Welker Biondo, Christian Leutenegger, and Ivan Roque de Barros Filho

Veterinary World, 15(11): 2597-2602

Mariane Angélica Finger: Department of Veterinary Medicine, UFPR - Federal University of Paraná, Rua dos Funcionários, 1540, Curitiba, PR, 80035, Brazil.

Janaina Socolovski Biava: Department of Animal Science, College of Agriculture "Luiz de Queiroz", University of São Paulo, Piracicaba, SP, 13418-900, Brazil.

Peterson Triches Dornbusch: Department of Veterinary Medicine, UFPR - Federal University of Paraná, Rua dos Funcionários, 1540, Curitiba, PR, 80035, Brazil.

João Henrique Perotta: Department of Veterinary Medicine, UFPR - Federal University of Paraná, Rua dos Funcionários, 1540, Curitiba, PR, 80035, Brazil.

Leila Sabrina Ullmann: Biotechnology Institute, Sao Paulo State University (UNESP), Botucatu, 18607-440, SP, Brazil.

Priscila Beatriz da SiIva Serpa: Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology, Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, 24061, USA.

Louise Bach Kmetiuk: Department of Veterinary Medicine, UFPR - Federal University of Paraná, Rua dos Funcionários, 1540, Curitiba, PR, 80035, Brazil.

Andrea Pires dos Santos: Department of Comparative Pathobiology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA.

Alexander Welker Biondo: Department of Veterinary Medicine, UFPR - Federal University of Paraná, Rua dos Funcionários, 1540, Curitiba, PR, 80035, Brazil; Department of Comparative Pathobiology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA.

Christian Leutenegger: Director Molecular Diagnostics, Antech Diagnostics - Molecular Diagnostics, Fountain Valley, CA, 92708, USA.

Ivan Roque de Barros Filho: Department of Veterinary Medicine, UFPR - Federal University of Paraná, Rua dos Funcionários, 1540, Curitiba, PR, 80035, Brazil.

doi: www.doi.org/10.14202/vetworld.2022.2597-2602

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Article history: Received: 27-05-2022, Accepted: 03-10-2022, Published online: 17-11-2022

Corresponding author: Ivan Roque de Barros Filho

E-mail: ivanbarf@ufpr.br

Citation: Finger MA, Biava JS, Dornbusch PT, Perotta JH, Ullmann LS, Serpa PBS, Kmetiuk LB, dos Santos AP, Biondo AW, Leutenegger C, and Filho IRB (2022) Molecular detection of equid herpesvirus in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid from asymptomatic horses in Southern Brazil, Veterinary World, 15(11): 2597–2602.

Abstract

Background and Aim: Molecular approaches to diagnose respiratory viruses have provided an opportunity for early and subclinical pathogen detection, particularly in samples from the upper respiratory tract. This study aimed to investigate the presence of herpesviruses, particularly equid herpesvirus (EHV)-2 and EHV-5, in samples from the lower respiratory tract of healthy racehorses from Southern Brazil.

Materials and Methods: Samples from the lower respiratory tract (i.e., bronchoalveolar lavage fluid [BALF]) were assessed by video endoscopy, cytological evaluation of BALF, and tracheal aspirates (TA), along with quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), to detect equine herpesvirus infection in the lower respiratory tract samples and compare corresponding cytological and endoscopic findings.

Results: At least one abnormality per horse during endoscopy examination was observed, including, but not limited to, mucous secretion in the airways and pharyngeal lymphoid hyperplasia. The presence of EHV-2 and/or EHV-5 was detected by qPCR in 3/10 animals. One horse was positive for EHV-2 alone, one for EHV-5 alone, and one for both.

Conclusion: To the authors' knowledge, this is the first molecular detection of EHV-2 and EHV-5 in Brazilian thoroughbred horses. These findings may provide new insights into the epidemiology of EHV-2 and EHV-5 in Brazilian horses, evidencing the importance of the molecular investigation, early detection, and prevention of respiratory diseases.

Keywords: bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, endoscopy, equine, gammaherpesvirus, polymerase chain reaction, tracheal wash.