Equine Viral Arteritis – A Review

Abstract

Equine viral arteritis (EVA) is an infectious disease characterized by pan-vasculitis inducing edema, haemorrhage, and abortion in pregnant mares. The disease is caused by equine arteritis virus (EAV) which belongs to the genus Arterivirus and family Arteriviridae. Only one serotype of EAV has been identified so far but antigenic variation among the virus isolates has been reported which vary in pathogenicity. The severity of clinical disease is high in horses infected with the Bucyrus strain followed by Kentucky strain and Penn strain. These variants also have different abortogenic potential. The transmission commonly occurs through aerosol and venereal route. Venereal transmission plays a significant role in the widespread dissemination of the virus by carrier stallions as the EAV has been found constantly in the semen but the mares did not establish the carrier state. Control of disease can be achieved by vaccination against EVA in horses by a cell culture based attenuated vaccine using the Bucyrus strain and proper and early diagnosis of carrier stallions.