No abstract

We report details of the first seven equine cases of confirmed West Nile neuroinvasive disease in Austria. The cases presented during summer and autumn of 2016 (n = 2), 2017 (n = 3) and 2018 (n = 2). All horses showed gait abnormalities and 6 of 7 horses exhibited fasciculations and/or tremors, and we provide video recordings of these. Three horses also showed cranial nerve involvement. Following rapid improvement, three horses were discharged. Four horses were euthanized due to the severity of clinical signs and subjected to neuropathological examination. West Nile virus (WNV) lineage 2 nucleic acid was detected in 5 of 7 horses, and WNV-specific neutralizing antibodies in all 7 horses. In addition, serologic evidence of WNV infection was found in two out of fourteen in-contact horses. Horses may be considered a sentinel species for human WNV infections, integrating human and veterinary medicine and thus contributing to the one health concept.

SummaryEquine multinodular pulmonary fibrosis (EMPF) is a progressive fibrosing interstitial lung disease, which has been associated with g-herpesviruses. This report describes a 22-year-old Warmblood stallion diagnosed with EMPF on the basis of clinical examination, laboratory results, lung radiographs and ultrasound, lung biopsy and inclusion bodies found in macrophages of broncho-alveolar lavage fluid (BALF) as well as an identification of EHV-5 DNA by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The horse recovered after one week of treatment with valacyclovir (40 mg/kg bwt per os q. 8 h) and is clinically healthy 2 years later. To our knowledge this is the first report describing treatment of EMPF with valacyclovir.

Equine multinodular pulmonary fibrosis (EMPF) and primary leukaemia are uncommon diseases in horses. This case report describes a horse with both diseases which might be linked via the equine g-herpesvirus EHV-5. In man Epstein Barr Virus (EBV), also a g-herpesvirus, is associated with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis as is EHV-5 with EMPF. Furthermore, EBV is also associated with lymphoproliferative disease. Similarly in horses, primary leukaemia might be associated with EHV-5. This is the first report associating EHV-5 with primary leukaemia in horses.

No abstract