virus | Horse Racing Free Tips

Foals With Interstitial Pneumonia May Have New Parvovirus

Foals in California have occasionally become seriously ill due to a form of pneumonia with an unknown cause, often in the spring and summer. Research from Dr. Eda Altan and colleagues at the University of California has found that a new parvovirus may be to blame.

The scientists looked at six foals who had succumbed to interstitial pneumonia, which affects the tissue surrounding the air sacs in lungs. Also called foal acute respiratory distress syndrome or severe bronchointerstitial pneumonia of foals, the condition often affects just one foal at a location.

Though the disease can look like other respiratory viral infections, no association to any other virus has been found.

The research team sequenced spleen, lung, and colon content samples from each of the foals after their deaths. They found equine copiparvovirus (genus of viruses in subfamily Parvovirinae of the virus family Parvoviridae) as well three previously uncharacterized viruses in the samples.

The study team went on to classify the unknown viruses as members of new ungulate protoparvovirus and bocaparvovirus species in the Parvoviridae family.

These discoveries don't prove that these viruses play a role in interstitial pneumonia, the scientists said. Additional studies are required to prove a disease-causing link.

Read the study here.

New Pathogen Discovery Diagnostic Laboratory Under Construction At UKVDL

The University of Kentucky Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory is excited to announce the opening of a New Pathogens Discovery Diagnostic Laboratory this fall. The laboratory will serve as an extension to the existing UKVDL Molecular Biology, Virology and Bacteriology laboratories to help identify potential pathogens, both endemic and emerging, that may can cause morbidity and mortality in animals.

Pathogen detection will be done using cutting-edge Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) technology, metagenomics and bioinformatics methods. The Gluck Equine Research Center has plans for a similar laboratory, primarily for infectious disease discovery research.

[Story Continues Below]

Traditionally, the identification of infectious disease agents in specimens/animals submitted to the UKVDL has been done through microscopic observation (morphology and Gram stain), bacterial media culture, viral cell culture, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and other traditional diagnostic methods.

Reliable cultivation of bacteria was first done by Louis Pasteur and Robert Koch in the late 19th century, and both were named the Fathers of Microbiology for their contributions.

The first virus (vaccinia) was grown in cell culture in 1913. The PCR method was discovered in 1985 by Kary Mullis, an industrial chemist. Unfortunately, conventional bacterial and viral cultures can take days, weeks and even months to lead to pathogen identification and sometimes grow nothing at all. Unlike culture, PCR can only identify specific agents that might be suspected.

In 2015, the UKVDL acquired a MALDI-TOF instrument (Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization-Time of Flight) for identification of culturable bacteria and fungi by using mass spectrometry and laser technology. The instrument can identify most agents within minutes, improving the turn-around time by about 24 hours. However, the organism must first be cultured, which still requires about 24 hours or more depending on the microorganism.

The implementation of NGS and leading-edge bioinformatics systems in the new UKVDL laboratory will assist UKVDL pathologists and microbiologists and Gluck scientists in the discovery of new pathogens and identify known pathogens more precisely than traditional methods. It will also enable innovative disease surveillance methods for endemic and emerging animal diseases.

Metagenomics is a method to study organisms that are difficult or impossible to culture, some of which may be potential pathogens. We are happy to announce that Litty Paul, PhD, an experienced investigational biologist, has been recruited to the UKVDL to design and launch the new NGS laboratory.

Tissue samples from sick or deceased animals are sent to a diagnostic laboratory by a veterinarian or an owner curious about the cause (etiology) of an illness or death loss. Once this new method is validated, the laboratory will extract and sequence the genetic material from the samples and store them in databases. The databases will then be analyzed by state-of-the-art bioinformatics software that can identify and classify the community of microorganisms present in the samples, which can aid in disease diagnosis. Even more powerful is the ability to compare analyses from sick and healthy animals to help identify and characterize new and emerging pathogens.

Several of the 60-member veterinary diagnostics laboratories (VDLs) of the National Animal Health Laboratory Network (NAHLN) are already utilizing this technology.

This past spring, many Bluegrass horse farms were experiencing outbreaks of severe diarrhea in very young foals, and traditional diagnostic tests were not useful in providing the answers. Samples were gathered systematically from many local Thoroughbred farms by Emma Adam, DVM, PhD, DACVIM, DACVS, assistant professor, research and industry liaison at the Gluck Equine Research Center, and brought to the UKVDL for testing in the microbiology laboratory of Erdal Erol, DVM, MSc, PhD, head of diagnostic microbiology and professor at the UKVDL.

He then forwarded select samples to the Texas A&M VDL and the University of Missouri for electron microscopy (EM) for testing. Both labs identified rotavirus on EM. Oddly, all PCR tests for rotavirus group A run at UKVDL had been negative. Feng Li, DVM, PhD, professor and William Robert Mills Chair in Equine Infectious Disease at the Gluck Center, sent fecal specimens to the South Dakota State University VDL for NGS and metagenomics analysis. This collaborative effort identified a novel group B rotavirus in the foal specimens. Until this time, only group A rotavirus was targeted by the UKVDL PCR test.

This is a prime example of the outstanding collaborative diagnostic effort among the UKVDL, Gluck Center and other institutions, and demonstrates how these new methods can rapidly identify a new, emerging pathogen.

This data enabled Erol and Li to swiftly develop and validate a new PCR that can now identify the new group B rotavirus in about four hours. This test is now offered by UKVDL. The good news is the UKVDL is now prepared to detect the new virus in upcoming foaling seasons.

Once NGS technology is in place at the UKVDL and the Gluck Center, new and emerging pathogens in horses and other animals will be detected faster and easier than ever before.

Erdal Erol, DVM, MSc, PhD, head of diagnostic microbiology and professor, and Litty Paul, PhD, both from the UK Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, provided this information.

Deadly Virus Found In New York Mosquitoes

Aerial spraying of Oswego County, New York, has begun after Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) was found in the county's mosquito populations.

EEE is a rare virus spread through the bite of infected mosquitoes, not just for horses, but for humans as well. The virus can cause brain swelling and is often fatal. The New York Department of Health reported EEE as an “imminent threat to public health.”

[Story Continues Below]

Between two and five people die from EEE in the United States each year, report the U.S. Centers for Disease Control. In 2019, 19 people died from EEE.

Aerial pesticide spraying is a temporary measure to combat EEE and residents should remain diligent in their efforts to reduce exposure to mosquitoes.

Science Sleuths: Infectious Or Contagious?

Infectious. Contagious. You have probably heard these words several times in your life, maybe even used them. While similar and related, they are often used interchangeably or incorrectly and there is a difference. The distinction between the two is this: All contagious diseases are infectious, but not all infectious diseases are contagious.

The literal definition of infectious is “the process or state of being infected with a disease.” And to infect means “to affect or contaminate someone or something with pathogenic microbial agents.” Pathogenic meaning disease producing, and microbial referring to viruses, bacteria or other microorganisms. To simplify infectious, it basically means germs get into the body and spread, causing sickness. Contagious diseases are infectious diseases that can be transmitted through direct bodily (close) contact with an infected individual or their bodily discharges, or an object or surface they have contaminated (i.e. COVID-19). Other infectious diseases, however, are transmitted indirectly such as by mosquitoes (malaria) or ticks (Lyme disease).

The Big Picture

Contagious diseases are spread by contact, while infectious diseases are spread by infectious agents. So when something is contagious, it is also infectious because some contact exposed you or your animal to the infectious agent. Something infectious however is not always contagious. Confused yet? You can be infected with food poisoning (you ate the potato salad that sat out in the sun), but food poisoning isn't contagious (you aren't going to pass your food poisoning to someone else or your animals with just a simple contact). Suppose you are near someone sneezing quite a bit and they have an obviously stuffy nose. Well, if you have contact with that person and then you develop the sniffles and sneezes, it was contagious. It was also infectious because the way sniffles and sneezes are contagious is usually through an agent such as a virus or bacteria. If that person's symptoms were caused by allergies though, they aren't contagious because you can't catch allergies.

Since disease is spread by pathogens such as viruses, bacteria, fungi, parasites and other microorganisms, biosecurity at your farm is key to prevention. Having a solid plan in place to keep pathogens away from your farm or property, animals and personnel is key. The major components for your program are (adapted from USDA-APHIS):

General Signs of Animal Diseases of Concern

Sudden, unexplained deaths in the herd or flock
Severe illness affecting a high percentage of animals
Blistering around an animal's mouth, nose, teats or hooves
Unusual ticks, maggots or other insects
Staggering, falling or central nervous system disorders
Abortions or still births

Control Access to Your Property

Have only one combined entrance and exit to your farm if possible.
Keep property gates locked at all times.
Make sure all visitors check with you prior to entering your property or visiting your animals.
If you have a large number of visitors, keep track of who visits your farm. Make sure all visitors sign in at arrival and sign out at departure.
Only allow essential vehicles and visitors to enter the farm and keep these vehicles in a separate area away from animals.

Biosecurity Precautions

When a new animal moves onto a farm, be sure that the health status and the source of the animal is known.
New animals or animals returning to a farm should be separated from the rest of the herd for approximately two weeks. This can be difficult in some cases. If you are unable to completely isolate the animals, keep them in a pen or stall farthest from the rest of the stock, keep feed and water buckets or bowls separate, avoid nose-to-nose contact with other stock. For horses or stock that need to be exercised or worked, remove other animals from the pen, arena or paddock and set up a time for the new stock to have access to the area.
Keep vehicles, such as milk, feed and livestock trucks, from driving through areas where animals are housed or feed is kept.
Wash hands thoroughly before/after handling livestock.
Ask visitors to provide information about recent farm and animal contacts; deny entry if they have been to an area or farm of concern.
Clothing worn on farms in other locations/countries should be washed.
All footwear should be disinfected before entering and after leaving an animal housing area.
Discourage visitors from walking through feed mangers and having physical contact with animals.
Report morbidity and mortality events to your local veterinarian or to the state veterinarian's office.

Provide Disposable Protective Clothing

Make sure visitors entering your farm have clean clothes or you can keep a supply of disposable clean coveralls and boot/shoe covers for visitors.
If you haul your own animals, wash your truck, clean and disinfect boots and change coveralls before returning to your farm.
In general, don't borrow or share equipment. In cases where there are no other options, clean and disinfect the equipment prior to use and make sure to repeat these steps prior to returning the items.
If it is necessary to be around the animals of another farm, consider wearing protective clothing such as coveralls, and boots that can be cleaned and disinfected before you enter the property and removed when you leave.

Provide Disinfectant for Incoming Visitors

Provide visitors with a tub of disinfectant and a brush for scrubbing shoes for use before they enter your property, or provide shoe covers.
Vehicles entering and leaving your property should be kept away from animal areas or have their tires washed with disinfectant.

Additional Steps

Control your companion animals and poultry.
Control pests such as rodents and wild life.
Keep garbage and other waste from supplies and animal housing.
Evaluate feed purchased or brought onto the property and fed to animals.
Practice security and cleanliness in feed storage.

The take home message.

With infectious diseases, it's all about spreading germs. They can be spread in many ways, such as through direct contact with an infected person or animal or by direct contact with a contaminated object, consumption of contaminated food (salmonella) or water (cholera) or exposure to disease carrying insects (West Nile, numerous others).

With contagious disease, it's all about contact. The bottom line: have a good biosecurity plan in place on your farm/veterinary practice. Good hygiene, solid insect and parasite controls as well as limiting contact with suspect or new animals/people can help cut down disease problems. If any issues are noted or arise, don't wait; call your veterinarian, state veterinarian or extension agent. USDA can be reached toll-free at 833-663-8732.