Camelidae and Cervidae Nervous System: – NAVLE Study Guide

Overview and Clinical Importance

Equine herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1) is a highly contagious alphaherpesvirus that primarily affects equids but has demonstrated the capacity to cross species barriers and cause severe neurological disease in New World camelids (llamas and alpacas). While cervids (deer, elk, moose) are not natural hosts for EHV-1, understanding the comparative susceptibility and differential diagnoses for neurological diseases in these species is essential for the NAVLE. This study guide covers the pathogenesis, clinical manifestations, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of EHV-1-associated meningoencephalitis, optic neuritis, and chorioretinitis in camelids, with relevant comparisons to cervid neurological diseases.

Etiology and Virology

Virus Characteristics

Equine herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1) belongs to the family Herpesviridae, subfamily Alphaherpesvirinae. It is a double-stranded DNA virus with an enveloped virion structure. The virus is relatively stable in the environment but susceptible to common disinfectants, detergents, and desiccation.

Key Viral Features

Host Range and Species Susceptibility

While EHV-1 primarily affects equids (horses, donkeys, mules, zebras), it has demonstrated the ability to infect non-equine species. The 1988 outbreak in New York documented the first major epizootic of EHV-1 in New World camelids, where blindness and encephalitis occurred in alpacas and llamas that had been housed near horses.