Equine Herpesvirus 1, 4, and 5 Study Guide
Overview and Clinical Importance
Equine herpesviruses (EHV) are among the most clinically significant viral pathogens affecting horses worldwide. The family includes nine identified herpesviruses, with EHV-1, EHV-4, and EHV-5 being the most important for NAVLE preparation. These viruses are ubiquitous in horse populations, with estimates suggesting that 60-80% of horses harbor latent infections.
EHV-1 and EHV-4 are alphaherpesviruses that cause respiratory disease (rhinopneumonitis), while EHV-1 additionally causes abortion, neonatal foal death, and the devastating neurologic form known as equine herpesvirus myeloencephalopathy (EHM). EHV-5 is a gammaherpesvirus associated with equine multinodular pulmonary fibrosis (EMPF).
Viral Classification and Characteristics
Taxonomic Classification
EHV-1 Strain Variation: The D752/N752 Polymorphism
A critical concept for NAVLE is understanding the DNA polymerase (ORF30) single nucleotide polymorphism that distinguishes neuropathogenic from non-neuropathogenic strains. At amino acid position 752:
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