Identification of equine herpesvirus 8 in donkey abortion: a case report

Tongtong Wang,Guiqin Liu,Leyu Hu,Huiying Ren,Liangliang Li,Wenqiang Liu,Yonghui Wang,Wei Zhang,Changfa Wang,Mingxia Zhu

doi:10.1186/s12985-021-01738-2

Abstract

BackgroundEquine herpesvirus-8 (EHV-8) is one of the most economically significant viruses that infect mammals of the genus Equus worldwide, which cause severe respiratory diseases and abortion in horses. However, there is no report of abortion caused by EHV-8 in donkeys.Case presentationThe present case report is about a 4-year-old donkey having an abortion and showing a serious respiratory issue on the 296th day of pregnancy. Bacteriological and molecular tests were used to screen possible bacterial/viral pathogens to detect the etiological agent. Salmonella abortus equi, EHV-1, EHV-4, and EAV were all negative in the current study. EHV-8, on the other hand, was the only agent that was isolated and identified.ConclusionsThis was for the first time that EHV-8 had been isolated from a donkey in China. EHV-8 infection can cause abortion in donkeys; therefore, veterinarians and breeders should be aware of it.

Highlights

Equine herpesvirus-8 (EHV-8) is one of the most economically significant viruses that infect mammals of the genus Equus worldwide, which cause severe respiratory diseases and abortion in horses
This was for the first time that equine herpesviruses (EHVs)-8 had been isolated from a donkey in China
It has been proposed that EHV-8 is a potential pathogen linked to donkey abortion

Summary

Introduction

Equine herpesvirus-8 (EHV-8) is one of the most economically significant viruses that infect mammals of the genus Equus worldwide, which cause severe respiratory diseases and abortion in horses. Conclusions: This was for the first time that EHV-8 had been isolated from a donkey in China. *Correspondence: wangchangfa@lcu.edu.cn; renren0228@sina.com; lifeiyang2017@163.com †Tongtong Wang and Leyu Hu contributed to this work 1 Research Institute of Donkey High‐Efficiency Breeding and Ecological Feeding, College of Agronomy, Liaocheng University, Liaocheng, China 2 College of Veterinary Medicine, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, China Full list of author information is available at the end of the article and contains 76 open reading frames (ORFs) [8]. EHV-8’s pathogenesis is unknown, and the virus has only been linked to respiratory and neurological illness in donkeys, as well as miscarriage in horses [4, 5].

Results

Conclusion