Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Horse with skin sores around eyes and muzzle - what could it be?
By Herder, V et al.·Published in Veterinary microbiology·2012·Department of Pathology, Germany·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Equid herpesvirus 5-associated dermatitis in a horse--Resembling herpes-associated erythema multiforme.
- Species:
- horse
Plain-English summary
A nine-year-old Holsteiner stallion in southern Germany had a skin infection caused by equid herpesvirus 5 (EHV-5). For a year, he showed non-itchy, raised skin lesions around his eyes, nostrils, and muzzle. Tests on the skin revealed changes typical of a viral infection, including specific cells that indicate the presence of the virus. This case is the first documented instance of a skin condition linked to EHV-5 in horses, suggesting that this virus can cause similar skin issues in horses as it does in humans. The treatment's effectiveness wasn't mentioned, but the findings highlight the importance of recognizing EHV-5 as a potential cause of skin problems in horses.
Abstract
An equid herpesvirus 5 (EHV-5) infection was detected in lesioned skin from a nine-year-old Holsteiner stallion in the south of Germany. Macroscopically, the animal displayed a non-pruritic, multifocal, pustular dermatitis around both eyes, nostrils and the muzzle, which had been ongoing for one year. Histopathologically, skin lesions were characterized by orthokeratotic to parakeratotic hyperkeratosis, pustular dermatitis, epidermal hyperplasia, apoptotic keratinocytes, a lympho-plasmahistiocytic interface dermatitis with hydropic degeneration of keratinocytes, and perivascular to diffuse, lympho-histiocytic infiltrations. The stratum granulosum and the upper part of the stratum spinosum contained multiple amphophilic, intranuclear inclusion bodies. By in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry herpesvirus DNA and protein, respectively, were detected within keratinocytes containing inclusion bodies. Sequencing of the PCR-product revealed the presence of EHV-5 DNA. This is the first description of a dermatitis associated with EHV-5 in a horse, indicating that EHV-5 should be considered as an etiology of lymphohistiocytic interface dermatitis with intranuclear inclusion bodies in horses and is similar to herpes-associated erythema multiforme in humans.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21996546/