Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Equine herpesvirus type 1 (EHV-1) myeloencephalopathy: a case report.
- Journal:
- Journal of veterinary medicine. B, Infectious diseases and veterinary public health
- Year:
- 2002
- Authors:
- Stierstorfer, B et al.
- Affiliation:
- Institute of Veterinary Pathology · Germany
- Species:
- horse
Plain-English summary
At a riding school, several horses developed serious neurological problems, including difficulty walking and weakness, with five of them becoming so ill that they had to be put to sleep. After they passed away, tests showed bleeding in the spinal cord, particularly in the middle and lower back areas. Further examination revealed damage to the nerve cells and changes in the protective covering of the nerves. The tests confirmed that the horses were infected with equine herpesvirus type 1, and this virus was found in the spinal cord of a 26-year-old mare. Unfortunately, the outcome for the affected horses was very poor, as many had to be euthanized due to the severity of their condition.
Abstract
An outbreak of neurological disease occurred in a well-managed riding school. Ataxia and paresis were observed in several horses, five of which became recumbent and were euthanized. Post-mortem analysis revealed scattered haemorrhages along the spinal cord, that were reflected by multiple haemorrhagic foci on formalin-fixed sections, with the thoracic and lumbar segments being the most affected. Pathohistologically, perivascular mononuclear cuffing and axonal swelling, especially in the white matter, were evident. Parallel to the course of disease, alterations in myelin sheets and activation of astrocytes and microglial cells were also observed. Virological findings confirmed an acute equine herpesvirus type 1 infection and virus was isolated from the spinal cord of a 26-year-old mare.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11911591/