A review of equid herpesvirus 1 for the veterinary practitioner. Part A: clinical presentation, diagnosis and treatment

Abstract

Equid herpesvirus (EHV) type 1 is a common pathogen of horses with worldwide distribution. Although severe tracheobronchitis has been described in some field outbreaks of EHV-1 respiratory disease, many EHV-1 infections occur asymptomatically or are accompanied only by signs of mild respiratory disease. However, EHV-1 infection can also result in outcomes other than respiratory disease such as abortion, neonatal death or neurological disease. This review provides an overview of the diagnosis, treatment and prognosis for EHV-1-associated diseases, with an emphasis on neurological presentations of EHV-1 infection.

KEY WORDS:

• Equine herpesvirus 1
• equid herpesvirus
• EHV-1
• equine herpesvirus myeloencephalopathy
• EHM
• neurological disease

Acknowledgements

The author wishes to thank Professor Joe Mayhew for his helpful comments and proof-reading of the manuscript.

Notes

*Non-peer-reviewed