Studies on equine viral arteritis: serological investigations, virus detection in semen and aborted fetuses, and vaccination.

摘要

Between November 1993 and July 1996, sera of stallions (n=164-188) were tested for antibodies against equine arteritis virus (EAV) in North Rhine-Westphalia. The percentage of positive sera increased between 1993 and 1995, peaking at 81.9% in February 1995, then decreased to 64.1% in 1996. In 1998, 27.6% of the corresponding population of mares were seropositive. EAV was not detected in the semen of 155 stallions in October and November 1996. Between January and August 1997, EAV was detected in thesemen of 13 stallions after double sampling; virus was detected in one or in both samples. From 1995 to 1997, 4.4% of the 275 aborted fetuses were positive for EAV by PCR and 1.5% were positive by cell culture. Equine herpesvirus was detected in 19.6% of these samples. 48 seronegative stallions were vaccinated 3 times, with an interval of 3-4 weeks between the first and second vaccinations and an interval of 3 months between the second and third vaccinations. 91.7% of the stallions seroconverted afterthe third vaccination.