ABSTRACT
Until 1977 no case of abortion caused by equine herpesvirus 1 (EHV1) had been recorded in Australia although the virus, called equine rhinopneumonitis virus, had been known to have been present at least since 1962. Outbreaks of EHV1 abortion occurred in New South Wales in 1977 and in 1981. Sporadic cases of EHV1 abortion had been confirmed in some parts of Australia each year since 1975. It was concluded that an abortigenic subtype of EHV1 had been introduced to Australia in 1977 and that the previously endemic respiratory subtype occasionally caused abortion. Virus isolation in a variety of cell cultures and histopathological examination of tissue were shown to be satisfactory methods of diagnosis of EHV1 abortion. Lung proved to be the specimen of choice. Slight serological differences between "abortigenic" and "respiratory" subtypes of EHV1 were found in cross neutralisation tests. A serological survey of 219 Sydney horses of various ages revealed that most yearlings had already acquired neutralising antibody to both subtypes.
Subject(s)
Abortion, Veterinary/epidemiology , Herpesviridae Infections/veterinary , Horse Diseases/epidemiology , Animals , Australia , Female , Fetal Death/epidemiology , Fetal Death/veterinary , Herpesviridae Infections/epidemiology , Herpesvirus 1, Equid/isolation & purification , Horses , PregnancyABSTRACT
A serological survey was conducted to ascertain, by haemagglutination inhibition testing, the presence of antibodies to canine parvovirus in 428 dogs in New South Wales, Australia. The first positive canine serum was one collected in May 1978 and the numbers of serologically positive dogs have increased markedly over the last 18 months. Twenty cats which had been vaccinated with feline panleucopenia vaccine were tested for antibody to the canine virus. None of them had a positive titre.
Subject(s)
Antibodies, Viral/analysis , Dog Diseases/immunology , Parvoviridae , Virus Diseases/veterinary , Animals , Dogs , Hemagglutination, Viral , Parvoviridae/immunology , Virus Diseases/immunologyABSTRACT
An outbreak of perinatal foal mortality associated with a herpesvirus is described. Twenty two foals either were still-born, or died soon after birth, or were weak and soon developed severe respiratory signs, or were normal at birth and developed respiratory symptoms 18 to 24 hours later. Elevated temperatures, heart and respiratory rates were constant features. The animals were severely leucopaenic, and showed an absolute neutropaenia. At autopsy the lungs were enlarged, and showed varying degrees of aeration and moderate to severe oedema and congestion. Histopathology showed an acute focal necrotising bronchiolitis with the presence of intranuclear eosinophilic inclusion bodies. Herpesvirus was recovered from 9 foals in cell culture and identified by electron microscopy.
