Detection of equine infectious anemia virus in horse leukocyte cultures derived from horses in various stages of equine infectious anemia viral infection

The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) antigen-positive and agar-gel immunodiffusion test (AGID)-negative horses do not have infective equine infectious anemia (EIA) virus. The ELISA testing of horse leukocyte culture (HLC) supernatants did detect EIA virus in a HLC that was infected with the Wyoming strain of EIA virus and in HLC derived from horses in febrile, acute, or subacute stages of EIA infection. In supernatants of HLC derived from chronic and inapparent carrier horses, EIA virus was not detected with ELISA. Direct fluorescent antibody tests detected EIA virus in HLC infected with 10(6)TCID50 of the Wyoming strain of EIA virus and in 50% of the HLC from febrile acute or subacute horses. The direct fluorescent antibody testing of HLC derived from chronic and inapparent carrier horses did not detect cell-associated EIA virus. The pony inoculation test proved to be the most reliable and accurate method for detecting infective EIA virus in horses in various stages of EIA infection and accurately correlated with the AGID test.     

带有组氨酸标签的马传染性贫血病毒感染性分子克隆的构建

马传染性贫血(EIA)弱毒疫苗的广泛使用存在野毒和疫苗毒鉴别困难的问题.本研究以已构建的马传染性贫血驴白细胞弱毒疫苗株的感染性分子克隆(pOK8266)为基础,在其S2基因内引入NspV酶切位点,将人工合成的编码6个组氨酸的寡核苷酸插入NspV位点,获得带有组氨酸标签的重组质粒pOK8266-HIS.将pOK8266-HIS转染驴白细胞,将驴白细胞转染产物传至第6代时,在电镜下观察到了典型的马传染性贫血病毒粒子.提取pOK8266-HIS衍生病毒的前病毒基因组DNA,通过PCR扩增和测序表明,衍生病毒基因组中引入了6个组氨酸标签,从而获得了带有分子标志的马传染性贫血弱毒疫苗株,为野毒株和疫苗病毒的鉴别诊断奠定了基础.本研究还证明了S2基因中的插入突变并不影响马传染性贫血病毒的体外复制.     

Detection of equine infectious anemia virus in a horse with an equivocal agar gel immunodiffusion test reaction

A horse whose serum reacted equivocally in the agar gel immunodiffusion (AGID) test for equine infectious anemia was studied over a 3-year period. The horse remained afebrile and virus was detected in only 1 of 6 horse inoculation tests. The intensity of AGID test reactions increased temporarily following this evidence for virus. Although the AGID test reaction was equivocal and 5 of the 6 transmission attempts failed, the 1 successful transmission proved the horse was infected.     

Persistent thrombocytopenia in a case of equine infectious anemia

Persistent thrombocytopenia was detected in a horse with equine infectious anemia (EIA). The thrombocytopenia was considered to be immune-mediated, developing secondary to infection with EIA virus. Epistaxis, petechial hemorrhages, subcutaneous hematomas, and edema resolved after treatment with corticosteroids; however, the owners requested that the mare by euthanatized because of infection with EIA virus. Although clinical signs attributable to immune-mediated thrombocytopenia may resolve with appropriate treatment, horses with immune-mediated thrombocytopenia secondary to EIA have a guarded to grave prognosis, because of the risk of recurrence and transmission of the EIA virus.     

Studies on equine infectious anemia virus transmission by insects

There are several factors involved in the mechanical transmission of equine infectious anemia (EIA) virus by insects. Large hematophagous insects, especially tabanids, which feed from extravascular sites (ie, pool feeding) appear to be the most efficient vectors. The biology of the host-seeking and blood-feeding behavior of the vectors are important variables that have been overlooked in the mechanical transmission of pathogens like EIA virus. The biology, population levels, and diversity of the vectors, in addition to the clinical status and proximity of EIA virus-infected horses maintained with susceptible animals are all important variables that contribute to EIA virus transmission in nature.