[Virologico-serologic studies in horses with respiratory tract diseases]

Of 1081 acute and chronically respiratory diseased as well as clinically normal horses 824 sera and 257 paired serum samples collected 1986 and 1987 were tested for antibodies against several different respiratory viruses such as influenza virus A/equi 1 and 2 (Influenza 1 a. 2), equine herpesvirus type 1/4 (EHV 1/4), mammalian reovirus type 1-3 (Reovirus 1-3), equine rhinovirus type 1 (ERV 1), equine adenovirus type 1 (EAdV 1), and equine arteritis virus (EAV). The investigations resulted in an antibody prevalence of 57.2% (Influenza 1), 59.5% (Influenza 2), 81.5% (EHV 1/4), 50.3% (Reovirus 1), 43.0% (Reovirus 2), 75.9% (Reovirus 3), 97.6% (EAdV 1), 82.5% (ERV 1) and 8.7% (EAV). With exception of EAV and EAdV 1 the ratios usually were higher in diseased animals than in clinically normal horses. Antibodies to EAV and EAdV 1 were present in all groups to almost the same amount. Of 257 horses with acute respiratory illness 3 showed a significant rise of the antibody titer against Influenza 1, 30 against Influenza 2, 54 against EHV 1/4, 1 against Reovirus 1 and 3, respectively, 11 against EAdV 1 and 26 against ERV 1.