Necrotizing Enteritis and Hyperammonemic Encephalopathy Associated With Equine Coronavirus Infection in Equids
F Giannitti1, S Diab2, A Mete2
1California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA, USA Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN, USA fgiannitti@yahoo.com.
Veterinary Pathology
|February 5, 2015
Summary
Equine coronavirus (ECoV) causes severe enteritis and neurologic disease in horses and donkeys. This study details pathologic and molecular findings confirming ECoV
Area of Science:
- Veterinary Virology
- Equine Pathology
- Molecular Epidemiology
Background:
- Equine coronavirus (ECoV), a Betacoronavirus, has been linked to recent outbreaks of disease in equids.
- Emerging ECoV infections present with enteric and/or neurologic symptoms in horses across multiple continents.
Observation:
- This study investigated the pathological, immunohistochemical, ultrastructural, and molecular features of ECoV infection in two horses and one donkey.
- Affected animals exhibited severe necrotizing enteritis with villous atrophy and pseudomembrane formation, or hyperammonemic encephalopathy with Alzheimer type II astrocytosis.
Findings:
- ECoV was detected in small intestinal tissues, contents, and feces using quantitative PCR.
- Immunohistochemistry confirmed coronavirus antigen presence in the small intestine of all cases.
- Electron microscopy identified characteristic coronavirus-like particles within intestinal cells.
Implications:
- These findings confirm ECoV's association with significant enteric and neurological pathology in equids.
- Understanding ECoV pathogenesis is crucial for diagnosing and managing emerging equine diseases.
- Molecular and ultrastructural data provide insights into ECoV's impact on equine health.
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