Encephalomyocarditis Virus in Non-Domesticated Species

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Virology
• Animal Pathology
• Zoonotic Diseases

Background:

• Encephalomyocarditis virus (EMCV) causes significant mortality in diverse animal species globally.
• While pigs are frequently affected, EMCV also impacts elephants, nonhuman primates (NHPs), and rodents, with rats acting as primary reservoirs.
• The disease manifests as acute heart failure, leading to rapid death, making postmortem diagnosis common.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the epidemiology, clinical presentation, diagnosis, and control of Encephalomyocarditis virus (EMCV) infections in animals.
• To highlight the challenges in diagnosis and treatment due to the rapid disease course.
• To emphasize the importance of preventative strategies, including biosecurity and vaccination.

Main Methods:

• Review of existing literature on EMCV outbreaks, pathology, diagnostics, and therapeutic/preventative measures.
• Analysis of diagnostic techniques including RT-PCR, virus isolation, serology, and immunohistochemistry.
• Evaluation of vaccine efficacy in experimental models and zoological species.

Main Results:

• EMCV infection is characterized by interstitial lymphohistiocytic myocarditis and multiorgan congestion.
• Diagnostic confirmation is often postmortem due to rapid disease progression.
• Inactivated and live attenuated vaccines show protective efficacy in various animal models, though seroconversion rates vary.

Conclusions:

• Effective management of EMCV relies on stringent biosecurity measures to prevent rodent contamination and on vaccination strategies.
• Therapeutic interventions are limited by the rapid onset of fatal heart failure.
• Vaccine development offers a promising avenue for controlling EMCV epizootics in susceptible animal populations.