EVA Outbreak in Argentina

An outbreak of abortion associated with equine arteritis virus (EAV) infection occurred on a Thoroughbred breeding farm in San Antonio de Areco, Buenos Aires Province, in March 2010. On March 31, EAV was detected by reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and virus isolation from an aborted equine fetus and placenta, which was the third abortion to have occurred on the premi
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An outbreak of abortion associated with equine arteritis virus (EAV) infection occurred on a Thoroughbred breeding farm in San Antonio de Areco, Buenos Aires Province, in March 2010. On March 31, EAV was detected by reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and virus isolation from an aborted equine fetus and placenta, which was the third abortion to have occurred on the premises. The finding was reported to the National Health Authorities (SENASA) in Argentina, and the farm was placed under quarantine.

Based on information provided by the veterinarian, the pregnancy losses associated with this virus reached approximately 50%. This total included abortions at around five to six months of gestation and also mares that had been previously identified as pregnant and were subsequently found to have lost their pregnancies.

The Thoroughbred mares (n=40) commingled in the same paddock with sports horse mares (n=16) that had been inseminated with semen from five stallions (four standing outside of the country and one domestic stallion). Two of the four stallions’ imported semen had been used on the farm for the first time this year. Evidence pointed to semen from one of these two stallions as the source of EAV infection in the sports horse mares, which in turn, were believed responsible for spreading the infection to the pregnant Thoroughbred mares on the premises. Based on serologic testing of mares on other farms inseminated with semen from the second stallion's imported semen, none of them were carriers of EAV.

On April 14, straws containing frozen semen from the five stallions were submitted for virological examination. Equine arteritis virus was detected and isolated from the semen of one of the stallions. This semen had been imported from the Netherlands; testing carried out by the Animal Health Authorities at time of entry had given negative results for EAV

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