Equine Herpesvirus Research Ongoing at the UK Gluck Center

The recent spread of a neurologic form of equine herpesvirus type 1 (EHV-1) at a cutting horse show in Ogden,
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The recent spread of a neurologic form of equine herpesvirus type 1 (EHV-1), believed to have originated at a cutting horse show in Ogden, Utah, held April 29 to May 8, and subsequent outbreaks of the disease across the western United States and Canada highlight the importance of equine infectious disease research.

The University of Kentucky Department of Veterinary Science has a long and illustrious history of equine herpesvirus research. The late William Dimock, DVM, and Philip Edwards, PhD, first investigated the etiology of abortion storms on many Central Kentucky breeding farms in the 1920s (before the disease was known as EHV-1). Today the Gluck Equine Research Center continues to conduct research on the virus.

A significant number of EHV-1 outbreaks also have been reported from Europe this year with some affected horses exhibiting respiratory and neurologic signs. In addition, there have been reports of sporadic cases of EHV-1 abortions and occasional cases of infection in neonatal foals, according to Peter Timoney, MVB, FRCVS, PhD, Frederick Van Lennep Chair in Equine Veterinary Science, and Udeni Balasuriya, BVSc, PhD, virology professor at the Gluck Center.

"The development of neurological disease in particular horses may be influenced by a variety of virus, host, and environmental factors," Balasuriya said. "More basic research is needed to understand the molecular basis of the neurologic form of equine herpesvirus-1 infection. There should be more collaborative research between scientists who are working on EHV-1 around the world

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