Gildea, Sarah and Fitzpatrick, David A. and Cullinane, Ann
(2013)
Epidemiological and virological investigations of equine
influenza outbreaks in Ireland (2010–2012).
Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses, 7 (S.4).
pp. 61-74.
ISSN 1750-2659
Abstract
Background Outbreaks of equine influenza (EI) in endemic
populations cause disruption and economic loss.
Objectives To identify (i) factors involved in the spread of EI (ii)
virus strains responsible for outbreaks (iii) single radial haemolysis
(SRH) antibody levels correlating with protection against current
virus strains (iv) evidence of vaccination breakdown.
Methods RT-PCR, virus isolation and SRH were carried out on
nasopharyngeal swabs and blood samples collected from horses,
ponies and donkeys on affected premises. Data relating to 629
samples from 135 equidae were analysed.
Results and conclusions Outbreaks were sporadic, self limiting and
associated with the movement of horses. Vaccination status and age
influenced clinical signs of disease while housing and fomites
contributed to virus spread. Subclinical infection as defined as a
horse which tested positive by one or more of the following; RTPCR,
virus isolation and seroconversion in the absence of clinical
signs, was identified in 9% of animals. Of the horses with up to date
vaccination records 32% developed clinical signs. Vaccine
breakdown occurred among horses vaccinated with all four
commercially available vaccines. Analysis of HA1 sequence data
generated for 26 viruses indicated that they all belonged to clade 2 of
the Florida sublineage. Higher SRH antibody levels were required
for both clinical and virological protection than reported in studies
where vaccine strains were antigenically and genetically similar to
those circulating in the field. The results of this study therefore
support the OIE recommendations that vaccines be updated to
include representatives of both clades of the Florida sublineage
| Item Type: |
Article
|
| Additional Information: |
This article is made available under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License. Permission is therefore not required for academic or commercial reuse, provided that full attribution is included in the new work. Please cite this paper as: Gildea et al. (2013) Epidemiological and virological investigations of equine influenza outbreaks in Ireland (2010–2012). Influenza and
Other Respiratory Viruses 7 (Suppl. 4), 61–72. |
| Keywords: |
Equine; influenza; investigations; Ireland; outbreak; |
| Academic Unit: |
Faculty of Science and Engineering > Biology |
| Item ID: |
6260 |
| Identification Number: |
https://doi.org/10.1111/irv.12192 |
| Depositing User: |
David Fitzpatrick
|
| Date Deposited: |
16 Jul 2015 11:38 |
| Journal or Publication Title: |
Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses |
| Publisher: |
Wiley Open Access |
| Refereed: |
Yes |
| URI: |
|
| Use Licence: |
This item is available under a Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial Share Alike Licence (CC BY-NC-SA). Details of this licence are available
here |
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