Despite the availability of multiple vaccination options, equine herpesvirus continues to be prevalent in equine communities. The clinical forms of EHV-1 vary, ranging from respiratory infection to neonatal infection to even neurological disease. Identifying horses that are at the highest risk of EHV-1 and developing a strategic vaccination plan based on that risk level may help mitigate the disease.
Sick horse with a cough - a sign of respiratory infection.
This interpretation of the biomarker levels data may be strategically used as a tool by veterinarians to aid in development of effective EHV-1 vaccination protocols.
© 2017 by S. Hanusch New window.
Researchers from Cornell University have developed an assay to identify quantitative host immunity biomarkers in serum or plasma: EHV-1 total immunoglobins (Ig) and IgG4/7.1 Pre-existing IgG4/7 antibodies have previously been shown to correlate to protection from disease,2 and through this study researchers found that these biomarkers may be a tool to help evaluate an adult horse’s risk for EHV-1.
Based on serum biomarker levels, horses can be classified into four risk categories: very low risk, low risk, moderate risk or high risk.
The interpretation of these biomarker levels can serve as one of the tools veterinarians may use to evaluate and determine vaccination protocols for EHV-1.
A recent study involved vaccinating 48 adult horses with VETERA® GOLDXP, VETERA® 2XP or CALVENZA® -O3 EIV/EHV, and evaluating their EHV-1 Ig and EHV-1 IgG4/7 levels at various points in time.2 All horses enrolled in the study were vaccinated six months prior to study start (Day –180) with the multi-valent vaccine VETERA GOLDXP. Following the initial booster, the EHV-1 total Ig and IgG4/7 biomarkers increased compared to baseline for EHV-1 at all time points during the study.
This data demonstrates that VETERA GOLDXP, VETERA 2XP and CALVENZA were able to generate high levels of EHV-1 total Ig and IgG4/7 antibodies following vaccination. The increased EHV-1 total Ig and IgG4/7 antibodies may have a positive effect on protection against clinical disease, nasal shedding and viremia associated with EHV-1 infection.3 This data may be strategically used as a tool by veterinarians to aid in development of effective EHV-1 vaccination protocols. The assay can be ordered through Cornell University here.
Learn more about VETERA GOLDXP, VETERA 2XP and CALVENZA.
Boehringer Ingelheim Equine Health
References
1 New test predicts horse’s risk of contracting EHV-1 in an outbreak | Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine.
2 EHV-1 Risk Evaluation Technical Bulletin, Boehringer Ingelheim
3 Wagner et al., Virology, Vol 531, May 2019, pg 219-232
Press release by Boehringer Ingelheim Equine Health