As the result of an equine influenza A virus (EIV) outbreak in Japan in 2007, researchers have continued studies in diagnostic procedures and drugs that would help prevent further outbreaks in the equine population.
Milder signs of influenza in horses
Horses treated with a single IV dose of peramivir showed significantly milder clinical signs including fever, nasal discharge, and cough with a shorter duration than control horses.
Although Equine influenza is often thought of as a winter or springtime disease, it can occur any time of the year. Equine influenza is a highly contagious self-limiting respiratory disease in horses that is caused by equine influenza virus (EIV) infection.
EIV is presented by horses worldwide and has a huge financial impact on the horse industry in many countries.
Although an outbreak of EI can be controlled by prior immunization by using vaccination, the efficacy of the vaccine is influenced by antigenic differences between epidemic strains and vaccine strains.
Once an outbreak occurs, biosecurity measures, including the restriction of horse movement, should be conducted to eliminate the source of the causative virus and protect susceptible horses. The rapid identification of EIV in respiratory tract secretions enables the prompt administration of biosecurity management.
Equine influenza A virus (EIV) of the H3N8 subtype is an important pathogen causing acute respiratory disease in horses. Peramivir is a selective inhibitor of the influenza virus neuraminidase and as such was selected for further research by the Epizootic Research Centre.
The aims of the Japanese study were to evaluate the inhibitory efficacy of peramivir against the NA activities of EIV in vitro and the treatment efficacy of a single intravenous dose of peramivir in horses experimentally infected with EIV.
Horses treated with a single IV dose of peramivir showed significantly milder clinical signs including fever, nasal discharge, and cough with a shorter duration than control horses injected with normal saline.
Moreover, the mean duration of virus shedding for the horses treated with peramivir was significantly shorter than for the control horses. These findings suggested that a single IV administration of peramivir had good potential for the treatment of equine influenza, and may help to limit the spread of the disease in the horse population and prevent future outbreaks.
Read to learn more are Equine Influenza and Biosecurity measures to protect horses