Severe Neurologic Disease in a Horse Caused by Tick-Borne Encephalitis Virus, Austria, 2021
As evidenced by sero-epidemiological studies, infections of horses with the tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) occur frequently in TBEV-endemic areas. However, there are only very few reports of clinical cases. A possible underreporting may be due to a variety of diagnostic challenges. In this stu...
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MDPI AG
2023-09-01
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/15/10/2022 |
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| author | Phebe de Heus Zoltán Bagó Pia Weidinger Dilara Lale Dagmar S. Trachsel Sandra Revilla-Fernández Kaspar Matiasek Norbert Nowotny |
| author_facet | Phebe de Heus Zoltán Bagó Pia Weidinger Dilara Lale Dagmar S. Trachsel Sandra Revilla-Fernández Kaspar Matiasek Norbert Nowotny |
| author_sort | Phebe de Heus |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | As evidenced by sero-epidemiological studies, infections of horses with the tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) occur frequently in TBEV-endemic areas. However, there are only very few reports of clinical cases. A possible underreporting may be due to a variety of diagnostic challenges. In this study, ELISA and neutralization tests were applied to serum samples. Brain tissue samples were investigated for the presence of nucleic acids of TBEV, <i>Equid alphaherpesvirus 1</i>, Borna disease virus 1, West Nile and Usutu viruses, rustrela virus, as well as Eastern, Western, and Venezuelan equine encephalitis viruses with RT-qPCR, RT-PCR, and qPCR, respectively. TBEV-specific amplification products were subjected to Sanger sequencing. In addition, a direct fluorescent antibody test for rabies was performed. Clinical and patho-histological findings are reported. Using specific RT-qPCR and RT-PCR assays, TBEV nucleic acids were demonstrated in brain tissue samples. Sequencing revealed the Western (formerly Central) European subtype of TBEV as the etiological agent. A high titer of TBEV-specific neutralizing antibodies was found in the serum. RNAscope in situ hybridization revealed TBEV RNA confined to neuronal cell bodies and processes. No other pathogens or nucleic acids thereof could be detected. Diagnostic procedures need to be carried out early after the onset of neurological signs to allow for a final etiological diagnosis of acute TBEV infections in horses. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T20:49:58Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-76fa499f5a0b424086c5f3f79a8a147f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1999-4915 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T20:49:58Z |
| publishDate | 2023-09-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Viruses |
| spelling | doaj.art-76fa499f5a0b424086c5f3f79a8a147f2023-11-19T18:27:05ZengMDPI AGViruses1999-49152023-09-011510202210.3390/v15102022Severe Neurologic Disease in a Horse Caused by Tick-Borne Encephalitis Virus, Austria, 2021Phebe de Heus0Zoltán Bagó1Pia Weidinger2Dilara Lale3Dagmar S. Trachsel4Sandra Revilla-Fernández5Kaspar Matiasek6Norbert Nowotny7Clinical Unit of Equine Internal Medicine, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Veterinärplatz 1, 1210 Vienna, AustriaInstitute for Veterinary Disease Control Mödling, Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety Ltd. (AGES), Robert Koch-Gasse 17, 2340 Mödling, AustriaViral Zoonoses, Emerging and Vector-Borne Infections Group, Institute of Virology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Veterinärplatz 1, 1210 Vienna, AustriaClinical Unit of Equine Internal Medicine, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Veterinärplatz 1, 1210 Vienna, AustriaClinical Unit of Equine Internal Medicine, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Veterinärplatz 1, 1210 Vienna, AustriaInstitute for Veterinary Disease Control Mödling, Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety Ltd. (AGES), Robert Koch-Gasse 17, 2340 Mödling, AustriaSection of Clinical & Comparative Neuropathology, Institute of Veterinary Pathology, Centre for Clinical Veterinary Medicine, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Feodor-Lynen Straße 23, 81377 Munich, GermanyViral Zoonoses, Emerging and Vector-Borne Infections Group, Institute of Virology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Veterinärplatz 1, 1210 Vienna, AustriaAs evidenced by sero-epidemiological studies, infections of horses with the tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) occur frequently in TBEV-endemic areas. However, there are only very few reports of clinical cases. A possible underreporting may be due to a variety of diagnostic challenges. In this study, ELISA and neutralization tests were applied to serum samples. Brain tissue samples were investigated for the presence of nucleic acids of TBEV, <i>Equid alphaherpesvirus 1</i>, Borna disease virus 1, West Nile and Usutu viruses, rustrela virus, as well as Eastern, Western, and Venezuelan equine encephalitis viruses with RT-qPCR, RT-PCR, and qPCR, respectively. TBEV-specific amplification products were subjected to Sanger sequencing. In addition, a direct fluorescent antibody test for rabies was performed. Clinical and patho-histological findings are reported. Using specific RT-qPCR and RT-PCR assays, TBEV nucleic acids were demonstrated in brain tissue samples. Sequencing revealed the Western (formerly Central) European subtype of TBEV as the etiological agent. A high titer of TBEV-specific neutralizing antibodies was found in the serum. RNAscope in situ hybridization revealed TBEV RNA confined to neuronal cell bodies and processes. No other pathogens or nucleic acids thereof could be detected. Diagnostic procedures need to be carried out early after the onset of neurological signs to allow for a final etiological diagnosis of acute TBEV infections in horses.https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/15/10/2022equinetick-borne encephalitisTBEVflavivirusneurologic diseaseataxia |
| spellingShingle | Phebe de Heus Zoltán Bagó Pia Weidinger Dilara Lale Dagmar S. Trachsel Sandra Revilla-Fernández Kaspar Matiasek Norbert Nowotny Severe Neurologic Disease in a Horse Caused by Tick-Borne Encephalitis Virus, Austria, 2021 Viruses equine tick-borne encephalitis TBEV flavivirus neurologic disease ataxia |
| title | Severe Neurologic Disease in a Horse Caused by Tick-Borne Encephalitis Virus, Austria, 2021 |
| title_full | Severe Neurologic Disease in a Horse Caused by Tick-Borne Encephalitis Virus, Austria, 2021 |
| title_fullStr | Severe Neurologic Disease in a Horse Caused by Tick-Borne Encephalitis Virus, Austria, 2021 |
| title_full_unstemmed | Severe Neurologic Disease in a Horse Caused by Tick-Borne Encephalitis Virus, Austria, 2021 |
| title_short | Severe Neurologic Disease in a Horse Caused by Tick-Borne Encephalitis Virus, Austria, 2021 |
| title_sort | severe neurologic disease in a horse caused by tick borne encephalitis virus austria 2021 |
| topic | equine tick-borne encephalitis TBEV flavivirus neurologic disease ataxia |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/15/10/2022 |
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