Oral Administration of Valganciclovir Reduces Clinical Signs, Virus Shedding and Cell-Associated Viremia in Ponies Experimentally Infected with the Equid Herpesvirus-1 C<sub>2254</sub> Variant
Equid alphaherpesvirus-1 (EHV-1) is one of the main pathogens in horses, responsible for respiratory diseases, ocular diseases, abortions, neonatal foal death and neurological complications such as equine herpesvirus myeloencephalopathy (EHM). Current vaccines reduce the excretion and dissemination...
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MDPI AG
2022-05-01
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| Series: | Pathogens |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/11/5/539 |
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| author | Côme J. Thieulent Gabrielle Sutton Marie-Pierre Toquet Samuel Fremaux Erika Hue Christine Fortier Alexis Pléau Alain Deslis Stéphane Abrioux Edouard Guitton Stéphane Pronost Romain Paillot |
| author_facet | Côme J. Thieulent Gabrielle Sutton Marie-Pierre Toquet Samuel Fremaux Erika Hue Christine Fortier Alexis Pléau Alain Deslis Stéphane Abrioux Edouard Guitton Stéphane Pronost Romain Paillot |
| author_sort | Côme J. Thieulent |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Equid alphaherpesvirus-1 (EHV-1) is one of the main pathogens in horses, responsible for respiratory diseases, ocular diseases, abortions, neonatal foal death and neurological complications such as equine herpesvirus myeloencephalopathy (EHM). Current vaccines reduce the excretion and dissemination of the virus and, therefore, the extent of an epizooty. While their efficacy against EHV-1-induced abortion in pregnant mares and the decreased occurrence of an abortion storm in the field have been reported, their potential efficacy against the neurological form of disease remains undocumented. No antiviral treatment against EHV-1 is marketed and recommended to date. This study aimed to measure the protection induced by valganciclovir (VGCV), the prodrug of ganciclovir, in Welsh mountain ponies experimentally infected with an EHV-1 ORF30-C<sub>2254</sub> strain. Four ponies were administered VGCV immediately prior to experimental EHV-1 infection, while another four ponies received a placebo. The treatment consisted in 6.5 mg/kg body weight of valganciclovir administered orally three times the first day and twice daily for 13 days. Clinical signs of disease, virus shedding and viraemia were measured for up to 3 weeks. The severity of the cumulative clinical score was significantly reduced in the treated group when compared with the control group. Shedding of infectious EHV-1 was significantly reduced in the treated group when compared with the control group between Day + 1 (D + 1) and D + 12. Viraemia was significantly reduced in the treated group when compared with the control group. Seroconversion was measured in all the ponies included in the study, irrespective of the treatment received. Oral administration of valganciclovir induced no noticeable side effect but reduced clinical signs of disease, infectious virus shedding and viraemia in ponies experimentally infected with the EHV-1 C<sub>2254</sub> variant. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T03:12:57Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-fa241d37f9de495ead08b336fa52cf68 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-0817 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T03:12:57Z |
| publishDate | 2022-05-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Pathogens |
| spelling | doaj.art-fa241d37f9de495ead08b336fa52cf682023-11-23T12:32:14ZengMDPI AGPathogens2076-08172022-05-0111553910.3390/pathogens11050539Oral Administration of Valganciclovir Reduces Clinical Signs, Virus Shedding and Cell-Associated Viremia in Ponies Experimentally Infected with the Equid Herpesvirus-1 C<sub>2254</sub> VariantCôme J. Thieulent0Gabrielle Sutton1Marie-Pierre Toquet2Samuel Fremaux3Erika Hue4Christine Fortier5Alexis Pléau6Alain Deslis7Stéphane Abrioux8Edouard Guitton9Stéphane Pronost10Romain Paillot11LABÉO, 14280 Saint-Contest, FranceLABÉO, 14280 Saint-Contest, FranceLABÉO, 14280 Saint-Contest, FranceLABÉO, 14280 Saint-Contest, FranceLABÉO, 14280 Saint-Contest, FranceLABÉO, 14280 Saint-Contest, FranceINRAE, UE-1277 Plateforme D’infectiologie Expérimentale (PFIE), Centre de Recherche Val de Loire, 37380 Nouzilly, FranceINRAE, UE-1277 Plateforme D’infectiologie Expérimentale (PFIE), Centre de Recherche Val de Loire, 37380 Nouzilly, FranceINRAE, UE-1277 Plateforme D’infectiologie Expérimentale (PFIE), Centre de Recherche Val de Loire, 37380 Nouzilly, FranceINRAE, UE-1277 Plateforme D’infectiologie Expérimentale (PFIE), Centre de Recherche Val de Loire, 37380 Nouzilly, FranceLABÉO, 14280 Saint-Contest, FranceLABÉO, 14280 Saint-Contest, FranceEquid alphaherpesvirus-1 (EHV-1) is one of the main pathogens in horses, responsible for respiratory diseases, ocular diseases, abortions, neonatal foal death and neurological complications such as equine herpesvirus myeloencephalopathy (EHM). Current vaccines reduce the excretion and dissemination of the virus and, therefore, the extent of an epizooty. While their efficacy against EHV-1-induced abortion in pregnant mares and the decreased occurrence of an abortion storm in the field have been reported, their potential efficacy against the neurological form of disease remains undocumented. No antiviral treatment against EHV-1 is marketed and recommended to date. This study aimed to measure the protection induced by valganciclovir (VGCV), the prodrug of ganciclovir, in Welsh mountain ponies experimentally infected with an EHV-1 ORF30-C<sub>2254</sub> strain. Four ponies were administered VGCV immediately prior to experimental EHV-1 infection, while another four ponies received a placebo. The treatment consisted in 6.5 mg/kg body weight of valganciclovir administered orally three times the first day and twice daily for 13 days. Clinical signs of disease, virus shedding and viraemia were measured for up to 3 weeks. The severity of the cumulative clinical score was significantly reduced in the treated group when compared with the control group. Shedding of infectious EHV-1 was significantly reduced in the treated group when compared with the control group between Day + 1 (D + 1) and D + 12. Viraemia was significantly reduced in the treated group when compared with the control group. Seroconversion was measured in all the ponies included in the study, irrespective of the treatment received. Oral administration of valganciclovir induced no noticeable side effect but reduced clinical signs of disease, infectious virus shedding and viraemia in ponies experimentally infected with the EHV-1 C<sub>2254</sub> variant.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/11/5/539valganciclovirganciclovirEHV-1equid alphaherpesvirus-1herpesvirusantiviral |
| spellingShingle | Côme J. Thieulent Gabrielle Sutton Marie-Pierre Toquet Samuel Fremaux Erika Hue Christine Fortier Alexis Pléau Alain Deslis Stéphane Abrioux Edouard Guitton Stéphane Pronost Romain Paillot Oral Administration of Valganciclovir Reduces Clinical Signs, Virus Shedding and Cell-Associated Viremia in Ponies Experimentally Infected with the Equid Herpesvirus-1 C<sub>2254</sub> Variant Pathogens valganciclovir ganciclovir EHV-1 equid alphaherpesvirus-1 herpesvirus antiviral |
| title | Oral Administration of Valganciclovir Reduces Clinical Signs, Virus Shedding and Cell-Associated Viremia in Ponies Experimentally Infected with the Equid Herpesvirus-1 C<sub>2254</sub> Variant |
| title_full | Oral Administration of Valganciclovir Reduces Clinical Signs, Virus Shedding and Cell-Associated Viremia in Ponies Experimentally Infected with the Equid Herpesvirus-1 C<sub>2254</sub> Variant |
| title_fullStr | Oral Administration of Valganciclovir Reduces Clinical Signs, Virus Shedding and Cell-Associated Viremia in Ponies Experimentally Infected with the Equid Herpesvirus-1 C<sub>2254</sub> Variant |
| title_full_unstemmed | Oral Administration of Valganciclovir Reduces Clinical Signs, Virus Shedding and Cell-Associated Viremia in Ponies Experimentally Infected with the Equid Herpesvirus-1 C<sub>2254</sub> Variant |
| title_short | Oral Administration of Valganciclovir Reduces Clinical Signs, Virus Shedding and Cell-Associated Viremia in Ponies Experimentally Infected with the Equid Herpesvirus-1 C<sub>2254</sub> Variant |
| title_sort | oral administration of valganciclovir reduces clinical signs virus shedding and cell associated viremia in ponies experimentally infected with the equid herpesvirus 1 c sub 2254 sub variant |
| topic | valganciclovir ganciclovir EHV-1 equid alphaherpesvirus-1 herpesvirus antiviral |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/11/5/539 |
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