Equine viral arteritis is a highly contagious disease of horses characterized by conjunctivitis and upper respiratory inflammation. It is caused by the arterivirus, which is an RNA virus that loses infectivity when heated but can be stored by freezing or inactivated by magnesium chloride. Stallions can act as carriers even after recovering from the disease or experiencing subclinical infection. Clinical signs include fever, weakness, conjunctivitis, coughing, and abortions in pregnant mares. Diagnosis involves clinical history, leukopenia, virus isolation from body fluids or aborted fetuses, and serological tests. There is no specific treatment, but supportive care is given. Vaccination is the main prevention and control method

1. Equine viral arteritis
FROM
DR RAJAT D S
MVHK 1829

2. Its highly contagious disease of equine characterized by conjunctivitis and catarrhal
inflammation of upper respiratory tract and abortions
Etiology
Arterivirus (+)ss RNA
One antigenic type
It losses infectivity during heating so stored by freezing
Inactivated by magnesium chloride

3. Epidemiology
All age susceptible
Recovered stallion or sub clinically infected act as carrier
Mares are not carrier
Morbidity is 15 to 30 %
Transmission
Ingestion of contaminated material or inhalation of nasal exudate , also found urine semen

4. Clinical signs
They are highly variable
Incubation period is 2-6weeks
Fever 105ºF
Muscular weakness , stupor , conjunctivitis, photophobia ,icteric conjunctiva, lacrimation
Submandibular lymphadenopathy, opacity ,peri orbital edema
Couching , dyspnea in acute cases
Pulmonary edema , scrotal edema
abdominal pain , dehydration and die in a week
Abortions seen in 160th to 300th day of pregnancy

6. Post mortem finding
Edema of eyelids , petechiation on serous surface, edema of viscera
Severe congestion in respiratory system, spleen , adrenal cortex
Diagnosis
History and clinical signs- history of abortion
Blood examination-pronounced leukopenia
Isolation –can be isolated from semen , urine , aborted fetus tissue
Cultured on vero, BHK-21,RK-13 cell lines
Serological tests-serum neutralization, CFT, ELISA, indirect fluorescent antibody

8. Differential diagnosis –
Babesia
Leptospira
African horse sickness
Equine infectious anemia
Equine influenza
Treatment -
No specific treatment
Dehydrated are given fluids and electrolyte
Broad spectrum antibiotics
Rest for 3 to 4days

9. Prevention and control
Killed as well as live attenuated vaccine are available against the disease
Maternal antibodies – up to 6 months
So vaccinate at 6 months of age and booster after 1 month then annual vaccination
live vaccine only annually followed
Isolation
Quarantine
Good hygienic practices
Avoid stress in epizootic areas

10. Thank you