Recurrence of equine coital exanthema in thoroughbred stallions / 대한수의학회지

The object of this study was to evaluate recurrence of equine coital exanthema (ECE) whether re-infection or re-activation of causative virus. ECE is a venereal disease of horses caused by equine herpesvirus type 3 (EHV-3). Like other herpesviruses, it may persist in infected horses for a long time. There is a controversy on the cause of ECE as the recurrence or the reinfection. This disease had occurred firstly on stallions and broodmares in Korea. The horses had rebreeded after healing routinely. Next year, the disease recurrented on the just same affected horses among stallions. The result of this study, re-outbreak of ECE in stallions is recurrence of ECE, but not reinfection of the virus.

Epizootiologic evaluation on equine coital exanthema in Korea / 대한수의학회지

This study evaluated the epizootiological characteristics of equine coital exanthema (ECE) in South Korea. A PCR test was used to determine the equine herpesvirus 3 (EHV-3) release period, excretion by suckling foals, morbidity rate, effect on fertility, and onset of breeding partner after treatment. The morbidity rate of ECE based on clinical symptoms was 8.3% (2/24) for stallions and 10.8% (45/416) for mares, and 29 of 45 (64.4%) animals were positive on the PCR test. Ten (22%) broodmares had symptoms before breeding, while 26 (58%) had symptoms after breeding. Nine (20%) mares had uncertain coverage periods and occurrence times. Suckling foals had no clinical findings and EHV-3 was not detected in their nostrils, although it was detected on teasers. No lesions were observed in the clitoral fossa on broodmares, although EHV-3 was detected by PCR. The period of EHV-3 emission was 22~23, 18~19, 6, and 58 days in stallions, broodmares, teasers, and mares with a mixed E. coli-like infection, respectively. ECE had no negative effects on the breeding capability of stallions and no symptoms were observed in broodmares after recovering from ECE.