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West Nile Virus Encephalomyelitis in Horses, Flavivirus, Kunjin

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West Nile Virus is a Flavivirus in the Japanese Encephalitis serocomplex transmitted in cycles with wild birds as principal reservoir hosts and mosquitoes, mainly of the Culex genus, as vectors. Mammals are incidental and dead-end hosts. Infected horses can develop fever followed by neurologic disease. Kunjin Virus, a subtype of West Nile Virus, has been associated with encephalitis in Australian horses.

Species affected: Equine

Symptoms: Abnormal behaviour (aggression, changing habits); Abnormal proprioceptive positioning; Abnormal pupillary response to light; Abnormal upper airway breathing sounds (stridor, airflow obstruction, stertor, snoring); Agalactia or dysgalactia; Alopecia, thinning, shedding, easily epilated hair; Anorexia (complete, partial); Ataxia (incoordination, staggering, falling); Blindness; Circling movements; Colic; Coma, stupor; Hypodipsia, adipsia; Dehydration; Dullness, depression, lethargy, depressed, lethargic, listless; Dysmetria (hypermetria, hypometria); Dysphagia; Dyspnoea; Excessive or decreased sleeping; Hypersalivation, frothing at the mouth; Excitement, delirium, mania; Fever; Forelimb lameness, stiffness; Forelimb weakness (paresis, paralysis); Generalized lameness, stiffness; Generalized weakness (paresis, paralysis); Grinding of teeth (bruxism, odontoprisis); Head pressing; Head tilt; Weakness, droop, paresis, paralysis of head, face, ears, jaw; Swelling (mass) of head, face, ears, jaw, nose, nasal; Hemiparesis; Hindlimb lameness, stiffness; Hyperesthesia, irritable, hyperactive; Inability to stand, prostration; Hyperpnoea; Lacrimation; Neck weakness (paresis, paralysis), limp, ventroflexion; Nystagmus; Opisthotonus; Paraparesis (weakness, paralysis) in both hind limbs; Propulsive walk; Pruritus, itching skin; Reluctant to move; Seizures or syncope, convulsions, fits, collapse; Skin oedema; Tachycardia; Tetany; Tetraparesis (weakness, paralysis); Tongue weakness (paresis, paralysis); Trembling, shivering; Tremor; Underweight (poor condition, thin, emaciated, unthriftiness, ill thrift); Weakness (paresis, paralysis) of one hindlimb; Weight loss;

Public health importance: It is a zoonotic virus.

References

  1. Aharonson-Raz K., et. al., 2014, “Spatial and Temporal Distribution of West Nile Virus in Horses in Israel (1997-2013) - from Endemic to Epidemics,” PLoS ONE; 9:e113149 [Web Reference]
  2. Bielefeldt-Ohmann H., et. al., 2014, “Safety and immunogenicity of a delta inulin-adjuvanted inactivated Japanese encephalitis virus vaccine in pregnant mares and foals,” Veterinary Research; 45:130 [Web Reference]
  3. Chowdhury P., et. al., 2014, “Characterization of West Nile virus (WNV) isolates from Assam, India: Insights into the circulating WNV in northeastern India. Comparative Immunology, Microbiology and Infectious Diseases; 37:39-47 [Web Reference]
  4. Khatibzadeh S.M., et. al., 2015, “West Nile virus-specific immunoglobulin isotype responses in vaccinated and infected horses. American Journal of Veterinary Research; 76:92-100 [Web Reference]
  5. Long M.T., 2014, “West Nile Virus and Equine Encephalitis Viruses: New Perspectives,” Veterinary Clinics of North America: Equine Practice; 30:523-542 [Web Reference]
  6. Rech R. and Barros C., 2015, “Neurologic Diseases in Horses,” Veterinary Clinics of North America: Equine Practice; 31:281-306 [Web Reference]
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