| Equine viral arteritis (EVA) is a disease of horses caused by an RNA virus of the genus Arterivirus. The virus which causes EVA was first isolated from horses in Ohio in 1953 but the disease has afflicted equine animals worldwide for centuries. It has been more common in some breeds of horses in the United States, but there is no breed “immunity”. In the UK, it is a notifiable disease.There is no known human hazard. The virus which causes EVA is the Equine Arteritis Virus (EAV). Arteriviruses are small, enveloped, animal viruses with an icosahedral core containing a positive-sense RNA genome. The family includes Equine arteritis virus (EAV), porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV), lactate dehydrogenase elevating virus (LDV) of mice and simian haemorrhagic fever virus (SHFV). Infected horses show variable symptoms including fever, depression, oedema, conjunctivitis, abortion and nasal discharge. Some horses show no symtoms of infection (Wiki: Equine viral arteritis). |
