EFSA reviews the clinical impact, diagnosis and control of equine herpesvirus-1 in Europe
Equine herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1) can affect the entire equine sector in the European Union, and the large outbreak reported in 2021 in Spain drew attention to the need of the European Commission for scientific advice for the evaluation of the infection. by EHV-1 within the framework of the Animal Health Law.
EHV-1 is considered endemic in the EU; its main risk is linked to its ability to produce latent infections for life. EHV-1 can reactivate, producing clinical disease, which can include respiratory, abortive, and possibly fatal neurological forms.
Outbreak in Valencia in 2021
From an epidemiological and genomic point of view, there are no specific neuropathogenic strains of EHV-1; respiratory, reproductive, and neurological signs are not strain-specific. This was also the case of the virus that caused the outbreak in Valencia in 2021, which was genetically closely related to other viruses that previously circulated in Europe and did not present the so-called neuropathogenic genotype.
The outbreak reported in Valencia was followed by a wide geographical expansion of the virus, possibly due to a delay in diagnosis and late application of biosafety measures.
Diagnostic and control measures
The recommended and most sensitive diagnostic test for EHV-1 is PCR, performed on swabs collected according to the type of clinical signs. Serologic assays on paired blood samples can help detect recent infection, while no diagnostic methods are available to detect latent EHV-1 infections.
The safe movements of horses can be guaranteed in the pre-relocation phase by carrying out tests and issuing health certificates and by isolating the animals upon arrival at the new facilities with regular health checks.
If suspected, movement should be prohibited, and EHV‐1 infection should be detected/confirmed early using validated diagnostic tools. During outbreaks, movements should not be allowed until 21 days after the detection of the last case.
In general, vaccination against EHV-1 should be encouraged, although it offers limited protection against the neurological form of the disease.
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