Horse skin BPV infection common
| Horse skin BPV infection common At least 30% of healthy horses carry the virus that is associated with equine sarcoid, according to recent research in Belgium. The project, carried out by Dr Lies Bogaert and colleagues at the University of Ghent, looked for evidence of bovine papillomavirus in the skin of healthy horses and those with sarcoids. Bovine papillomavirus (BPV), the virus responsible for warts in cattle, has been identified in up to 100% of sarcoids in horses, suggesting that it plays a role in the condition. But it has also been found in the normal skin of sarcoid-affected horses, and, indeed, in the skin of apparently healthy horses. The researchers looked not only for BPV DNA, but also for messenger RNA. (mRNA is produced as a result of viral activity in the cell. The presence of BPV mRNA confirms that the virus has been active in the cell. So it is unlikely to be simply the result of contamination of the sample. )
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They collected skin for analysis from areas commonly affected with sarcoids, such as the chest, between the front legs, under the belly and inside the thigh. Samples were taken not only from horses with sarcoids, but also from "at risk" horses - those living with wart-affected cattle or sarcoid - affected horses. The scientists also examined skin samples from unaffected healthy control animals.
They found BPV in the normal skin of healthy horses and those affected with sarcoids. Horses living with wart-affected cattle and sarcoid-affected horses were similarly infected with BPV.
Although many horses had BPV in their skin, the scientists failed to identify the virus in blood samples from any of the horses.
Horses with sarcoids and those living close to cattle with warts were most likely to be infected with BPV; 73% had BPV DNA in their skin. Half of the horses that lived in contact with sarcoid-affected horses were infected. Even 30% of healthy horses (that had no recent contact with affected cattle or sarcoid -affected horses) had BPV DNA in their skin.
As low levels of mRNA were found in 58% of samples positive for BPV DNA, the researchers were confident that these findings were an accurate indication of infection with BPV, rather than simply contamination.
The findings suggest that the bovine papillomavirus can cause a latent infection in horses
The researchers emphasise the need for good hygiene when horses with sarcoids are kept in close contact with unaffected horses.
Reproduced with kind permission of Mark Andrews BVM&S CertEP MRCVS
© Copyright Mark Andrews - Equine Science Update 2008
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Added on: 20/08/08.
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