Abortion in a Mediterranean miniature donkey (Equus asinus) associated with a gammaherpesvirus similar to Equid herpesvirus 7

• Published in: Journal of veterinary diagnostic investigation Vol. 27; no. 6; p. 749
• Main Authors: LeCuyer, Tessa E, Rink, Anette, Bradway, Daniel S, Evermann, James F, Nicola, Anthony V, Baszler, Timothy, Haldorson, Gary J
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.11.2015
• Subjects: Abortion, Veterinary - virology; Animals; DNA-Directed DNA Polymerase - genetics; Equidae; Gammaherpesvirinae - genetics; Gammaherpesvirinae - isolation & purification; Herpesviridae Infections - veterinary; Herpesviridae Infections - virology; Molecular Sequence Data; Phylogeny; Sequence Analysis, DNA - veterinary; Viral Proteins - genetics; asinine herpesvirus 2; placentitis; Abortion; donkeys; Equid herpesvirus 7
• ISSN: 1943-4936
• DOI: 10.1177/1040638715611444

Fetal tissues and placenta from a third trimester Mediterranean miniature donkey (Equus asinus) abortion were submitted to the Washington State University, Washington Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory for abortion diagnosis. Microscopic examination of formalin-fixed tissues revealed multifocal necrotizing placentitis. Several cells within the necrotic foci contained large, eosinophilic, intranuclear inclusions. Virus isolation from fresh, frozen placenta identified a cytopathic, syncytia-forming virus. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) from the cultured virus using degenerate universal herpesvirus primers amplified a 699-base pair portion of the DNA polymerase gene. The PCR amplicon had 96.7% nucleotide identity with the DNA polymerase gene of Equid herpesvirus 7 (EHV-7; asinine herpesvirus 2), a gammaherpesvirus. An identical sequence was obtained when the same degenerate herpesvirus primers were used for PCR on the formalin-fixed placenta. Additionally, the amplicon had complete identity with short sequences of asinine herpesviruses that have been published in association with interstitial pneumonia in donkeys. EHV-7 has previously been isolated from nasal secretions of normal donkeys and mules. Our report describes a case of abortion associated with EHV-7 or a similar virus.