Serological Detection of Equine Herpes Virus (EHV) Type 1 and 4 in Sudan

Aims: This study was designed to investigate the presence of EHV 1 & 4 in blood serum of horses and donkeys in different localities in Sudan.

Study Design: A total of 208 blood serum samples were collected from horse and donkeys from different localities in Sudan including; Khartoum, Atbara, Wadmadani and Nyala. With the exception of some horses (cross or foreign breeds), all animals examined were of Indigenous breed’s, different ages, and apparently healthy; clinical signs to equine herpes or any disease were not detected.

Place and Duration of Study: The study was undertaken in the Virology lab, Veterinary Research Institute, Ministry of Animal Resources, Fisheries and Range Lands, Khartoum during December 2012 to February 2013.

Methodology: Blood serum samples obtained from horse and donkeys were investigated in different localities in Sudan using an indirect ELISA (SVANOVIR® EHV1/EHV4-Ab).

Results: EHV 1 was detected in 1.6% of the horse samples from Khartoum, Nyala and Wadmadani, and in 7.3% of the donkeys’ sample from Wadmadani and Nyala; while EHV 4 was detected (in all localities) in 58.7%, and 58.5% of the samples collected from horses and donkeys respectively. Mixed infection with both types (1 and 4) was recorded in horse samples from Khartoum and Nyala and in donkeys sample from Wadmadani and Nyala. Statistically, there is an association between infection and location (P –value < 0.001)

Conclusion: Equine herpes virus 1 and 4 was detected for the first time in horses and donkeys in Sudan. High seroprevalence of EHV type 4 (58.7%, in horse and 58.5% in donkey’s serum samples) was recorded, compared to 1.6% and 7.3% of type 1 for horses and donkeys respectively. Mixed infection with both types 1 and 4 was recorded in horse samples from Khartoum and Nyala and in donkey’s sample from Wadmadani and Nyala. Further studies for virus detection such as PCR should be conducted to enables rapid identification of specific virus causing disease EHV I or EHV 4.