Equine encephalosis virus

Equine encephalosis virus
"Equine encephalosis virus" virion particles
Equine encephalosis virus virion particles
Virus classification Edit this classification
(unranked): Virus
Realm: Riboviria
Kingdom: Orthornavirae
Phylum: Duplornaviricota
Class: Resentoviricetes
Order: Reovirales
Family: Sedoreoviridae
Genus: Orbivirus
Species:
Equine encephalosis virus

Equine encephalosis virus (EEV) is a species of virus the Orbivirus genus, and a member of the Reoviridae family, related to African horse sickness virus (AHSV) and Bluetongue virus (BTV).[1]

First described in South Africa over a hundred years ago by Arnold Theiler, EEV is the causative agent of equine encephalosis (EE), an arthropod-borne disease transmitted by the Culicoides spp. midges affecting all equids.[2] Since then the disease has become both widespread and prevalent, taking on epidemic proportions in certain parts of the country. Serological studies estimated a presence of anti-EEV antibodies in over 75% of all South African horses.[3]

Prior to 2008, Equine encephalosis virus had been identified and isolated only in South Africa, where seven antigenetically distinct serotypes, EEV1-7, have been characterised.[1] In 2009, the outbreak of a febrile horse disease across Israel, later diagnosed as EEV, caused great concern primarily due to the similarity of EEV with the African horse sickness virus, one of the most devastating equine pathogens.

  1. ^ a b Mertens PP, Maan S, Samuel A, Attoui H Orbivirus, Reoviridae (2005). Fauquet CM, Mayo MA, Maniloff J, Desselberger U, Ball LA (eds.). Virus taxonomy, VIIIth report of the ICTV. Vol. 1. London: Elsevier/Academic Press. pp. 466–83.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  2. ^ Venter GJ, Groenewald DM, Paweska JT, Venter EH, Howell PG (1999). "Vector competence of selected South African "Culicoides" species for the Bryanston serotype of Equine encephalosis virus". Medical and Veterinary Entomology. 13 (4): 393–400. doi:10.1046/j.1365-2915.1999.00188.x. PMID 10608228. S2CID 36530418.
  3. ^ Venter GJ, Koekemoer JJ, Paweska JT (2006). "Investigations on outbreaks of African horse sickness in the surveillance zone in South Africa". Revue Scientifique et Technique (International Office of Epizootics). 25 (3): 1097–1109. doi:10.20506/rst.25.3.1719. PMID 17361773.