Emerging outbreaks associated with equine coronavirus in adult horses

Clinical Approach to Commonly Encountered Problems

“…Although primarily a respiratory pathogen, Rhodococcus equi also can cause diarrhea, particularly in foals 2 to 4 months of age. [571][572][573][574][575] Since 2011 several outbreaks of equine coronavirus have been identified in adult horses, causing it to be named as an emerging pathogen. However, enterotoxigenic strains, characterized by the presence of virulence factors, have been identified in foals.…”

“…In comparing a PCR with microbial culture for detection of salmonellae in equine feces and environmental samples, the PCR method was found to be more sensitive and more rapid and required submission of fewer samples. 335,539,563,572,613,614 Both rotavirus and coronavirus can also be identified in the feces by electron microscopy. 562,611,612 Fecal PCR analysis is also useful in documenting Clostridium, Lawsonia intracellularis, and Cryptosporidium spp., as well as both equine rotavirus and equine coronavirus.…”

Prevalence of equine coronavirus in nasal secretions from horses with fever and upper respiratory tract infection

“…EQUINE coronavirus (ECoV) has recently been associated clinically and epidemiologically with emerging outbreaks of pyrogenic and enteric disease in adult horses in Japan and the USA (Oue and others 2011, 2013, Pusterla and others 2013). Due to the inconsistent development of enteric signs in horses infected with ECoV and in comparison with the closely related pneumoenteric bovine coronavirus (BCoV), one can only wonder if this virus has a tropism to non-enteric epithelial cells, such as the respiratory epithelium.…”

“…Nucleic acid from nasal secretions was assayed for the presence of ECoV, as previously reported (Pusterla and others 2013). …”

“…It is of interest to notice that ECoV qPCR-positive horses were only detected during the winter and spring months, which is in agreement with the detection of BCoV in nasal secretions of calves with bovine respiratory disease (O'Neill and others 2014). Further, the majority of the ECoV outbreaks reported in the literature occurred during the cold months of the year (Oue and others 2013, Pusterla and others 2013). This may relate to husbandry practices and greater population of healthy foals known to shed ECoV in their faeces, therefore contributing to environmental contamination.…”