Non-primate hepacivirus transmission and prevalence: Novel findings of virus circulation in horses and dogs in Morocco

Equine Hepacivirus: A Systematic Review and a Meta-Analysis of Serological and Biomolecular Prevalence and a Phylogenetic Update

“…When Burbelo et al in 2012 [ 1 ] first described EqHV in horses, among their serum samples there were also commercial horse serum pools and one of them, from New Zealand, had a positive result for EqHV: its sequence showed identity with the previously discovered CHV [ 8 ], suggesting the possibility of EqHV of a spillover from horses to dogs, posing a high threat for veterinary horse product. The hypothesis of a cross species transmission is supported by the fact that other studies [ 38 , 39 ] report dogs that had come into regular contact with EqHV positive horses and tested positive themselves, or seropositive. Speculations can be made that either vaccine products contaminated with EqHV positive horse sera, food (offals given as food), or horizontal transmission caused by sharing the same environment could be the sources of infection in dogs [ 11 , 17 , 19 , 21 , 27 , 29 , 30 , 31 , 39 , 40 , 41 ].…”

“…The hypothesis of a cross species transmission is supported by the fact that other studies [ 38 , 39 ] report dogs that had come into regular contact with EqHV positive horses and tested positive themselves, or seropositive. Speculations can be made that either vaccine products contaminated with EqHV positive horse sera, food (offals given as food), or horizontal transmission caused by sharing the same environment could be the sources of infection in dogs [ 11 , 17 , 19 , 21 , 27 , 29 , 30 , 31 , 39 , 40 , 41 ].…”

“…EqHV infections in horses have been recorded worldwide, from Europe [ 18 , 19 , 29 , 33 , 34 , 38 , 42 , 43 , 44 , 45 , 46 , 47 , 48 ] to Africa [ 39 , 49 ], from America [ 1 , 22 , 50 , 51 , 52 ] to Asia [ 26 , 32 , 53 , 54 , 55 , 56 , 57 , 58 , 59 , 60 ] and even Oceania [ 61 ]. Details on the features of each study are presented in Table 2 .…”

“…Even though definitive data are not available, it has been reported that certain breeds, individuals, and production areas are particularly susceptible when studying EqHV prevalence: for example, young horses [ 25 , 39 , 46 , 49 , 52 , 54 , 56 ], Thoroughbreds [ 19 , 34 , 45 , 46 , 49 , 54 , 56 ], competition horses [ 50 , 54 , 55 , 58 ], and females [ 52 , 59 ]. In this chapter the main risk factors: age, breed, sex, and production category will be examined.…”

Expanded Diversity and Host Range of Bovine Hepacivirus—Genomic and Serological Evidence in Domestic and Wild Ruminant Species

“…Nevertheless, the authors of the mentioned study suspected the sequences to be derived from the ticks’ vertebrate host. A broader host range has been described for rodent, bat, and primate hepaciviruses [ 9 , 11 , 24 , 25 ] and is even exceeded by EqHV infections, which have not only been detected in horses, donkeys, and mules, but also sporadically in dogs [ 6 , 7 , 26 , 52 , 58 , 59 ]. The origin of EqHV in dogs is not fully understood.…”