African horse sickness. An overview
African horse sickness (AHS) is an infectious and non-contagious disease of equidae, transmitted by air-borne arthropods. The infectious agent is a dsRNA virus, within the genus Orbivirus of the Reoviridae family. Nine different ASH virus serotypes (AHSV 1-9) have been recognised. Clinical manifestations are mainly related with respiratory and circulatory alterations. AHS is transmitted between its vertebrate hosts exclusively by the bites of certain species of haematophagous arthropods, mainly some species of Culicoides. The disease has seasonal incidence, determined by the presence of the arthropod vectors, the temperature and humidity of the affected area. Horses, mules, donkeys and zebras are sensitive to AHS virus infection, showing different susceptibilities, being horses the most susceptible with a mortality rate frequently exceeding a 90%. A large variety of sensitive and specific laboratory techniques are available for both AHS virus and antibody detection. Live attenuated polyvalent or monovalent vaccines and more recently new vaccines based on purified and inactivated viral particles from serotype 4, have been developed and commercialised. In this review, the authors also discuss different topics related to the AHS control and eradication programmes and preventive measurs that would be applied to avoid its entrance into free areas.
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | artículo de revisión biblioteca |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Springer
2000
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| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12792/1596 http://hdl.handle.net/10261/290763 |
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