Equine Rotavirus Flashcards
What is the most common cause of foal enteritis?
equine rotavirus
What type of horse does rotavirus affect?
only affects foals
How do foals get rotavirus?
it is unknown
Can mares shed the virus?
no
How long can the virus remain viable in the environment?
as long as 9 months
When is there a potential for an outbreak?
after the first clinical case appears
What animals shed the virus into the environment?
large concentrations shed by diarrheic animals
How is rotavirus transmitted?
by the fecal-oral route through contaminated feces or fomites (eating poop)
Is rotavirus contagious?
yes, highly contagious
What is the incubation period of rotavirus?
12-24 hours
What % of broodmares in highly populated equine areas are seropositive?
close to 100%
What age of foals are affected?
2-155 days of age
How long does diarrhea last?
1-9 days
How long does virus shedding continue for after diarrhea recedes?
up to 3 days
Can a foal get rotavirus again after having the virus?
no
What is the mortality of rotavirus?
low with supportive care
What is the morbidity of rotavirus?
high morbidity
When can foals come out of isolation?
3 days after diarrhea has stopped
What outbreak occurred in 2021 in Kentucky?
Novel Rotavirus (type B)
-no vaccine available
Pathogenesis of rotavirus?
-destroys the villous tips in duodenum and jejunum, blunting the villi
-Result: hyperosmotic solution in intestine, malabsorption and maldigestion of nutrients (influx of water into the intestinal lumen)
Clinical signs of rotavirus:
-lethargy, decreased suckling, diarrhea (paste or watery)
-may be projectile diarrhea
-fever may or may not be present
-dehydration
What is the commercial diagnosis?
fecal samples (submitted within 8 hours or refrigerated)
-results within 15 minutes
Is virus isolation reliable?
no
-rotavirus is difficult to grow in cell culture
Is serology reliable?
no
How many negative tests does it take to rule out rotavirus?
3
What are some diagnoses that may differentiate from rotavirus?
-salmonella
-clostridium
-parasites
Treatment of rotavirus:
-IV fluids with electrolytes
-peptobysmol
-mineral oil
-activated charcoal (binds toxins so horse can poop it out)
-possibly antibiotics
-NSAIDS for pain
-omeprazole to prevent gastric ulcers
-clean and dry stalls
-diaper rash creams
What should the stall be made out of with a sick horse?
painted cinderblocks – easy to clean and disinfect (not porous)
-wood is not easy to disinfect/clean
What is the pH rotavirus is stable in?
pH 3-7
What is rotavirus resistant to?
-iodophor
-quaternary ammonium
-chlorine
-bleach
What can inactivate the virus?
-ethanol
-formalin
Is rotavirus easy to disinfect for?
no
When should pregnant mares be vaccinated for rotavirus?
8, 9, and 10 months
Management to prevent rotavirus?
-cleanliness
-do not spread manure or muck of affected animals to pasture
-compost manure
What are other causes of diarrhea in foals?
-salmonella
-clostridium perfringens and C. difficile (hemorrhagic diarrhea in foals)
-coronavirus
-lawsonia (rickettsia)
-cryptosporidium (protozoa)
-parasite: strongyles westeri
