A simple and rapid immunoperoxidase test for the identification of equine herpesvirus-1

Authors: Motha MXJ, Chote KJ
Publication: New Zealand Veterinary Journal, Volume 46, Issue 2, pp 80, Apr 1998
Publisher: Taylor and Francis

Animal type: Horse, Livestock
Subject Terms: Diagnostic procedures, Viral, Disease/defect, Infectious disease
Article class: Correspondence

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Abstract: Equine herpesvirus 1 (EHV1) is an alphaherpesvirus which is a major cause of abortion in mares and it is of a considerable economic importance worldwide (Crabb and Studdert, 1996). EHV-1 has been isolated in New Zealand from cases of abortion and perinatal mortalities (Hutton and Durham, 1997; Horner, 1989). Recently, a herpesvirus was isolated from a lung sample from an aborted foetus and this virus was identified as EHV1 by the immunoperoxidase technique with the use of a monoclonal antibody specific for EHV1. The lung tissue from the aborted foetus was processed and inoculated on to equine foetal kidney and RK13 cell cultures. Early signs of a cytopathic effect (CPE) in the form of three to five foci were observed in the RK13 cell cultures 2 days after inoculation. The CPE was characterised by focal rounding and aggregation of cells suggestive of a herpesvirus CPE. The cells were washed once with 0.15 M sodium chloride solution and fixed immediately using 20% acetone solution for 5 minutes. The cell sheet was dried for 2 hours at 37ºC and stained by the immunoperoxidase technique (Meyling, 1984). For the staining, two monoclonal antibodies were used on duplicate cell cultures showing CPE. The first monoclonal antibody was…

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