Clinical characteristics of elephant endotheliotropic herpesvirus (EEHV) cases in Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) in Thailand during 2006–2019

Veterinary Quarterly

Taweepoke Angkawanish¹  Kittikul Namwongprom¹  Yaoprapa Yun²  Chatchote Thitaram²  Janine L. Brown²  Pallop Tankaew²  Khajohnpat Boonprasert²  Supaphen Sripiboon³  Kidsadagon Pringproa⁴  Phongsakorn Chuammitri⁴  Veerasak Punyapornwithaya⁵  Orapun Arjkumpa⁶ 

[1] Elephant Hospital, National Elephant Institute (NEI), Forest Industry Organization;Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Center of Elephant and Wildlife Research, Chiang Mai University (FVM-CMU);Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Large Animal and Wildlife Clinical Sciences, Kasetsart University (FVM-KU), Kamphaeng Saen Campus;Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Veterinary Biosciences and Public Health, Chiang Mai University;Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Veterinary Public Health and Food Safety Centre for Asia Pacific, Chiang Mai University;Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Provincial Livestock Office;

关键词: asian elephant;    elephas maximus;    elephant endotheliotropic herpesvirus (eehv);    clinical characteristics;    retrospective study;    thailand;   

DOI  :  10.1080/01652176.2021.1980633

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

Background Elephant endotheliotropic herpesvirus causes a hemorrhagic disease (EEHV-HD) that is a major cause of death in juvenile Asian elephants with EEHV1 and EEHV4 being the most prevalent. Aim To perform a retrospective clinical data analysis. Methods Records of a total of 103 cases in Thailand confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) on blood and/or tissue samples. Results The severity of clinical signs varied among EEHV subtypes. EEHV1A was the most prevalent with 58%, followed by EEHV4 with 34%, EEHV1B with 5.8% and EEHV1&4 co-infection with 1.9%. Overall case fatality rate was 66%. When compared among subtypes, 100% case fatality rate was associated with EEHV1&4 co-infection, 83% with EEHV1B, 75% with EEHV1A, and the lowest at 40% for EEHV4. Calves 2- to 4-year old were in the highest age risk group and exhibited more severe clinical signs with the highest mortality. Majority of cases were found in weaned or trained claves and higher number of cases were observed in rainy season. A gender predilection could not be demonstrated. Severely affected elephants presented with thrombocytopenia, depletion of monocytes, lymphocytes and heterophils, a monocyte:heterophil (M:H) ratio lower than 2.37, hypoproteinemia (both albumin and globulin), severe grade of heterophil toxicity, and low red blood cell counts and pack cell volumes. Survival was not affected by antiviral drug treatment in the severely compromised animals. Conclusion Early detection by laboratory testing and aggressive application of therapies comprising of supportive and anti-viral treatment can improve survival outcomes of this disease.

【 授权许可】

Unknown