Equine encephalosis virus

rdf:langString Equine encephalosis virus

rdf:langString "Equine encephalosis virus" virion particles

rdf:langString Equine encephalosis virus virion particles

rdf:langString Orbivirus

rdf:langString Equine encephalosis virus

rdf:langString Equine encephalosis virus (EEV) is a species of virus the Orbivirus genus, and a member of the Reoviridae family, related to African horse sickness virus (AHSV) and Bluetongue virus (BTV). First described in South Africa over a hundred years ago by Arnold Theiler, EEV is the causative agent of equine encephalosis (EE), an arthropod-borne disease transmitted by the Culicoides spp. midges affecting all equids.Since then the disease has become both widespread and prevalent, taking on epidemic proportions in certain parts of the country. Serological studies estimated a presence of anti-EEV antibodies in over 75% of all South African horses. Prior to 2008, Equine encephalosis virus had been identified and isolated only in South Africa, where seven antigenetically distinct serotypes, EEV1-7, have been characterised.In 2009, the outbreak of a febrile horse disease across Israel, later diagnosed as EEV, caused great concern primarily due to the similarity of EEV with the African horse sickness virus, one of the most devastating equine pathogens.