The First Detection of Equine Coronavirus in Adult Horses and Foals in Ireland

Nemoto, Manabu; Schofield, Warren; Cullinane, Ann

Two positive samples were collected from Thoroughbred foals. A faeces sample collected from one foal with severe watery diarrhoea and inappetance was positive for ECoV but a sample collected three days later tested negative. A potential difficulty in detecting ECoV from naturally infected horses has been noted previously as serial samples from seven sick horses in the USA suggested that ECoV only persisted for three to nine days in faeces [3] . In both cases, the diarrhoea may have been caused by other unidentified coinfecting pathogens as has been suggested by investigators in the USA [12] . This is the first report of ECoV detection in faeces samples from both foals and adult horses in Ireland. The viruses identified in Ireland are genetically closely related to the Japanese viruses and the results of this study give no indication of significant genetic or phenotypic diversity. In recent years, there has been an increase in awareness and testing for ECoV in the USA and elsewhere [10] . Horse breeding and racing activities in Ireland are the most prominent and important of any country on a per capita basis. There are over 50 Thoroughbred horses per 10,000 of population in Ireland, compared to between three and five for Great Britain, France and the USA [19] . Thus, an investigation of ECoV in Ireland is pertinent not only to increase awareness nationally of the epidemiology of the virus and promote discussion on its clinical importance, but also to inform the industry globally of the health status of Irish horses. Ireland exports horses all over the world. By illustration, in 2016 the country was the second biggest seller of bloodstock at public auctions second only to the USA [19] .