Singh et al., Biological Forum – An International Journal 16(12): 83-85(2024) 83 ISSN No. (Print): 0975-1130 ISSN No. (Online): 2249-3239 Equid Alphaherpes Virus 1 Associated Unusual Dermatoses in A Horse- A Case Report Shreeniwas Singh 1 , Shreya Sinha 2* , Sunita Kumari Murmu 1 , Swati Sahay 3 and Amit Kumar Jha 4 1 Assistant Professor, Department of Veterinary Microbiology, CoVSc & AH, Kanke, Ranchi (Jharkhand), India. 2 Assistant Professor, Department of Veterinary Parasitology CoVSc & AH, Kanke, Ranchi (Jharkhand), India. 3 Assistant Professor, Department of Veterinary Medicine, CoVSc & AH, Kanke, Ranchi (Jharkhand), India. 4 Assistant Professor, Department of Veterinary & AH Extension, CoVSc & AH, Kanke, Ranchi (Jharkhand), India. (Corresponding author: Shreya Sinha*) (Received: 11 September 2024; Revised: 15 October 2024; Accepted: 07 November 2024; Published: 14 December 2024) (Published by Research Trend) ABSTRACT: Equid aplphaherpes virus 1 (Equine herpesvirus 1) is a equine viral pathogen which usually cause respiratory disease, abortion and sporadic neurological affections. The case report presents PCR confirmation of Equine herpesvirus 1 infection from a clinical case showing generalized dermatoses. The affected animal had multiple circular nodules with varying degree of ruptured ulcerated areas. Generalized dermatoses in the absence of respiratory signs are not a usual feature of Equine herpesvirus infection. This scientific brief provides first ever clinical case report of Equid alphaherpes virus from Jharkhand, India. Keywords: Equid Alphaherpesvirus 1, Dermatoses. INTRODUCTION Equid Alphaherpes virus type 1 (EHV-1) is a highly contagious viral disease of equine which belong to Herpesviridae family and is generally associated with respiratory, abortion (Goehring et al., 2010) and neurological affections in horses (Pusterla et al., 2021). The virus may undergo latency and reactivate to produce lytic infection at any time. This study investigates two equine cases presenting with distinct clinical symptoms and diagnostic findings. The first case involves a 5-year-old male horse exhibiting cutaneous lesions localized to the thigh, groin, and flank areas. The second case pertains to a 6-year-old female horse presenting with respiratory distress and blood-tinged nasal discharge. Samples collected for diagnostic evaluation included nasal swabs, pus, whole blood, serum, and aspirated fluid, following established guidelines for glanders diagnosis. Molecular diagnostic testing revealed contrasting results: polymerase chain reaction (PCR) identified equine herpesvirus (EHV) in the serum sample of the male horse but not in the female. Conversely, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) detected EHV in the female horse's sample but not in the male. The clinical outcomes also differed: the female horse succumbed to the condition within a few days, while the male horse exhibited recovery. These cases underscore the variability in clinical presentation, diagnostic findings, and outcomes associated with equine herpesvirus infections, necessitating further investigation into the pathogen's behavior and host response MATERIALS AND METHODS Case Presentation. Two equine cases were investigated in this study: a 5-year-old male horse with cutaneous lesions on the thigh, groin, and flank areas (Fig. 1-3), and a 6-year-old female horse with respiratory distress and blood-tinged nasal discharge (Fig. 4&5). Both animals had been previously treated by a local practitioner with Flunixin meglumine at a dose of 1.1 mg/kg body weight intravenously for two days, and Ceftiofur at a dose rate of 6.6 mg/kg body weight intramuscularly. Sample Collection. Samples were collected (Fig. 6) from both animals following standard guidelines for diagnosing glanders and included: Nasal swabs, Pus from lesions, Whole blood, Serum, Aspirated fluid from pus. All samples were stored and transported under refrigerated conditions to the National Research Centre on Equines (NRCE), Hisar, for diagnostic evaluation. Diagnostic Testing. Diagnostic procedures performed at NRCE included the following: Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR): Serum samples were tested to detect equine herpesvirus (EHV) DNA. Results: The male horse tested positive for EHV, while the female horse tested negative. Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA): Serum samples were analyzed for EHV-specific antibodies. Results: The female horse tested positive for EHV antibodies, while the male horse tested negative. Clinical Outcomes. The female horse succumbed to the condition within a few days of presentation, while Biological Forum – An International Journal 16(12): 83-85(2024)