China Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine ›› 2024, Vol. 51 ›› Issue (3): 1232-1240.doi: 10.16431/j.cnki.1671-7236.2024.03.035

• Preventive Veterinary Medicine • Previous Articles     Next Articles

A Review of Diagnostic Techniques for African Horse Sickness

QIAN Jiahao1,2, ZHOU Shizhong1, ZHANG Boyuan1, GAO Jianshuai1, DING Jiabo1, SHEN Qingchun1, WANG Chunfeng2   

  1. 1. Institute of Animal Sciences of CAAS, Beijing 100193, China;
    2. College of Animal Science and Technology, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun 130118, China
  • Received:2023-07-06 Online:2024-03-05 Published:2024-02-27

Abstract: African horse sickness (AHS) is an acute and subacute insect borne infectious and highly contagious and rapidly fatal infectious disease of equids caused by African horse sickness virus (AHSV).It is characterized by symptoms such as fever,subcutaneous swelling,and internal organ hemorrhaging.AHS is classified as a notifiable disease by the World Animal Health Organization and is also categorized as Class Ⅰ animal diseases in China.Recent data from the World Animal Health Information System indicates that AHS has been spreading in Africa and neighboring Southeast Asian regions,which are in close proximity to China.The situation is considered extremely severe.China’s official strategy for the prevention and control of AHS involves strict monitoring of equids with a focus on border areas and ports,along with the timely removal of infected animals.This article provides a comprehensive overview of the advancements and recent research developments in the field of AHS diagnostics,both in terms of pathogenetics and serology.Pathogenetic diagnostic techniques encompass virus isolation,RT-PCR,isothermal amplification,and gene chip technology.Virus isolation remains the classical gold standard for definitive diagnosis.RT-PCR and Real-time quantitative RT-PCR techniques are commonly employed in laboratory settings.Isothermal amplification methods such as loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP),recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA),and recombinase-aided amplification (RAA) are suited for rapid on-site diagnosis.Gene chip technology allows for the simultaneous detection of multiple pathogens.In the realm of serological diagnostics,methods include ELISA,virus neutralization tests,and complement fixation tests.Among these,RT-PCR,Real-time quantitative RT-PCR,and ELISA are recommended as the primary diagnostic methods by both the World Animal Health Organization and the "African Horse Sickness Diagnostic Techniques" (GB/T 21675—2022) guidelines.In recent years,the emergence of high-throughput metagenomic techniques based on next-generation sequencing has enabled simultaneous quantitative detection of various pathogens,greatly enhancing diagnostic accuracy and efficiency of dieases.The development and application of new technologies,such as cloud-based platforms and the Internet of Things,in disease intelligence monitoring and warning systems,promise to offer more scientifically rigorous and precise technical support for the monitoring and prevention of AHS.

Key words: African horse sickness; diagnostic techniques; pathogenic diagnosis; serological diagnosis

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