Equine Gamma Herpesvirus Presence and Viral Load Are Not Associated with Equine Glandular Gastric Disease

OBJECTIVE:To investigate the role of equine herpesvirus-2 (EHV-2) and equine herpesvirus-5 (EHV-5) in equine glandular gastric disease (EGGD) by visualizing and quantifying these gamma herpesviruses in EGGD-affected and normal glandular gastric mucosa of horses. A secondary objective was to describe the histopathological abnormalities in the equine gastric glandular mucosa in horses with EGGD.ANIMALS:29 horses (n = 21 postmortem and 8 gastroscopy) categorized as normal (11), EGGD (12), or both EGGD and equine squamous gastric disease (6).METHODS:Glandular gastric mucosal samples were collected from horses by gastroscopy or postmortem. Histopathology and in situ hybridization targeting EHV-2 and EHV-5 were performed on grossly normal and abnormal glandular gastric mucosa. The number of in situ hybridization-positive cells per millimeter squared of tissue was calculated. Evaluators were blinded to groups.RESULTS:Glandular gastric tissues from horses without EGGD had higher viral loads in the mucosa than normal or abnormal tissues from EGGD horses. There was no difference in viral loads for EHV-2 or EHV-5 between grossly or endoscopically normal to abnormal gastric tissues within horses with EGGD. Lymphocytic plasmacytic gastritis was the most common histopathological abnormality, with only 3 horses having mucosal disruption (glandular ulcer or erosion).CLINICAL RELEVANCE:Equine gamma herpesviruses are unlikely to play a role in the pathophysiology of EGGD. EGGD is frequently inflammatory with occasional mucosal disruption (ulcer or erosion).