Abstract
We evaluated loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay for equine herpesvirus type 1 (EHV-1) with regard to its utility in diagnosing equine rhinopneumonitis (ERV) in aborted fetuses. The LAMP assay was compared with the current EHV-1 antigen detection method using the complement fixation (CF) method.The LAMP assay and the CF method were performed using 115 samples, comprising 58 lungs and 57 thymuses collected from 58 aborted fetuses. The LAMP assay detected EHV-1 in 48 samples collected from aborted fetuses diagnosed with ERV, whereas the CF method only detected EHV-1 in 41 of 48 samples. The LAMP assay detected EHV-1 in 2 of 64 samples, which were diagnosed with non-ERV by the CF method. These two samples were positive for EHV-1 by a PCR assay. These results indicate that the LAMP assay is more sensitive and specific than the CF method. In addition, the LAMP assay was able to diagnose three samples, which were unable to be diagnosed using the CF method because of anti-complement reaction. The LAMP assay should be useful in the diagnosis of ERV in aborted fetuses.
