Researchers from France have determined equine herpesvirus (EHV)-2 and -5 might play a small role in equine abortion. They used a sensitive and rapid polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test–one that can identify sections of viral DNA–in their study.

EHV-1 is known to be the major herpesvirus responsible for equine abortion. The overall importance of the other EHVsin the horse industry has remained unclear. (For more on the different strains of EHV, see "Herpes by the Numbers" in the Equine Herpesvirus PDF download.)

According to Klaus Osterrieder, DVM, DVM Habilitation (German equivalent to a PhD), professor of Virology, College of Veterinary Medicine at Cornell University, "Abortion in mares, primarily due to infection with EHV-1, is common and is a major contributor to financial loss to the horse-breeding sector of the equine industry."

Stephane Pronost, head manager of the Research and Development department in the Frank Duncombe Laboratory (France) and colleagues collected tissue samples from 407 aborted fetuses, stillbirths, and premature (up to 7-day-old) foals from 225 farms in western France between October 2002 and June 2005. They extracted DNA from the lungs and placenta and used the herpesvirus PCR test to determine the contribution of each of the herpesviruses to equine abortion