BACKGROUND: Equine arteritis virus (EAV) causes respiratory disease, abortion and sometimes, neurological signs. Stallions which are permanently infected with the virus, are the constant carriers of the virus in their semen and transmit the virus to other horses through sexual contact. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate EAV infection in horses in four provinces of Iran and its relationship with age, sex, and race. METHODS: Blood samples were taken from 149 horses with different sex, age and race with history or clinical signs associated with equine viral arteritis, including the manifestation of respiratory disease (fever, nasal secretion, coughing), nervous signs (ataxia, dysmetria, recumbency) and abortion. The commercial ELISA kit was used for viral antibody detection. RESULTS: From 149 sampled horses, 11 cases (7.4%) were found to be positive for EAV. Seropositive cases were recorded in Tehran (2.7%), Golestan (4.3%), Khuzestan (6.7%) and West Azerbaijan (23.8%) provinces. CONCLUSIONS: This survey confirmed the presence of EVAV in horses from four provinces of Iran with the sensitive (98.3%) and special (98.9%) test. Therefore, consideration should be given to the control and prevention programs for the spread of this virus.

Ninety-one equine aortic and cranial mesenteric arterial segments were evaluated ultrasonographically in a water bath. On the basis of pathologic evidence of verminous arteritis, arterial segments were classified into 4 categories, and the ultrasonographic characteristics of each group were evaluated. Normal arteries (class 1) were ultrasonographically characterized by a smooth luminal surface layer and uniform wall thickness and echogenicity. Arteries with only histopathologic evidence of verminous arteritis (class 2) were ultrasonographically characterized by a smooth luminal surface layer, uniform thickness, uniform echogenicity, and the presence of a hyperechoic luminal layer. Arteries with both gross and histopathologic evidence of verminous arterities (class 3) were characterized ultrasonographically by an irregular luminal surface layer, varying wall thickness, varying wall echogenicity, and the presence of a hyperechoic luminal layer. The ultrasonographic characteristics of arteries with luminal thrombosis (class 4) were an irregular luminal surface, varying wall thickness, and nonuniform echogenicity.

Transrectal ultrasonography was performed on the cranial mesenteric artery and its major branches in 23 conscious adult horses. Ultrasonographically, 25 arterial segments were classified as either normal or abnormal. These ultrasonographic classifications were later compared with the gross and histologic evaluations of each artery following necropsy of each horse. In this study, transrectal ultrasonography as a diagnostic test for verminous arteritis had a 90% sensitivity for detecting normal arteries and an 86% specificity for detecting abnormal arteries, suggesting that ultrasonography may be useful in the antemortem diagnosis of verminous arteritis.

The aim of this study was to establish selective hepatic artery catheterization technique through percutaneous femoral artery puncture and to offer digital subtraction angiography(DSA) of hepatic artery in beagle dogs. Percutaneous femoral artery puncture was performed with Sheldinger's method. Microferret TM- 18 Infusion catheter(William, Cook, Europe) was introduced into abdominal aorta. Then, under fluoroscopy, iopamidol 370(Bracco, Italy) was injected to identify celiac artery and `J' shpaed guide wire was introduced into celiac artery. Catheter could be introduced into celiac artery through guide wire. In this manner, catheter was located at the insertion of hepatic artery and DSA was performed. In DSA of beagle dogs, hepatic artery which was divided into lateral branch, right-medial branch, right-lateral branch of hepatic artery, cystic artery and gastroduodenal artery was opacified without superimposition of any other body structure and so was the parenchyme of liver afterward. In autopsy angiographic finding of resected liver, cystic artery, caudate branch, lateral branch, right-medial branch, right-lateral branch and quadrate branch of hepatic artery were identifed. It was concluded that selective hepatic artery catheterization technique was a minimally invasive method that facillitated the approach of hepatic artery and DSA was an excellent tool to visualize the vessle of liver in dogs.