T. Fitzmaurice et al., THE PATHOGENESIS OF ED71, A DEFINED DELETION MUTANT OF EQUINE HERPESVIRUS-1, IN A MURINE INTRANASAL INFECTION MODEL FOR EQUINE ABORTION, Journal of General Virology, 78, 1997, pp. 2167-2169
A series of mutants of equine herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1) which contain dele
tions in non-essential genes was previously characterized in a murine
intranasal infection model, One mutant, ED71 which was shown to be att
enuated in the model, was further characterized by inoculation into pr
egnant mice, Despite the attenuation previously reported, intranasal i
noculation of pregnant mice resulted in premature parturition and the
birth of dead or dying foetuses, Furthermore, mice inoculated before p
regnancy with the same mutant, and subsequently challenged 14 days aft
er conception with wild-type virus, were not protected from abortion.