Equine Adenovirus

• Rarely causes primary disease
• Exception: immune-compromised Arab foals (showing both B/T cell deficiencies), causing necrotising bronchiolitis

Adenovirus in equine lung (Image sourced from Bristol Biomed Image Archive with permission)

• Adenoviridae
• May cause necrotising bronchiolitis in immune-deficient foals (Arabian foals)
• Grossly:
  • Atelectasis and consolidation of lobules in cranioventral region
  • Mucopurulent exudate in airways
• Histologically:
  • Severe bronchiolitis, necrotising -> proliferative
  • Bronchiolar obstruction by sloughed debri and neutrophils -> alveolar atelectasis
• May lead to secondary bacterial infections