Excerpts from Equine Disease Communication Center: Disease Factsheet:
Equine Coronavirus
NOTE: Equine Corona Virus -ECoV- is NOT the same virus as Covid-19
Disease Name: Equine Coronavirus, Beta Coronavirus, ECoV
Disease Type: Viral disease caused by an RNA virus. The disease causes gastrointestinal disease in horses.
Transmission: ECoV is spread when feces from an infected horse is ingested by another horse (fecaloral transmission). The virus can also be transmitted when horses make oral contact with surfaces or objects that are contaminated with infected feces. Stalls, muck forks, manure spreaders, thermometers and clothing are common fomites (objects or materials that can harbor ECoV). ECoV is most commonly diagnosed in the winter months.
ECoV appears to be specific for horses with no evidence of infection or that it is transmitted to humans or other animals, however appropriate biosecurity measures should be practiced with all horses with diarrhea or when horses are showing clinical signs consistent with ECoV.
Frequency: Low Incubation period: 2-4 days
Carrier status: Carrier status is currently unknown but horses with no clinical signs have been found to shed the virus.
Shedding period: Shedding period is unknown but the virus can be present in samples 3-15 days post infection; horses that show no evidence of the virus can shed the virus.
Latency: It is unknown how soon infected horses become infectious, but the feces of infected horses does pose a risk to other horses.
Severity: Low but mortality can occur in complicated cases. Miniature horses seem to be more affected more often than other breeds/types, but all breeds can be affected. ECoV infections are generally self-limiting. Clinical signs and symptoms:
• Fever up to 105° F (40.5° C)
• Lack of appetite
• Depression
• Colic
• Laying down frequently
• Diarrhea (may or may not present)
• Low white blood cell count
