EEHV-HD (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Env and Eco)

Context: According to WHO-UNICEF, India had the highest number of unvaccinated children for measles in 2023, totaling 1.6 million cases. 

• Additionally, a rise in calf deaths linked to Elephant Endotheliotropic Herpesviruses – Haemorrhagic Disease (EEHV-HD) has been reported.

Elephant Endotheliotropic Herpesviruses – Haemorrhagic Disease (EEHV-HD)

• About: It is responsible for one of the most devastating viral infectious diseases in elephants worldwide, particularly affecting young Asian elephants.
• Classification: EEHV is classified in the family Herpesviridae.
• Prevalence in Captive Elephants: The prevalence of EEHV in captive Asian elephants in North America and Europe has been well documented.
• First Incidence Reported in India: The incidence of EEHV-HD was first reported in India in 1997, with 9 of 15 potential cases confirmed from Southern India, including wild free-ranging calves in Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu forest reserves, and Madras Zoo.
• Transmission Pathways: 

oSaliva

oBreast milk

oNasal secretions

oVaginal secretions

oTrunk-to-trunk contacts

oHost Specificity

• The disease exclusively affects elephants and is not infectious to humans or other animals.
• Symptoms of EEHV-HD: Lethargy, Selective appetite to complete anorexia, Pyrexia, Edema of the head, trunk, and limbs, Reduced trunk movement, Lacrimation (sometimes) etc.
• Diagnosis: Encephalomyocarditis virus, Clostridial Enterotoxaemia, Anthrax, Pasteurellosis, Salmonellosis, and Hypovitaminosis E.
• Diagnostic Testing: Detection of EEHV and its subtypes is confirmed through Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) assays.