Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42380996›Full record

ArticleActa veterinaria Scandinavica2026

Detection of equine parapoxvirus in the stable environment during pastern dermatitis outbreak in Finland.

Sanna Tervo, Kirsi Aaltonen, Katja Hautala, Mira Utriainen, Luukas Pennström, Tarja Sironen, Paula M Kinnunen, Jenni Pettersson

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Acta veterinaria Scandinavica, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Sanna TervoDepartment of Veterinary Biosciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, Agnes Sjöbergin Katu 2, 00790, Helsinki, Finland.
Kirsi AaltonenDepartment of Veterinary Biosciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, Agnes Sjöbergin Katu 2, 00790, Helsinki, Finland.
Katja HautalaDepartment of Veterinary Biosciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, Agnes Sjöbergin Katu 2, 00790, Helsinki, Finland.
Mira UtriainenDepartment of Virology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Haartmaninkatu 3, 00290, Helsinki, Finland.
Luukas PennströmDepartment of Veterinary Biosciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, Agnes Sjöbergin Katu 2, 00790, Helsinki, Finland.
Tarja SironenDepartment of Veterinary Biosciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, Agnes Sjöbergin Katu 2, 00790, Helsinki, Finland.
Paula M KinnunenDepartment of Veterinary Biosciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, Agnes Sjöbergin Katu 2, 00790, Helsinki, Finland.
Jenni PetterssonDepartment of Veterinary Biosciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, Agnes Sjöbergin Katu 2, 00790, Helsinki, Finland. jenni.pettersson@helsinki.fi.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6518-3088

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundEquine parapoxvirus (EqPPV) has emerged as a cause of recurring pastern dermatitis outbreaks in horses in Finland. First detected in 2013, EqPPV has since been associated with potentially hundreds of clinical cases and suspected zoonotic transmission. Based on serological data and field reports, EqPPV causes pastern dermatitis outbreaks in Finland every few years. This study aimed to investigate the environmental presence and plausible transmission dynamics of the virus to prepare for future outbreaks and give targeted guidelines to stable staff and veterinarians.

resultsAfter a large-scale EqPPV outbreak affecting hundreds of horses occurred in Finland in winter 2021-2022, PCR diagnostics was carried out whenever EqPPV was suspected to monitor the situation (25 trotting horses from 20 stables between April 2022 and May 2025). Following a period with no detected EqPPV cases from April 2022 to January 2025, a new outbreak occurred in early 2025. Between February and May 2025, the majority of Finnish trotting stables (8/10) submitting diagnostic equine samples, tested positive for EqPPV DNA. Environmental samples (n = 161) were collected from six case stables and two control stables from various surfaces in direct or indirect contact with horses. EqPPV DNA was detected on grooming tools, stall infrastructure, bedding, materials handled by humans, and hands of humans, suggesting multiple possible indirect transmission routes and large-scale spread of EqPPV DNA in infected stables. Notably, 83.3% (5/6) of the tested case stables had EqPPV PCR-positive environmental samples and 17.4% (24/138) of all environmental samples tested positive.

conclusionsThis study confirms a recent EqPPV outbreak in Finnish trotting stables and demonstrates the presence of EqPPV DNA in clinically affected horses and the stable environment, e.g. common spaces and shared equipment. Detection of EqPPV DNA on common equipment and spaces, and on personnel shows a widespread environmental distribution during the outbreak. Overall, these findings underscore the high potential for reoccurring outbreaks and the importance of continued surveillance and early implementation of hygiene and preventative practices to minimize the effect of future outbreaks.

Indexed as

DermatitisDisease OutbreaksHorse DiseasesParapoxvirusPoxviridae InfectionsAnimalsFinlandHorsesPolymerase Chain ReactionDiagnosticsEnvironmental samplingEquine parapoxvirusPastern dermatitisPCRVirus transmission

Identifiers

PMID42380996
PMCPMC13613859

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.