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📢 New research from the Virology Lab at Ghent University 🐴

7 Oct 2025

Streptococcus equi subsp. zooepidemicus Supernatant Containing Streptolysin S Alters the Equine Nasal and Vaginal Mucosa, Modulating Equine Herpesvirus 1, 3 and 4 Infections

The team found that the streptolysin S (SLS) toxin produced by S. equi subsp. zooepidemicus can damage nasal and vaginal epithelial tissues in horses. This epithelial disruption was shown to facilitate replication of equine herpesviruses(EHV-1, EHV-3, EHV-4) in these tissues.


💡 Key insight: bacterial toxins like SLS may create a more permissive environment for viral infections — an important factor in understanding equine disease dynamics.


👇 Read the full text

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