The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) awarded a $313,718.39 Project Grant under the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) program to The Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania, doing business as the Clinical Practices of the University of Pennsylvania. The grant will fund a 4-year research project to study equine hepacivirus (EQHV), a common virus that can cause deadly hepatitis in horses. The research aims to: (1) model EQHV transmission and infection patterns in horse herds, (2) characterize the clinical progression of chronic EQHV hepatitis, and (3) identify risk factors for persistent infection and severe disease. The project's significance is to establish a foundation for EQHV disease diagnosis, prevention, and control strategies, which could lead to the development of vaccines, treatments, and management policies for this emerging equine liver disease. The grant award began on December 15, 2024 and is scheduled for completion by December 31, 2025.
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