Equine coital rash (ECE) is a highly contagious benign disease that induces lesions on the external genitals, and it is caused by the equine herpesvirus type 3 (EHV-3). The disease is globally distributed and affects only equids. However, its presence in Chile has not been documented from a genetic point of view. Here, we performed PCR screenings for EHV-3 in genital lesions of external genitals in four horses belonging to a riding station at Bulnes, Ñuble Region, Chile. We sequenced a fragment of the glycoprotein g ( gG) gene of this alphaherpesvirus, from three horses which signology compatible with ECE. The sequences were identical between them and 99.7% similar to a haplotype of EHV-3 detected in Brazil. A phylogenetic analysis pointed that our consensus sequence forms a clade with homologue isolates obtained from Japan, Russia and Brazil. Our results show the presence of EHV-3 for the first time in horses with ECE in Chile.

Trichinellosis is a worldwide disease that is considered emerging and neglected. Several hosts have been recognized around the world, however, there is a lack of knowledge of the role of free-range mammals in Chile. Herein we examined 555 individuals among American minks (Neovison vison Schreber, 1777. n = 100) and several myomorph rodent species (Muridae and Cricetidae. n = 455) from southern Chile with artificial digestion and molecular analyses. Rodents were captured in agricultural and wild protected areas, while minks were captured in mixed agricultural and unprotected wild areas. One rat (0.24%) in the Ñuble Administrative Region and seven minks (8.2%) in the Los Ríos Region were infected with Trichinella spiralis Owen, 1835. Our results suggest that native rodents are of low or null importance in the reservoir of T. spiralis in Chile. Conversely, our results suggest that T. spiralis is circulating in minks, but with low prevalence. Further studies are needed to assess whether minks are maintaining T. spiralis life cycle or are a dead-end host of this parasite in Chile. This study represents the first record of T. spiralis in a mustelid mammal in South America, increasing the number of free-range species that could participate in the reservoir.

Carnivore protoparvovirus 1 is one of the most important pathogens affecting both wild and domestic carnivores. Here, we reported the genetic characterization of canine parvovirus strains from a rescued guiña (Leopardus guigna) and domestic dogs from Chile. Guiña sequence was classified as CPV-2c and phylogenetic analysis of the complete coding genome showed that the guiña CPV-2c strain share a recent common ancestor with Chilean domestic dogs strains. These viruses presented >99% identity and showed three changes in the NS1 protein, CHL-17 V596A, CHL-71 E661K and CHL-guigna L582F. This is the first detection and genetic characterization of CPV-2c infection in guiña worldwide and one of the few comparative studies that undoubtedly determine that the source of infection were domestic dogs. The current findings highlight that guiña is a susceptible species to protoparvovirus infection and that domestic dogs represent an important thread to its conservation. The CPV cross-species transmission between domestic dogs and guiña should be taken into account for protection programs of this endangerous species.