Understanding a Deadly Hemorrhagic Disease in Elephants – Fellowship Training Grant

SUMMARY: Researchers will investigate the impact of elephant endotheliotropic herpesvirus hemorrhagic disease in Myanmar’s managed elephant population to help improve health management efforts for Asian elephants.  

THE PROBLEM: Elephant endotheliotropic herpesvirus is a deadly virus that attacks elephant blood vessels. The disease causes heavy blood loss and sudden death and primarily affects calves. It is considered the leading cause of death in young Asian elephants in Western zoos. However, researchers know little about the virus in elephants in their natural range in Asian countries. Recently, there have been increasing reports from Asia of elephant calf deaths caused by the virus, but the full extent of this threat is unknown.  

THE PROJECT: To better understand the impact of EEHV on Asian elephants in their range countries, researchers will conduct an EEHV research project in Myanmar. This country has one of the largest populations of managed elephants in Asia. The elephants are used for logging but can also freely forage and interact with wild elephants. Myanmar is an excellent place to study the virus due to the interaction between managed and wild elephants and the country’s well-documented management practices.    

In this study, researchers will assess how widespread the virus is among Myanmar's managed elephants. The team also will identify which strains are present in the country. Finally, the team will identify factors that may make the virus more likely to cause disease. These include genetics, management, demographics and other factors.  

POTENTIAL IMPACT: This project will collect clinical and field data in a centralized health database to generate the largest elephant health data resource. This will facilitate in-country medical care, promote data sharing, and enable future elephant research. Findings will help researchers determine prevention strategies to lessen the deadly effects of EEHV and help improve the welfare of Asian elephants regionally in Myanmar and worldwide.