EN
Equine arteritis virus (EAV) belongs to the family Arteriviridae of the order Nidovirales. The viral genome composed by single-stranded positive sense RNA is enclosed in a icosahedral nucleocapsid and surrounded by a proteolipid envelope. The genome consists of nine open reading frames (ORFs) coding both structural and non-structural proteins. Although only one serotype of EAV is distinguished, field isolates differ in virulence and pathogenicity. The EAV infection is usually subclinical. 30-60% of stallions after infection become persistent carriers of the virus and can shed EAV with their semen during next several weeks, months or even years. Mares covered by EAV shedding stallions can result in abortions, fetus resorptions, infertility and even death of the newborn foals that lead to large losses in horse breeding. Seropositive stallions sheding the virus in their semen are the main reservoir of the virus; the control of the disease, therefore, should be based on their identification and elimination from breeding. Genetic variability of EAV can lead to the increase of virulence of the isolates and to changes in viral properties having an impact on the results of laboratory testing. Researching genetic modification of the viral genome provides important information about the changes in the nucleotide sequence of currently circulating strains and about the direction of EAV evolution. The purpose of the review is to present current data concerning molecular biology and diagnostics of equine arteritis virus infections.