Charles J. Issel, DVM, PhD

Maxwell H. Gluck Equine Research Center
Department of Veterinary Science
University of Kentucky Lexington, Kentucky 40546-0099

Our research, continuous since 1974, involves equine infectious anemia from A to Z. We are working with the national and international veterinary community to develop and implement sensitive, specific and practical diagnostic tests for EIA to complement the “Coggins” test in effective control programs.

At the same time we are studying the intricacies of the EIA virus (EIAV), a lentivirus, in an attempt to define the genetic and antigenic variations in this highly mutable agent and how it impacts protective immunity, i.e., vaccine design and efficacy. This work is valuable in its own right as well as being of comparative value as a model for AIDS.