Topic:Antibodies
Antibodies in horses are specialized proteins produced by the immune system in response to foreign substances, known as antigens. These substances can include pathogens such as bacteria, viruses, and parasites. Antibodies function by recognizing and binding to specific antigens, thereby neutralizing them or marking them for destruction by other immune cells. In equine health, antibodies are integral to both natural immune responses and those induced by vaccinations. The study of antibodies in horses encompasses their production, diversity, and role in disease resistance and management. This page gathers peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the generation, function, and implications of antibodies in equine immunology and disease control.
Development of a sensitive competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for serodiagnosis of Burkholderia mallei, a Tier 1 select agent. Glanders is a highly contagious and potentially serious disease caused by Burkholderia mallei, a Tier 1 select agent. In this study, we raised a monoclonal antibody (mAb) against the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) of B. mallei and developed a competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (cELISA) for B. mallei infection. Using the titrated optimal conditions of B. mallei-LPS (2 ng) for microtiter plate coating, sample serum dilution at 1:20 and 3.5 ng/μL anti-LPS mAb B5, the cutoff value of the cELISA was determined using serum samples from 136 glanders-free seronegative horses in Hong Kong. All ca...
Modelling Mutation in Equine Infectious Anemia Virus Infection Suggests a Path to Viral Clearance with Repeated Vaccination. Equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV) is a lentivirus similar to HIV that infects horses. Clinical and experimental studies demonstrating immune control of EIAV infection hold promise for efforts to produce an HIV vaccine. Antibody infusions have been shown to block both wild-type and mutant virus infection, but the mutant sometimes escapes. Using these data, we develop a mathematical model that describes the interactions between antibodies and both wild-type and mutant virus populations, in the context of continual virus mutation. The aim of this work is to determine whether repeated vaccinat...
Development and Use of an Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay to Determine Temporal Exposure Patterns to Putative Agents of Nocardioform Placentitis. Cases of nocardioform placentitis are characterized by focal, mucoid placentitis resulting in late-term abortion, premature birth, or small, full-term foals, occur sporadically, and are most commonly associated with Crossiella equi and Amycolatopsis spp. infection. The goal of this project was to develop an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for quantifying antibodies against Crossiella equi and Amycolatopsis spp. and utilize the ELISA to determine when exposure occurs. Serum samples collected during the 2020 foaling season from Crossiella equi (n = 8) and Amycolatopsis spp. (n = 32...
Characterization of immunoglobulin and cytokine responses in Burkholderia mallei infected equids. Burkholderia mallei causes a highly fatal infectious disease in equines known as glanders. It is one of the OIE listed notifiable diseases, which entails strict control policy measures once B. mallei infection is confirmed in the susceptible hosts. Humans, especially equine handlers, veterinary professionals and laboratory workers are at greater risk to acquire the B. mallei infection directly through prolonged contact with glanderous equines, and indirectly through unprotected handling of B. mallei contaminated materials. Further, natural resistance of B. mallei to multiple antibiotics, aeros...
Development of Antibody Detection ELISA Based on Immunoreactive Toxins and Toxin-Derived Peptides to Evaluate the Neutralization Potency of Equine Plasma against Naja atra in Taiwan. , also known as Taiwanese cobra, is one of the most prevalent venomous snakes in Taiwan. Clinically, freeze-dried neurotoxic antivenom (FNAV) produced from horses by Taiwan Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has been the only approved treatment for envenoming for the last few decades. During antivenom production, large numbers of mice are used in the in vivo assay to determine whether the neutralization potency of hyperimmunized equines is satisfactory for large-scale harvesting. However, this in vivo assay is extremely laborious, expensive, and significantly impairs animal welfare. In the pre...
Susceptibility of livestock to SARS-CoV-2 infection. We report pilot studies to evaluate the susceptibility of common domestic livestock (cattle, sheep, goat, alpaca, rabbit, and horse) to intranasal infection with SARS-CoV-2. None of the infected animals shed infectious virus via nasal, oral, or faecal routes, although viral RNA was detected in several animals. Further, neutralizing antibody titres were low or non-existent one month following infection. These results suggest that domestic livestock are unlikely to contribute to SARS-CoV-2 epidemiology.
Randomized, controlled trial comparing Rhodococcus equi and poly-N-acetyl glucosamine hyperimmune plasma to prevent R equi pneumonia in foals. Hyperimmune plasma raised against β-1→6-poly-N-acetyl glucosamine (PNAG HIP) mediates more opsonophagocytic killing of Rhodococcus equi (R equi) than does R equi hyperimmune plasma (RE HIP) in vitro. The relative efficacy of PNAG HIP and RE HIP to protect foals against R equi pneumonia, however, has not been evaluated. Objective: Transfusion with PNAG HIP will be superior to RE HIP in foals for protection against R equi pneumonia in a randomized, controlled, blinded clinical trial. Methods: Four hundred sixty Quarter Horse and Thoroughbred foals at 5 large breeding farms in the Un...
Horses affected by EPM have increased sCD14 compared to healthy horses. Equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM) is a debilitating neurologic disease affecting horses across the Americas. Gaps in understanding the inflammatory immune response in EPM-affected horses create difficulties with diagnosis and treatment, subsequently negatively impacting the prognosis of affected horses. The purpose of the current study was to evaluate circulating levels of the inflammatory immune marker soluble CD14 (sCD14), in horses with EPM (n = 7) and determine if they differed from healthy neurologically normal horses (n = 6). Paired sera and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples were ...
History repeats itself: horse originated hyperimmune sera production against SARS CoV-2. SARS-CoV-2 disease was announced as a pandemic by The World Health Organization in early 2020. It is still threatening the world population. Here, we aimed to produce hyperimmune sera that contain immunoglobulin G and F(ab')2 fragments sourced from horse antibodies as an urgent response to the pandemic. SARS-CoV-2 was produced and inactivated with three different methods [formaldehyde (FA), formaldehyde, and binary ethylene amine (FA + BEI), and heat treatment]. After in vitro inactivation control, immunogens were mixed with Freund’s adjuvant, thereafter horses (n: 2 for FA, 4 for FA + BEI, ...
Detection of Antibodies to Lokern, Main Drain, St. Louis Encephalitis, and West Nile Viruses in Vertebrate Animals in Chihuahua, Guerrero, and Michoacán, Mexico. We conducted serologic surveillance for flaviviruses and orthobunyaviruses in vertebrate animals in Mexico in 2018-2019. Sera were collected from 856 vertebrate animals, including 323 dogs, 223 horses, and 121 cows, from 16 species. The animals were from 3 states: Chihuahua in northwest Mexico (704 animals) and Guerrero and Michoacán on the Pacific Coast (27 and 125 animals, respectively). Sera were assayed by plaque reduction neutralization test using four flaviviruses (dengue type 2, St. Louis encephalitis, West Nile, and Zika viruses) and six orthobunyaviruses from the Bunyamwera (BUN) ser...
Detection of Anti-LipL32 Antibodies in Serum Samples from Horses with Chronic Intraocular Infection with Leptospira spp. Equine recurrent uveitis (ERU) is typically caused by chronic intraocular leptospiral infection in warm-blooded horses in central Europe. The most effective therapy for leptospiral-induced ERU is the surgical removal of diseased vitreous (vitrectomy). Since vitrectomy is a highly specialized and invasive surgery, the indication must be determined very carefully. In order to obtain evidence of intraocular leptospiral infection by laboratory diagnostics in questionable leptospiral ERU-cases, sampling of aqueous humor is required, because serum tests using microscopic agglutination test (MAT) are...
Development of ELISA based on Bacillus anthracis capsule biosynthesis protein CapA for naturally acquired antibodies against anthrax. Anthrax is a zoonotic disease caused by the gram-positive spore-forming bacterium Bacillus anthracis. Detecting naturally acquired antibodies against anthrax sublethal exposure in animals is essential for anthrax surveillance and effective control measures. Serological assays based on protective antigen (PA) of B. anthracis are mainly used for anthrax surveillance and vaccine evaluation. Although the assay is reliable, it is challenging to distinguish the naturally acquired antibodies from vaccine-induced immunity in animals because PA is cross-reactive to both antibodies. Although additional ...
Seroprevalence of Equine Herpesvirus 1 (EHV-1) and Equine Herpesvirus 4 (EHV-4) in the Northern Moroccan Horse Populations. This study reports the first equine herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1) and equine herpesvirus-4 (EHV-4) seroprevalence investigation in horse populations of Morocco in 24 years. It also aims to determine antibody titers in horses vaccinated under field conditions with a monovalent EHV-1 vaccine. Blood samples were collected from 405 horses, including 163 unvaccinated and 242 vaccinated animals. They were tested using a commercial type-specific enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and a virus neutralization test (VNT). Overall, 12.8% unvaccinated, and 21.8% vaccinated horses were positive for EHV-1. Al...
Exposing cryptic epitopes on the Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus E1 glycoprotein prior to treatment with alphavirus cross-reactive monoclonal antibody allows blockage of replication early in infection. Eastern equine encephalitis virus (EEEV), western equine encephalitis virus (WEEV) and Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus (VEEV) can cause fatal encephalitis in humans and equids. Some MAbs to the E1 glycoprotein are known to be cross-reactive, weakly neutralizing in vitro but can protect from disease in animal models. We investigated the mechanism of neutralization of VEEV infection by the broadly cross-reactive E1-specific MAb 1A4B-6. 1A4B-6 protected 3-week-old Swiss Webster mice prophylactically from lethal VEEV challenge. Likewise, 1A4B-6 inhibited virus growth in vitro at a pre-attachm...
History and Perspective of Immunotherapy for Pythiosis. The fungus-like microorganism causes pythiosis, a life-threatening infectious disease increasingly reported worldwide. Antimicrobial drugs are ineffective. Radical surgery is an essential treatment. Pythiosis can resume post-surgically. Immunotherapy using antigens (PIA) has emerged as an alternative treatment. This review aims at providing up-to-date information of the immunotherapeutic PIA, with the focus on its history, preparation, clinical application, outcome, mechanism, and recent advances, in order to promote the proper use and future development of this treatment modality. crude ex...
Development and validation of an IgM antibody capture ELISA for early detection of Hendra virus. Zoonotic transmission of Hendra virus (HeV) from primary hosts (pteropid bats) to horses, and, occasionally, onward adventitious spread to humans, is associated with high mortality rates in both affected secondary species. The introduction of an effective recombinant G protein vaccine for use in horses has been a major advance for the suppression of disease risk. However, equine HeV vaccination induces neutralising antibody that is indistinguishable from a post infection immune response when using most first line serology assays (eg. VNT and some ELISAs). We have constructed and evaluated an I...
West Nile Virus and Tick-Borne Encephalitis Virus Are Endemic in Equids in Eastern Austria. The emergence of West Nile virus (WNV) and Usutu virus (USUV) in addition to the autochthonous tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) in Europe causes rising concern for public and animal health. The first equine case of West Nile neuroinvasive disease in Austria was diagnosed in 2016. As a consequence, a cross-sectional seroprevalence study was conducted in 2017, including 348 equids from eastern Austria. Serum samples reactive by ELISA for either flavivirus immunoglobulin G or M were further analyzed with the plaque reduction neutralization test (PRNT-80) to identify the specific etiologic age...
Flow cytometric analysis of equine bronchoalveolar lavage fluid cells in horses with and without severe equine asthma. Severe equine asthma (SEA) is a common, debilitating lower airway inflammatory disorder of older horses. Alveolar macrophages (AMs) survey inhaled particulates from barn sources causing them to switch from an anti-inflammatory to a proinflammatory phenotype, resulting in neutrophil recruitment to the lung. This proinflammatory switch may contribute to the development and prolongation of SEA. Validated antibodies to identify the cells involved in the pathogenesis of SEA are lacking. In this study, monoclonal antibodies against CD90, CD163, and CD206 were tested for reactivity with equine leukoc...
Persistence of virus-neutralizing antibodies in horses inoculated with two doses of a live equine herpesvirus type 1 vaccine with different vaccination intervals. The antibody response in horses inoculated with 2 doses of a live equine herpesvirus type 1 vaccine with different vaccination intervals (1 to 3 months) was evaluated with regard to the persistence of virus-neutralizing (VN) antibodies. The durations for which the geometric mean VN titers were maintained significantly higher than those before the first vaccination (P<0.05) were up to 5 months in horses that received the vaccination with a 1-month interval (n=17) and 7 months for those that received it with a 2-month (n=17) or 3-month interval (n=14 or 17). The vaccination program with the 2...
Correlation Between Serum Amyloid A and Antibody Response to West Nile Virus Vaccine Antigen in Healthy Horses. The purpose of this study was to establish if peak serum amyloid A (SAA) concentrations can be used to determine an appropriate immune response to a vaccine containing West Nile Virus (WNV) antigen. A pilot study with 20 clinically healthy horses was performed to identify peak SAA concentration postvaccination with a commercial multivalent WNV vaccine. Blood was collected for SAA at 0, 24, 48, 72, 96, 168 hours postvaccination. Serum for WNV serum neutralization antibody testing was obtained immediately prior to and 30 days postvaccination. An additional 40 horses underwent the study protocol,...
[Vaccinovigilance: Adverse reaction reports of animal vaccines in 2020]. The aim of the vigilance system in Switzerland is the evaluation and classification of reported suspected adverse reactions of immunological veterinary medicines (IVMP), including suspected lack of expected efficacy. The Institute of Virology and Immunology (IVI) is the competent authority for marketing authorizations of immunological veterinary medicinal products in Switzerland and responsible for the vaccinovigilance system. In 2020, 130 adverse reaction reports were received (5% less compared to 2019). The reports mainly concerned dogs (41%) and cats (25%) followed by cattle (18%) and horse...
Antibody activities in hyperimmune plasma against the Rhodococcus equi virulence -associated protein A or poly-N-acetyl glucosamine are associated with protection of foals against rhodococcal pneumonia. The efficacy of transfusion with hyperimmune plasma (HIP) for preventing pneumonia caused by Rhodococcus equi remains ill-defined. Quarter Horse foals at 2 large breeding farms were randomly assigned to be transfused with 2 L of HIP from adult donors hyperimmunized either with R. equi (RE HIP) or a conjugate vaccine eliciting antibody to the surface polysaccharide β-1→6-poly-N-acetyl glucosamine (PNAG HIP) within 24 hours of birth. Antibody activities against PNAG and the rhodococcal virulence-associated protein A (VapA), and to deposition of complement component 1q (C՛1q) onto PNAG were d...
[Confirmed case of a West Nile virus infection in a horse with minimal neurological signs and a favorable clinical outcome]. West Nile virus (WNV) is a mosquito-borne viral pathogen of global importance and is considered to be the most widespread flavivirus. In Germany, first infections with WNV were detected in 2018 and it is expected for these to become more frequent in consequence to warmer winters followed by a rainy/humid springtime. WNV is maintained in an enzootic cycle between ornithophilic mosquitoes and certain wild bird species. Humans and horses are so-called "dead-end hosts" of a WNV infection. They frequently do not fall ill, however occasionally develop overt infections ranging from mild febrile sympt...
Equine Influenza Virus and Vaccines. Equine influenza virus (EIV) is a constantly evolving viral pathogen that is responsible for yearly outbreaks of respiratory disease in horses termed equine influenza (EI). There is currently no evidence of circulation of the original H7N7 strain of EIV worldwide; however, the EIV H3N8 strain, which was first isolated in the early 1960s, remains a major threat to most of the world's horse populations. It can also infect dogs. The ability of EIV to constantly accumulate mutations in its antibody-binding sites enables it to evade host protective immunity, making it a successful viral pathogen. C...
Antimicrobial Effects of Equine Platelet Lysate. The development of antimicrobial resistant bacteria and the lack of novel antibiotic strategies to combat those bacteria is an ever-present problem in both veterinary and human medicine. The goal of this study is to evaluate platelet lysate (PL) as a biological alternative antimicrobial product. Platelet lysate is an acellular platelet-derived product rich in growth factors and cytokines that is manufactured via plateletpheresis and pooled from donor horses. In the current study, we sought to define the antimicrobial properties of PL on select gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. Results ...
Humoral Immune Response Evaluation in Horses Vaccinated with Recombinant Clostridium perfringens Toxoids Alpha and Beta for 12 Months. In horses, Clostridium perfringens is associated with acute and fatal enterocolitis, which is caused by a beta toxin (CPB), and myonecrosis, which is caused by an alpha toxin (CPA). Although the most effective way to prevent these diseases is through vaccination, specific clostridial vaccines for horses against C. perfringens are not widely available. The aim of this study was to pioneer the immunization of horses with three different concentrations (100, 200 and 400 µg) of C. perfringens recombinant alpha (rCPA) and beta (rCPB) proteins, as well as to evaluate the humoral immune response ove...
Serological Evidence of Common Equine Viral Infections in a Semi-Isolated, Unvaccinated Population of Hucul Horses. Huculs () are an old breed of primitive mountain horses, originating from the Carpathian Mountains. To the best of our knowledge, data concerning the epidemiology of viral infections observed within this breed are sparse. The objective of this study was to estimate the serological status of a semi-isolated, unvaccinated Hucul herd, with respect to both common equine viral infections and horse-infecting arboviruses, the presence of which was previously reported in Poland. Twenty horses of the Hucul breed, living in a remote area in Poland, were studied in 2018 from March to May. Using nasal sec...
Serum Antibody Activity against Poly-N-Acetyl Glucosamine (PNAG), but Not PNAG Vaccination Status, Is Associated with Protecting Newborn Foals against Intrabronchial Infection with Rhodococcus equi. Rhodococcus equi is a prevalent cause of pneumonia in foals worldwide. Our laboratory has demonstrated that vaccination against the surface polysaccharide β-1→6-poly-N-acetylglucosamine (PNAG) protects foals against intrabronchial infection with R. equi when challenged at age 28 days. However, it is important that the efficacy of this vaccine be evaluated in foals when they are infected at an earlier age, because foals are naturally exposed to virulent R. equi in their environment from birth and because susceptibility is inversely related to age in foals. Using a randomized, blind experim...
Clinical Presentation and Laboratory Diagnostic Work-Up of a Horse with Tick-Borne Encephalitis in Switzerland. Tick-borne encephalitis is an important viral tick-borne zoonosis in Europe and Asia. The disease is induced by tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV). This report describes a 16-year-old Warmblood gelding presenting with sudden onset of lethargy, ataxia, and muscle fasciculations on the nostrils, the lips, and the eye lids as the most important clinical findings. The horse further had a mild facial nerve paralysis with drooping of the right upper and lower lip. Diagnosis was based on paired serum samples using TBEV-ELISAs revealing high serum IgM in the first sample with normal IgM in the secon...
Immune response of adult horses, pregnant mares and foals to an experimental vaccine with recombinant EMA-2 protein of Theileria equi. Equine theileriosis, caused by the Theileria equi protozoan, is a disease of worldwide importance. T. equi expresses surface proteins, of which the EMA-2 protein is a promising antigen for vaccine use. The aim of this study was to evaluate the immune response of adult horses, pregnant mares, and foals to an experimental EMA-2 protein of recombinant T. equi vaccine. A total of 46 horses were used in this study for vaccine trials and challenges. Twelve geldings, 14 pregnant mares, and 14 foals were divided into vaccinated and control groups. Total serum specific anti-rEMA-2 IgG, IgG subclasses, ...