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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.
Production and characterization of rNGFSP: a recombinant fusion immunogen eliciting dual anti-NGF and anti-Substance P therapeutic antibodies for Degenerative Joint Disease. Anti-NGF monoclonal antibodies have recently been approved for treating degenerative joint disease, including osteoarthritis pain, in dogs and cats. However, their widespread use is limited by high cost and the requirement for repeated injections. Nerve Growth Factor and Substance P play central roles in the initiation and maintenance of inflammation and chronic pain in OA. There is a pressing need for new, safe, cost-effective therapies that target the underlying mechanisms of OA chronic pain. Here, we designed and produced a novel recombinant fusion protein, termed rNGFSP, which functions as...
Isolation of Madariaga Virus (MADV) in a Horse Coinfected with Equine Infectious Anemia in Venezuela: A Review of MADV Circulation in the Country. Madariaga virus (MADV), formerly known as the South American variant of Eastern Equine Encephalitis virus (EEEV), is an alphavirus that belongs to the family and has been periodically infecting equids in Venezuela since its first identification in 1975. This study reports the isolation and molecular characterization of MADV isolated from a horse in December 2024 in the context of MADV cases reported in Venezuela. Methods: Antibodies to the rabies virus were detected by indirect immunofluorescence, and to the Equine Infectious Anemia virus (EIAV) by passive immunodiffusion. MADV RNA was detect...
Comparative analysis of the organization and complexity of immunoglobulin light chain loci in equids. This study investigated three donkey breeds-Guanzhong, Jiami, and Northern Shaanxi-to characterize the structural organization and diversification mechanisms of the immunoglobulin light-chain (IgL) loci and to conduct both intra-breed and interspecies comparisons with horses. The donkey IGλ locus is located on chromosome 8 and arranged in a Vλ-(Jλ-Cλ)-Vλ configuration. It contains 7 Cλ genes, each preceded by a corresponding Jλ gene to form a Jλ-Cλ cluster. Upstream of this cluster, 156 Vλ genes were identified, including 29 potential functional genes; downstream, 98 Vλ genes were d...
Post-surgical seroreversion in a case of equine cutaneous leishmaniosis by Leishmania infantum. Equine leishmaniosis, caused by Leishmania infantum and transmitted by infected sand flies, has been increasingly reported in Europe, although clinical and immunological data remain scarce. We describe a 10-year-old mare from southern Spain presenting with periocular nodular lesions. Histopathology and immunohistochemistry confirmed granulomatous dermatitis with intrahistiocytic Leishmania amastigotes. Additionally, Leishmania infantum DNA was detected in paraffin embedded skin biopsy. Following surgical removal of the lesions, sequential serological monitoring using enzyme-linked immunosorben...
Serum cortisol concentrations in newborn foals are increased by transfusion with anti-rhodococcal hyperimmune plasma and inversely associated with immunoglobulin activity. Transfusion of Rhodococcus equi hyperimmune plasma (REHIP) to neonatal foals is done to reduce the incidence of rhodococcal pneumonia. Objective: To determine effects in newborn foals of REHIP transfusion on serum cortisol concentrations; the association of serum cortisol concentrations with serum globulin concentration and anti-rhodococcal immunoglobulin activity; and cumulative incidence of rhodococcal pneumonia. Methods: Serum samples were collected from 356 newborn foals from 13 New York farms immediately before and after transfusion of 1 L or 2 L of REHIP. Serum samples were assayed for c...
A study on the prevalence of cyathostomin and Anoplocephala perfoliata infections in Italian horses: diagnostic testing and analysis of factors affecting infection risk. Cyathostomins and Anoplocephala perfoliata infect equids worldwide and both are of concern due to their potential to cause clinical disease. Although coprological techniques are commonly used for assessing helminth egg shedding these do not provide information about an individual's total parasite burden. Antibody-based tests provide information on infection levels within individuals. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate cyathostomin and Anoplocephala perfoliata occurrence in Italian horses using coprological and serum-based antibody detection methods and to analyse risk factors for infectio...
Closing the Stable Door on Strangles: Serological Responses of Vaccinated Horses on a Farm Following the Arrival of a New Horse. Infection of susceptible horses with subspecies (), the causative agent of strangles, is associated with commingling. Exposure may occur among horses at equestrian events, sales, or horses moved among different equine stabling environments. Strangles can affect all horses on a farm, leading to the death of up to 10% of cases depending on their immunity status at the time of infection, the development of complications, the success of biosecurity measures, and the use of vaccination. The current retrospective study used ELISAs to measure the exposure of horses to at a farm that experienced an...
Construction and Immunogenicity Evaluation of a Recombinant Fowlpox Virus Expressing VP2 Gene of African Horse Sickness Virus Serotype 1. African horse sickness (AHS) is a lethal vector-borne disease caused by African horse sickness virus (AHSV) and represents a major threat to equine health and the horse industry. In 2020, outbreaks of AHS caused by AHSV serotype 1 (AHSV-1) were reported in Thailand, increasing the risk of AHS introduction into China. Given the safety issues associated with currently available live attenuated AHS vaccines, the development of safer and more effective vaccination strategies is urgently needed. In this study, we constructed a recombinant fowlpox virus (rFPV) expressing the AHSV-1 VP2 protein as a ...
Equine Infectious Anemia Virus in Equids: A Large-Scale Serosurvey in Western Europe. Equine Infectious Anemia (EIA) is a notifiable disease caused by Equine Infectious Anemia Virus (EIAV), with major sanitary and economic importance for equids worldwide. There is limited and outdated information on the circulation of EIAV in many European countries. In the present study, we aimed to assess virus exposure in different equid species in Western Europe. Methods: Between 2011 and 2023, a cross-sectional study was conducted to investigate the seroprevalence of EIAV in 1676 equids (1444 horses, 106 donkeys and 126 mules/hinnies) from four European regions: Andalusia (Southern Spain; ...
Genetic characterization of equine arteritis virus associated with outbreaks in the UK, 2019. Equine arteritis virus (EAV) is the causative agent of equine viral arteritis, a notifiable respiratory and reproductive disease of equids that causes significant losses to the equine industry. This study presents a comprehensive analysis of two EAV outbreaks in the UK in 2019, combining virus isolation, sequencing and phylogenetic analysis to provide a holistic understanding of EAV dynamics in these outbreaks. Genetic characterization revealed that all outbreak strains were similar to viruses detected in the UK and Europe from 2004 to 2011, belonging to phylogroup D and clustering in two grou...
Treatment evaluation using ultrasonographic scanning of the spleen in Arabian horses affected by babesiosis. Equine babesiosis is a widespread protozoan disease in Saudi Arabia. The most common finding of clinical babesiosis is splenomegaly, which can be detected using non-invasive splenic ultrasonography. Unassigned: This study aimed to investigate changes in the spleen size in horses infected with babesiosis using ultrasonography before and after treatment. Unassigned: This study employed 15 male and female Arabian horses. Each animal was examined clinically for clinical signs, and blood samples were collected in plain tubes to detect antibodies against . The spleens of healthy and affected horses ...
Cannabinoid and cannabinoid related receptors in fibroblasts, inflammatory and endothelial cells of the equine hoof with and without laminitis: novel pharmacological target. Evidence suggests that the endocannabinoid system (ECS) is crucial for regulating inflammation, cell proliferation and pain. The ECS is composed of cannabinoid receptors such as type 1 (CBR1), type 2 (CBR2) and GPR55, endocannabinoids and enzymes. Proteins of ECS have previously been localized in the epidermal cells of the horse hooves. Given the physio-pathological role and cellular distribution of the ECS across species, the authors hypothesized that cannabinoid receptors are expressed within the inflammatory cells, fibroblasts and endothelial cells of the equine hoof laminae, going beyond t...
Reining in strangles: Absence of disease in horses vaccinated with a DIVA-compatible recombinant fusion protein vaccine, Strangvac, following natural exposure to Streptococcus equi subspecies equi. Strangles, caused by Streptococcus equi subspecies equi (S. equi), is a prevalent infectious disease of horses. This is the first report on the use of a new vaccine, Strangvac, in a natural outbreak of strangles. Objective: To measure the effects of Strangvac vaccination during an outbreak of strangles at a Swedish farm. Methods: Longitudinal cohort study. Methods: Healthy horses (n = 17) were vaccinated on day 0, which occurred 23 days after strangles was first confirmed in three unvaccinated horses on the same farm. Blood serum samples were collected on day 0, day 28 and day 489. A com...
Correction: Integrated molecular and serological survey of Rhodococcus equi in horses from three regions of Kazakhstan. [This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2025.1650186.].
Characterization of the lambda light chain repertoire and non-coding regions of equine immunoglobulins using the EquCab3 genome. Horse immunoglobulins have been utilized for over a century in serotherapy to treat venomous animal bites and various other conditions. However, molecular-level information about these immunoglobulins remains limited, particularly regarding immunoglobulin lambda light chains (Igλ), which constitute over 90 % of circulating antibodies. Despite the sequencing of the equine genome, the International ImMunoGeneTics information system (IMGT) has not yet annotated Igλ in its database, restricting the analysis of the horse antibody repertoire. In this study, we analyzed the equine Igλ repertoire...
Identification of Antibodies to Chondrocyte and Synoviocyte Antigens in Equine Osteoarthritis. Innate immune responses within the joint are now known to play a key role in osteoarthritis (OA) pathogenesis. However, comparatively little is known regarding the role of adaptive immune responses in OA, and whether they may be important for initiating and sustaining progressive low-level joint inflammation. Therefore, we evaluated spontaneous osteoarthritis in horses to investigate whether antibodies recognizing live joint cells (chondrocytes, synoviocytes) were present in blood or synovial fluid, and to identify possible cellular target antigens. We found that horses with advanced OA had an...
Early allergen introduction overrides allergy predisposition in offspring of horses with Culicoides hypersensitivity. The origins of allergy are both genetic and environmental. We performed a full-sibling study to determine the role of early-in-life or delayed allergen introduction on hypersensitivity development in a cohort with history of an allergic phenotype and Culicoides hypersensitivity. IgE-mediated allergies naturally develop in many mammalian species, and we used a horse model of allergy called hypersensitivity. hypersensitivity is a seasonal, recurrent, IgE-mediated allergy caused by the salivary proteins of biting midges. Unassigned: The study included four cohorts that lived together in the s...
Neutralisation of the Immunoglobulin-Cleaving Activity of Streptococcus equi Subspecies equi IdeE by Blood Sera from Ponies Vaccinated with a Multicomponent Protein Vaccine. subspecies () is the cause of strangles, one of the most prevalent diseases of horses worldwide. The disease is characterised by fever and the formation of abscesses in the lymph nodes of the head and neck, which can restrict the airway. A multicomponent subunit vaccine, Strangvac, has been shown to effectively reduce clinical signs of strangles and to reduce its incidence. The aim of this study was to determine the immune response against the immunoglobulin-cleaving endopeptidase IdeE, a key protective component within the vaccine and the ability of antibodies to neutralize the proteolytic...
First serological evidence of equine coronavirus and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 in horses in North Africa. Viral diseases cause significant economic losses within the equine population. Horses are susceptible to equine coronavirus (ECoV) and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), although only ECoV has been associated to clinical disease. The aim of this study was to investigate, for the first time in Algeria, the seroprevalence of ECoV and SARS-CoV-2 antibodies and the prevalence of ECoV infection in horses. In 2022, a total of 299 serum samples was collected from horses aged 1 to 27 years. Serological analysis for the presence of ECoV and SARS-CoV-2 was performed using a va...
Analysis of IgG responses to Sarcocystis neurona in horses with equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM) suggests a Th1-biased immune response. Equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM) caused by Sarcocystis neurona is one of the most important neurological diseases of horses in the Americas. While seroprevalence of S. neurona in horses is high, clinical manifestation of EPM occurs in less than 1 % of infected horses. Antemortem diagnosis has proven challenging as serum antibodies against S. neurona are an indicator of infection but not necessarily disease. Factors governing the occurrence of EPM are largely unknown, although horse immunity might contribute to EPM pathogenesis. Immunoglobulin G is the predominant antibody class in eq...
A study of the epidemiology of Anoplocephala perfoliata infection in horses and the oribatid mite vector in southern England. Anoplocephala perfoliata is the most common equine tapeworm infection. This parasite is found at the small/large intestinal junction and has been associated with colic. The cestode has an indirect lifecycle involving oribatid mite intermediate hosts, though little is known of its epidemiology. This study aimed to monitor seasonal fluctuations in pasture oribatid mite numbers and the presence of Anoplocephala spp. DNA in mite samples collected from three equine premises in the UK. Exposure to infection in resident horses was assessed by measuring tapeworm-specific salivary antibodies. The data ...
Vaccination against Hendra virus of previously unvaccinated mares and their foals demonstrates the effectiveness of the current prime and boost vaccination schedule for foals. Hendra virus (HeV) is a high consequence pathogen that causes severe respiratory and/or neurological disease in both horses and humans with high mortality. The equine vaccine, Equivac® HeV, is a recombinant soluble version of the G glycoprotein of HeV (HeV-sG) that elicits a potent HeV-neutralising antibody response in adult horses and also provides indirect protection for humans. Maternally derived HeV-G specific antibodies could interfere with subsequent foal vaccination, although other factors such as foal age and the suitability of vaccination protocols that have been optimised for adult ...
The Viremic Phase and Humoral Immune Response Against African Horse Sickness Virus That Emerged in Thailand in 2020. African horse sickness (AHS), a life-threatening disease caused by African horse sickness virus serotype 1 (AHSV-1), emerged in Thailand in February 2020 with 607 cases and a 93% fatality rate. The outbreak was mitigated by vector control and a live attenuated virus (LAV) vaccine. Information regarding viremia and immunity after infection and vaccination during outbreaks are essential for controlling disease transmission. This study evaluated these parameters in 15 infected naïve horses and 11 vaccinated horses during the 2020 outbreak. Whole blood was collected and subjected to RT real-time ...
Progress in serology and molecular biology of equine parasite diagnosis: sustainable control strategies. Internal parasitic infections are a persistent challenge for horse owners, in the absence of effective vaccines and the growing challenge of drug resistance, leading many researchers to view current control strategies as unsustainable. Despite slow progress over the past two decades, effective parasitic diagnosis remains crucial for controlling infections and preventing the growing issue of drug resistance. This review examines the research progress in serological and molecular biological diagnostic methods for major equine parasites. Currently, most diagnostic techniques are based on genes su...
Adjuvant combination enhances immune response of equine influenza virus vaccine in horses. Despite routine vaccination, equine influenza outbreaks occur due to disparities of virus strains between vaccine and field, and immunity gaps between vaccinations. Objective: To evaluate whether a combination of adjuvants can enhance immune responses to equine influenza virus (EIV) vaccines. Methods: In vivo experimental study. Methods: Eight mixed-breed horses were immunised intramuscularly with a recombinant canarypox-based EIV vaccine, either alone or in combination with monophosphoryl lipid A (MPL) and polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid (poly I:C). A single vaccine dose was administered, and...
A serological test based on mutated recombinant Fasciola hepatica cathepsin L protease for the diagnosis of equine fasciolosis. Fasciola hepatica is a common trematode parasite of livestock in many regions, causing significant economic losses and affecting animal welfare. Horses rarely develop patent liver fluke infection. However, liver damage can affect animal health and welfare. Therefore, F. hepatica infection in horses may be underreported. Recently, a serological test for the antibody detection has been reported based on recombinant parasite cathepsin L1 (FhCL1) protease. Here, we optimized this enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for antibody-detection in horses with equine fasciolosis based on recombinant...
Effect of Long-Term Freezing on Indirect Fluorescent Antibody Titers for the Diagnosis of Equine Protozoal Myeloencephalitis. Long-term freezing storage can alter the stability of proteins, thereby compromising accurate determination of indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT) titers that support the diagnosis of equine protozoal myeloencephalitis. Objective: Assess the effect of long-term storage at -80°C on IFAT against S. neurona and N. hughesi in equine serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Methods: Paired serum and CSF (n = 46), and serum only (n = 25) samples. Methods: Prospective study of samples stored 6-12, 13-18, and 19-24 months. Comparing antibody titers across time points, McNemar and Wilcoxon...
Genetic and serological analyses of equine influenza viruses isolated in Kumamoto and Hokkaido, Japan in 2025. In April and May 2025, outbreaks of equine influenza occurred for the first time in 17 years in Japan. Equine influenza virus (EIV) of the H3N8 subtype was mainly detected in heavy draft horse populations in Kumamoto Prefecture and the Tokachi area of Hokkaido. In total, 10 EIVs were isolated from infected horses and then were used for genetic and serological analyses. Phylogenetic analysis of all eight genes revealed that all Japanese isolates were clustered with the Florida sublineage clade 1 (Fc1) viruses and were closely related to North American Fc1 viruses detected in 2024-2025. The resu...
Life-threatening anaphylaxis following antivenom administration in two patients with horse dander allergy. Antivenom is used to treat systemic envenomation and is immunoglobulin G raised from animals, mainly horses, inoculated by venom. Unassigned: We report two cases of life-threatening anaphylaxis following the administration of antivenom in patients with known horse dander allergy. Unassigned: A 14-year-old boy presented with redback spider envenomation. He had a known horse dander allergy. He received antivenom to treat severe pain and developed immediate severe anaphylaxis requiring endotracheal intubation and inotropic support. A 52-year-old man with horse dander allergy presented with suspec...
Development of an In-House ELISA for Serological Detection of Equine Herpesvirus-1/4 Antibodies in Turkish Horses. Equine herpesvirus 1 (EHV-1) and Equine herpesvirus 4 (EHV-4) are major viral pathogens of horses that contribute to respiratory disease, abortion, and neurological disorders, leading to economic losses in the equine industry. Accurate serological diagnosis is critical for disease surveillance and control. This study aimed to develop and validate an in-house enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for detecting antibodies against EHV-1 and EHV-4 in horse sera. Serum samples previously confirmed by virus neutralization test (VNT) and a commercial ELISA were used to optimize the assay. Cut-off...
