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Topic:Diagnostic Technique
Diagnostic techniques in equine medicine encompass a range of procedures and tools used to identify diseases, injuries, or other health conditions in horses. These techniques include imaging methods such as radiography, ultrasonography, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), as well as laboratory tests like blood work and tissue biopsies. Each diagnostic method provides specific information that can aid in the assessment and management of equine health issues. Radiography is commonly used for evaluating bone structures, while ultrasonography is useful for soft tissue examination. MRI offers detailed images of both soft and hard tissues, though its use is limited by cost and availability. Laboratory tests can detect biochemical and hematological changes indicative of disease. This page compiles peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the development, application, and efficacy of various diagnostic techniques in equine veterinary practice.
Identification of Candidate Biomarkers Detected in the Urine of Racehorses After Anabolic Agent Administration: Use of Orthogonal Methods for Structural Elucidation. Biomarker identification by mass spectrometry represents a key step in the workflow of nontargeted metabolomic studies. Given the complexity of the data, this step, which must be carried out by a trained specialist, is time-consuming, and the biomarkers discovered are not always identified. While this stage is not an obstacle to the development of new screening and classification tools, it is nonetheless crucial to a better understanding of the results obtained. For this reason, the aim of this study was to perform structural elucidation of candidate biomarkers, which had previously been displ...
Technologies for equine welfare and performance monitoring under field conditions – Where do we stand? The need for comprehensive equine welfare assessments has become particularly evident amid ongoing debates about the social licence to operate in equestrian sports. During exercise, multiple physiological systems, principally the cardiovascular, respiratory, muscular, thermoregulatory, endocrine, and locomotory systems, undergo complex adaptations. To monitor and determine equine welfare, an approach that focuses on the quantitative monitoring of both physiological and psychological parameters to determine and understand the impact of equestrian sports on horses is essential. Existing and emer...
Comparison Between Tracheal Wash and Bronchoalveolar Lavage Cytology for the Assessment of Airway Inflammation in Racehorses Affected by Exercise-Induced Pulmonary Hemorrhage. Exercise-Induced Pulmonary Hemorrhage (EIPH) results from alveolar capillary stress failure after strenuous exercise, leading to bleeding and pulmonary inflammation. Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) cytology is considered the gold standard for the assessment of airway inflammation; however, it is often considered more invasive compared to tracheal wash (TW). It has been demonstrated that TW is a reliable diagnostic tool that may substitute BALF to diagnose and grade the severity of EIPH in racehorses; however, no information about airway inflammation in EIPH-affected horses has been reporte...
Commercial cytokine assay on equine cerebrospinal fluid does not distinguish equine degenerative myeloencephalopathy from cervical vertebral stenotic myelopathy. To measure and compare CSF cytokine concentrations among horses with equine neuroaxonal dystrophy (eNAD)/equine degenerative myeloencephalopathy (EDM), horses with cervical vertebral stenotic myelopathy (CVSM), and control horses and to evaluate for associations with clinical parameters. Unassigned: Banked equine CSF samples from horses with neurologic disease that underwent a complete neurologic examination and postmortem diagnosis confirmation of CVSM or eNAD/EDM or from control horses were included. Cytokines were measured with an equine-specific cytokine/chemokine magnetic bead multiplex p...
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...
Seropositivity for Pathogenic Leptospira in Dogs, Cats, and Horses at a Teaching Veterinary Hospital in Southern Chile. At a veterinary hospital in southern Chile, we conducted an epidemiological study involving domestic dogs, cats, and horses to determine the seropositivity for pathogenic spp., identify the infecting serogroups, measure antibody titers, and characterize seropositive animals by sex and age. None of the sampled animals showed clinical signs of leptospirosis. The microscopic agglutination test, using a panel of eight serogroups, was used for diagnosis. The seropositivity was 36.5% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 24.5-48.4) in dogs, 12.9% (95% CI = 2.6-23.1) in cats, and 45.2% (95% CI = 30.1-60.2...
Detection of Neorickettsia risticii in antemortem fecal and postmortem fetal samples, with genomic insights from complete genome sequencing of a strain recovered from an aborted equine fetus. Neorickettsia risticii (N. risticii) is an obligatory intracellular bacterium that causes Potomac horse fever (PHF), a disease clinically characterized by diarrhea, pyrexia, and laminitis in horses. Although sporadic reports of N. risticii infection have been linked to abortion in mares, a detailed retrospective study, including genomic analysis of the pathogen from an aborted fetus, has not been published. This study examined 546 fecal samples from clinically ill horses (January 1, 2017-December 31, 2024) and 833 colon samples from aborted equine fetuses (September 20, 2018-December 31, 2024)...
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...
Cat, dog, and horse allergies: emerging new insights. Animal allergens, particularly those from cats, dogs, and horses, are significant risk factors for the development of allergic diseases in childhood. Managing animal allergies requires allergen avoidance and, when this is not feasible, specific immunotherapy. Patient history remains the cornerstone of diagnosis, providing the foundation for diagnostic algorithms. Extract-based tests, such as skin prick tests and specific IgE measurements, are essential for confirmation and screening. However, traditional extract-based diagnostic methods have notable limitations, as they are unable to distingui...
Validation of the EYEMATE-SC Suprachoroidal Pressure Transducer for Telemetric Measurement of Intraocular Pressure in Normal Ex Vivo Canine and Equine Globes-Preliminary Results. To determine the accuracy of the EYEMATE-SC suprachoroidal tracer for telemetric tonometry in canine and equine globes. Methods: The EYEMATE-SC sensor (7.8 mm × 3.8 mm × 1 mm) was implanted in the suprachoroidal space of four freshly enucleated normal canine and two normal equine eyes. The anterior chambers were cannulated and connected to a reservoir of Plasma-Lyte A and a manometer. Starting at a manometric IOP of 5 mmHg, the pressure was progressively increased to 80 mmHg by raising the reservoir. At each setpoint (5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 50, 60, 70, and 80 mmHg), t...
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...
Development and application of a NP-cELISA for the detection of nucleoprotein antibodies of equine influenza virus. Equine influenza (EI), caused by the equine influenza virus (EIV), is an acute respiratory disease that has become enzootic worldwide, resulting in frequent outbreaks and substantial economic losses within the equine industry. In this study, we developed a competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (NP-cELISA) for the detection of antibodies against the EIV nucleoprotein (NP). The assay was designed by coating plates with purified monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against the NP protein, followed by simultaneous incubation of the test serum samples and HRP-NP antigen in a competitive binding rea...
Airborne detection of Equid alphaherpesvirus 1 at international equestrian events. Equid alphaherpesvirus 1 (EHV-1) remains a major concern for the equine industry, with recent outbreaks at international equestrian events highlighting the need for improved surveillance during competitions. Objective: To investigate EHV-1 and -4 presence in shared airspaces and environmental surfaces in direct contact with horses at international equestrian events; and to evaluate air sampling as a surveillance alternative to individual horse testing. Methods: Cross-sectional field study. Methods: Air (37) and surface samples (205) were collected from temporary stabling facilities across six ...
Molecular diversity of cox1 and LSU rDNA sequences of Sarcocystis bertrami (syn. S. fayeri) (Apicomplexa: Eucoccidiorida: Sarcocystidae) in horses. Food poisoning caused by consuming raw horsemeat contaminated with Sarcocystis is a significant public health concern. Two morphotypes of sarcocysts in horsemeat, characterized by upright and folded villar protrusions, are typically identified as Sarcocystis fayeri and S. bertrami, respectively. However, recent molecular studies focusing on the ribosomal RNA gene (rDNA) and mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I gene (cox1) have indicated a conspecific relationship between these two morphotypes using a limited number of specimens. To explore further genetic diversity in equid sarcocysts,...
Integrated CRISPR-Cas12a and RAA one-pot visual strategy for the rapid identification of Streptococcus equi subspecies equi. Strangles, a highly contagious disease caused by subspecies (), significantly impacts horse populations worldwide, with Iceland as the only exception. This disease poses serious threats to equine health and results in considerable economic losses. Consequently, the accurate, sensitive, and rapid detection of from clinical samples is essential for early warning and effective disease management. This study introduces a novel detection method that integrates recombinase-aided amplification (RAA) with CRISPR/Cas12a technologies. We specifically designed RAA primers and CRISPR RNA to target the ...
Accuracy of two Sepsityper MALDI-TOF MS methods for bacterial identification in bloodstream infections in dogs, foals, and calves using Bayesian latent class model. Accurate diagnosis of bloodstream infections is crucial for survival and antimicrobial de-escalation in veterinary medicine. Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry enables faster identification of bacteria in BSIs. This study aimed to compare diagnostic accuracy of two Sepsityper methods (Rapid Sepsityper and Sepsityper Extraction) with conventional culture method for bacterial identification in clinical samples. Mean time-to-positivity and frequency of bacteria in BSIs were also determined. This diagnostic test study used bloodstream infection samples fro...
A novel G-quadruplex aptamer with high affinity for the specific detection of equine herpesvirus type 1: Comprehensive biophysical and analytical characterization. Equine herpesvirus type 1 (EHV-1) is a globally prevalent equine pathogen responsible for severe respiratory, neurological, and reproductive disorders. Accurate and ultrasensitive detection of EHV-1 is critical for timely disease management. In this study, we report the development of the first G-quadruplex-forming aptamer specifically designed for EHV-1 detection. The aptamer was generated using an in silico approach, and its G-quadruplex conformation was confirmed using circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy and crystal violet fluorescence assays. Binding affinity and specificity were assessed...
Alactic base excess is not a sensitive or specific diagnostic tool for outcome in horses with colic. Colic is a significant source of morbidity and mortality in horses, and no single biomarker can distinguish surgical from medical colic or predict mortality. Alactic base excess (ABE) has shown an association with mortality and renal insufficiency in humans but has not been evaluated in veterinary species. The purpose of this study was to determine the value of ABE as a diagnostic tool for horses treated for gastrointestinal disease. Unassigned: This retrospective case series evaluated horses admitted for acute gastrointestinal disease over a 5-year period (2019-2024). Signalment, physical exa...
A fitness tracker can be used interchangeably with a reference method for underwater single-lead electrocardiography but not heart rate variability analysis in swimming horses. To validate a single-lead ECG fitness tracker device (FT) against the reference multilead ECG recording device (RM) for heart rate (HR) and HR variability (HRV) monitoring of horses during routine swimming. Unassigned: 40 race-fit Thoroughbred racehorses were used for 5 days in May 2024. Surface ECG recordings were obtained simultaneously from the FT and RM devices in horses swimming 63.65 m across a pool. Electrocardiograms were reviewed and artifacts corrected when necessary, and correlations were analyzed between the 2 devices for HR and HRV parameters. Descriptive statistics and Bland-Altm...
Tracing the 2021 equine influenza Outbreak: First characterization and phylogeographic analysis of H3N8 Florida clade 1 virus in Tunisia. Equine influenza (EI) is a highly contagious viral respiratory disease affecting equids, with the potential of causing widespread outbreaks across Europe, the Americas, Asia, and other regions of the world. In Tunisia, in the spring of 2021, an EI virus outbreak occurred in a farm housing purebred Arabian horses that exhibited respiratory signs. This outbreak led to a national lockdown on horse movements and the cancellation of equestrian events. A total of 432 serum samples, collected from 2018 to 2021, were tested using ELISA competition assay. In addition, 100 Nasal swabs were collected dur...
Gastrointestinal parasite occurrence in Slovak horses and factors affecting Strongylidae and Parascaris spp. egg shedding. Strongylids and parascarids are the most widespread equine parasites worldwide; however, up-to-date data from Slovakia remain limited. This work bridges that gap by examining the prevalence and level of gastrointestinal helminth infections in Slovak horses. In the study, 392 fecal samples from horses on 24 farms were analyzed using the McMaster method with a sensitivity of 50 eggs per gram (EPG) for detecting nematode eggs and a double-centrifugation/combined sedimentation-flotation protocol for detecting Anoplocephala spp. eggs. Information on the age and breed of horses, management condition...
First report of Benzimidazole resistance in equid intestinal strongyles from Kashmir valley, India. Benzimidazole (BZ) anthelmintics have been used indiscriminately in equids to control nematode infections throughout the world including India and has led to the development of BZ resistance. In order to determine the current status of BZ resistance in equids of Kashmir against intestinal strongyles (IS), the present study was conducted using faecal egg count reduction test (FECRT) and Allele specific PCR (AS-PCR). The study was conducted on ponies from three major tourist destinations of Kashmir viz; Gulmarg, Pahalgam and Sonamarg in accordance with the WAAVP guidelines. The animals which wer...
Development of an African horse sickness VP6 DIVA diagnostic ELISA. African horse sickness (AHS) is a severe, noncontagious disease of equines caused by the African horse sickness virus (AHSV). The virus has nine serotypes and is transmitted by the midge. AHS is endemic in South Africa and other sub-Saharan African countries. Currently, the disease is managed using a live attenuated vaccine manufactured by Onderstepoort Biological Products (OBP). Although this vaccine has been in use for decades, it has several drawbacks, including the possibility of reversion to virulence, and it does not allow for the differentiation of infected horses from vaccinated horse...
Cellular Immune Response in Horses After West Nile Neuroinvasive Disease. West Nile virus (WNV) is a mosquito-borne neurotropic virus that causes neurologic disease in both humans and horses. Yet the long-term cellular immune response following natural infection in horses remains poorly understood. This study aims to evaluate the WNV-specific T-cell response in horses recovered from West Nile neuroinvasive disease (WNND). Twelve client-owned horses (4 Hungarian sport horses, 2 Lippizaners, 1 KWPN, 1 Shagya Arabian, 1 Friesian, 1 Gidran, 1 Andalusian, and 1 draft cross horse) with confirmed clinical WNV infection were enrolled, and peripheral blood mononuclear cells ...
Accurate identification of bovine deltapapillomavirus in equine sarcoids by ddPCR. Sarcoids are benign and locally aggressive skin lesions that commonly affect horses and other equid species. Sarcoids are generally considered to be caused by bovine delta-papillomaviruses (δPVs) types 1 and 2 (BPV1 and BPV2, respectively). Moreover, while bovine δPV types 13 and 14 (BPV13 and BPV14, respectively) are also suspected to induce sarcoids, information regarding this possibility and the occurrence of multiple bovine δPV infections in sarcoids is scarce. This study aimed, for the first time, to assess BPV1, BPV2, BPV13, and BPV14 infections and co-infections in equine sarcoid sam...
Serological differentiation of West Nile, Usutu, and tick-borne encephalitis virus antibodies in birds and horses using mutant E protein ELISAs. West Nile virus (WNV), Usutu virus (USUV) and tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) are worldwide endemic zoonotic orthoflaviviruses, often co-circulating in the same areas. Serological studies in animals, mostly birds and horses, are important means to monitor the spread of these viruses and the infection risks for humans. However, cross-reactive antibodies to these structurally similar flaviviruses frequently impact serological differentiation in enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs), hence time-consuming virus neutralization tests (VNTs) have to be employed in laboratories with high bi...
A Markerless Approach for Full-Body Biomechanics of Horses. The ability to quantify equine kinematics is essential for clinical evaluation, research, and performance feedback. However, current methods are challenging to implement. This study presents a motion capture methodology for horses, where three-dimensional, full-body kinematics are calculated without instrumentation on the animal, offering a more scalable and labor-efficient approach when compared with traditional techniques. Kinematic trajectories are calculated from multi-camera video data. First, a neural network identifies skeletal landmarks (markers) in each camera view and the 3D location...
Innovative diagnostic strategies for equine habronemiasis: exploring molecular identification, gene expression, and oxidative stress markers. Equine habronemiasis, caused by Habronema (H.) muscae, H. microstoma, and Draschia megastoma, is a parasitic disease that presents in both gastric and cutaneous forms. Conventional diagnostic methods often lack sensitivity due to intermittent egg shedding and nonspecific clinical signs. This study aimed to enhance diagnostic accuracy by integrating molecular identification, oxidative stress profiling, and cytokine gene expression analysis. Methods: A total of 100 horses from a private farm in Giza, Egypt, were clinically examined for signs of habronemiasis. Fecal and skin samples were exami...
An Ultrasound-Guided Thoracolumbar Erector Spinae Plane Block: An Experimental Preliminary Study in Horses. The objective of this study was to evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of the ultrasound-guided thoracolumbar erector spinae plane (TL-ESP) block in standing horses. A total of 24 injections ( = 12) were performed at the L1 level using either 0.1 mL/kg of saline solution (SS group) or 2% lidocaine (LID group). The block feasibility was assessed based on needle visualization and injection time, while efficacy was evaluated through craniocaudal and dorsoventral (DV) spread using the pinprick technique over 270 min. Desensitization was observed at least once in 100% of horses in the LID group a...
Assessment of Salivary Biomarkers of Gastric Ulcer in Horses from a Clinical Perspective. This study arises from the search for non-invasive diagnostic alternatives for equine gastric ulceration (EGUS), which is prevalent, clinically variable and only confirmed by gastroscopy. The aim is to quantify five salivary biomarkers (IL1-F5, PIP, CA VI, serotransferrin, albumin) under clinical conditions by validated assays and analyse their diagnostic value. Horses were grouped in No EGUS (neither clinical signs of EGUS nor gastric lesions), EGUS non-clinical (apparently no clinical signs of EGUS but with gastric lesions), and EGUS clinical (obvious clinical signs of EGUS and with gastric ...
