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Topic:Disease Diagnosis
Disease diagnosis in horses involves the identification and characterization of illnesses through various diagnostic methods and tools. This process is essential for effective veterinary care and management of equine health. Techniques used in diagnosing diseases in horses include clinical examinations, laboratory tests, imaging modalities such as ultrasonography and radiography, and molecular diagnostics. Blood tests are frequently utilized to assess parameters such as complete blood count and biochemical profiles, which can indicate underlying health issues. Additionally, advancements in genetic testing and biomarker identification have enhanced the ability to detect specific diseases early. This page aggregates peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore diagnostic methodologies, their applications, and their impact on equine health management.
Altered gene expression in the liver and small intestine of horses with equine neuroaxonal dystrophy. Equine neuroaxonal dystrophy/degenerative myeloencephalopathy (eNAD/EDM) is the second most common diagnosis of spinal ataxia in horses in the United States. The disease develops due to a combination of vitamin E deficiency and an unknown genetic risk factor(s), and there currently is no effective treatment. Objective: We performed transcriptomic profiling of the liver and small intestine of horses with and without eNAD/EDM, as both tissues are the main locations for absorption, metabolism, and delivery of vitamin E to the nervous system. Methods: Case-control exploratory study. Methods: Post...
MUSCULAR SARCOCYSTIS INFECTIONS IN HORSES IN NORTH AMERICA: ETIOLOGY, CLINICAL DISEASE, PERSONAL PERCEPTION, AND DEPOSITION OF SPECIMENS IN THE SMITHSONIAN MUSEUM. Uncertainty shrouds the number and identity of the species of Sarcocystis infecting horses in the United States. Horses are intermediate hosts for Sarcocystis fayeri, for which the domestic dog is the definitive host. Clinical signs and lesions associated with S. fayeri are not defined. Granulomatous myositis, especially involving the chest and dysphagia, is one of the clinical presentations associated with S. fayeri infections. Whether S. fayeri is the sole species that forms sarcocysts in equine muscles in the United States is not clear. Little is known of the molecular diagnosis of Sarcocys...
Comparison of Rectal and Intraoperative Findings in Horses with Colic. Per rectum examination (PRE) is commonly used in the triage of horses with acute abdominal pain, despite reports of associated risk factors for both horses and personnel, but its diagnostic accuracy is questionable. This multicenter, observational study aimed to evaluate the agreement between PRE findings and surgical findings obtained via exploratory laparotomy in horses with colic. A total of 201 cases from four equine referral hospitals across Europe were included. Rectal findings were categorized as primary (most likely cause of colic) or additional. Agreement with surgical findings was as...
Correlation of Positron Emission Tomography and Low-Field Standing Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Horses With Forelimb Lameness Localized to the Foot. Low-field magnetic resonance imaging (LF-MRI) and positron emission tomography (PET) imaging can be obtained in the standing horse. There is potential for increased diagnostic capacity combining PET with MRI, given that PET assesses the metabolic activity of injured tissues, whereas MRI provides structural and functional details on both bone and soft tissue anatomy. This study aimed to describe 18-fluorine-fluorodeoxyglucose (F-FDG)-PET and 18-sodium fluoride (F-NaF)-PET imaging of horses with forelimb lameness localized to the foot and compare PET with LF-MRI. Fourteen horses with lameness lo...
Development of lateral flow assays for the rapid diagnosis of glanders in equids. Glanders is a contagious zoonotic disease caused by that primarily affects horses, donkeys, and mules. It remains endemic in parts of Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and South America, where increasing case reports highlight the need for accessible diagnostic tools. Conventional diagnostic methods are limited by high costs and specialized laboratory requirements, whereas lateral flow assays (LFAs) offer practical, user-friendly, and rapid alternatives. In this study, we developed three LFAs targeting antibodies against the antigens Hcp1, GroEL, and whole-cell lysate (WCL), previously identifi...
Diagnostic Ultrasound of the Equine Liver. Ultrasound is readily available to most practitioners and can be used in a straightforward manner to assess the liver. The liver can be assessed for size, shape, echogenicity, and architecture. Findings such as masses, cysts, granulomas, and biliary distention can be relatively specific as to suspected disease process. Other findings may be nonspecific but are useful to confirm concerns and aid in refining differential diagnosis. Findings should be interpreted considering the clinicopathologic picture and sampling performed when appropriate. Ultrasound can and should be used to identify optima...
A new single-antigen serological test accurately detects horses infected with Streptococcus equi subsp equi. To develop an accurate serological test for detecting horses infected with Streptococcus equi subsp equi (SEE). Unassigned: The study was designed as a prospective experiment. First, 89 proteins either expressed on the surface or secreted by SEE were cloned, expressed in a cell-free culture system, and printed onto a microarray. Microarrays were probed with serum from 30 horses with strangles, 30 horses with no history of infection or immunization against SEE, and 18 horses infected with Streptococcus equi subsp zooepidemicus (SEZ); serum samples were collected between 2020 and 2021 from Texas...
Influence of collection site on cerebrospinal fluid test results in horses with equine protozoal myeloencephalitis. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis is a critical component in the diagnosis of equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM). Test results obtained may differ based on different collection sites. Objective: Compare results of EPM-specific diagnostic tests obtained from different collections sites in EPM-affected and non-EPM affected horses. Methods: Twenty control and 7 EPM-affected horses. Methods: Prospective observational study. CSF was collected from the lumbosacral (LS) and cranial sites (atlantooccipital or C1-2) in 27 horses and EPM-specific diagnostic tests were performed. Data were summari...
Validation of an improved insect bite hypersensitivity severity score for allergic equine insect bite hypersensitivity in horses. Insect bite hypersensitivity (IBH) is the most common allergic skin disease in horses, but existing clinical scoring systems lack extensive validation, limiting standardized disease monitoring and therapeutic evaluation. Objective: Develop and validate a standardized, sensitive, and reproducible clinical scoring system for IBH in horses. Methods: Forty-four privately-owned horses with clinically diagnosed IBH examined under field conditions in Switzerland. Methods: In this prospective field validation study, the equine IBH severity score (EqIS) integrates a lesion severity score and an area sc...
Synovial fluid oxidative stress index as a biomarker for arthritis severity in thoroughbred racehorses. Arthritis is a major cause of lameness in racehorses. Even when lameness improves, it may recur after training resumes, making it difficult to determine the disease state and when to end treatment. This retrospective observational study examined whether oxidative stress in synovial fluid could assess arthritis status in racehorses. Synovial fluid samples obtained during routine clinical practice from horses with arthritis and control samples obtained from horses without clinical or radiographic evidence of carpal joint disease were retrospectively analyzed. A total of 72 Thoroughbreds in Japan...
An Investigation of the Role of Ridden Exercise, Including Application of the Ridden Horse Pain Ethogram, in Pre-Purchase Examinations of Sports Horses. Many horses undergo a pre-purchase examination (PPE) prior to acquisition by a new owner; however, despite evidence that lameness and canter dysfunction may only be apparent during ridden exercise, ridden exercises assessing gait quality is not a routine part of PPEs. The objectives were to determine the influence of the results of ridden exercise on decision-making concerning risk assessment for purchase and to establish the long-term performance of horses. Twenty-five sports horses underwent PPEs including ridden exercises to assess gait quality and to apply the Ridden Horse Pain Ethogram (R...
Circulating microRNAs as potential predictive biomarkers of equine metabolic syndrome. Equine Metabolic Syndrome (EMS) is a complex endocrine disorder characterized by insulin dysregulation (ID), and an increased risk of developing laminitis, often accompanied by generalized or regional adiposity. Despite growing awareness of EMS, early and accurate diagnosis remains challenging. In this pilot study, we investigated changes in the levels of circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) in plasma samples from horses diagnosed with EMS (n=13), compared to overweight/obese (OW/OB) non-ID horses (n=16) and healthy controls (n=16). Using a targeted OpenArray, followed by a Kruskal-Wallis and Dunn's...
Tick-borne bacterial and protozoal pathogens in horses in Austria – A cross-sectional study on current and past infections and potential risk factors. Tick-borne bacterial and protozoal pathogens are a major threat to equine health worldwide. In Austria, studies on pathogens such as piroplasms, Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Borrelia spp. in horses are scarce and do not cover the countrywide horse population. To address this, blood samples from horses without prior record of infection with tick-borne pathogens (n = 588) were tested for the presence of Theileria equi, Babesia caballi or A. phagocytophilum DNA by PCR and for specific antibodies against these pathogens and Borrelia burgdorferi with commercially available assays. While no DNA of ...
Auscultatory findings and left atrial function as indicators of mitral valve regurgitation severity in horses. Mitral valve regurgitation (MR) is frequently detected in horses, but its classification and prognostication remain challenging. This study investigated whether auscultatory findings and left atrial function are associated with MR severity. Methods: Fifty controls (no/trivial MR) and 101 MR horses (58 mild, 36 moderate, seven severe) were retrospectively evaluated. All were in sinus rhythm and underwent auscultation and echocardiography. Mitral regurgitation severity was graded using a scoring system. Systolic murmur characteristics (duration, type and grade) were recorded. Left atrial functio...
Prevalence of Clostridioides difficile in hospitalized neonatal mare-foal pairs from Alberta and direct comparison of fecal culture with toxin gene detection. is an important pathogen in the feces of adult horses and foals. It can be clinically diagnosed using several testing methods, including culture isolation and, more commonly, direct toxin gene detection from feces using molecular methods. The importance of monitoring shedding in foals or dams during hospitalization remains unclear. The objectives of this study were to determine the prevalence of fecal shedding in mare-foal pairs and to compare detection using isolation and a commercial real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) for toxin A and B genes in feces. Foals and their mares admitte...
Diagnosis of bacteraemia in neonatal foals using 16S rRNA high-throughput sequencing. Sepsis is an important cause of morbidity and mortality in foals. Early diagnosis can improve outcome but is complicated by non-specific clinical signs and delayed confirmation of infection via blood culture. Molecular assays represent a rapid and more sensitive alternative. Objective: To evaluate and compare bacterial load and composition in blood and blood culture media (BCM) of sick and healthy foals using molecular assays and to compare results with traditional bacterial culture. Methods: Cross-sectional observational clinical study. Methods: Thirteen septic foals, 10 sick non-septic and 8...
Using a wearable electrocardiogram (ECG) patch adapted for 7-day monitoring in the horse. Arrhythmias can cause poor performance and sudden death in horses. Long-term (>24 h) electrocardiogram (ECG) monitoring has been used to identify arrhythmias in humans and is superior to short-term monitoring for transient arrhythmia detection. Televet is the current equine gold-standard ECG device. The Cardea SOLO™ (CS) is a single-use monitor with automated ECG analysis software allowing ECG monitoring for 7 days. Objective: Our objective was to validate the performance of the CS compared to the Televet. Methods: Method validation. Methods: ECGs were performed on 12 healthy horses s...
Vietnam’s Horse Sector: A Comprehensive Review of History, Production Systems, Health Challenges, and Research Priorities. Horses in Vietnam have a long historical presence and continue to hold economic, socio-cultural, and medicinal importance across diverse regions. Despite these roles, comprehensive scientific information on equine development, including health and disease patterns, reproductive performance, genetic resources, and biomedical applications, remains limited and fragmented. In this review, we summarize existing knowledge on equine populations, production systems, and their development in Vietnam, as well as their roles in cultural practices, livelihoods, and traditional medicine. We then identify m...
A point-based laminitis risk scoring system and machine learning framework for prediction of laminitis in horses. Laminitis is a painful and potentially life-threatening inflammatory condition of the equine hoof, and its detection remains a major challenge in veterinary practice. Although several risk factors have been reported, the prediction of the onset of laminitis in a subclinical stage using routine clinical data is still limited. This study aims to address this gap by developing an interpretable machine learning (ML) framework for the prediction of the risk of laminitis in horses. A point-based risk scoring system was first constructed using multivariate logistic regression to quantify the contribu...
Diagnostic criteria for equine thoracolumbar myofascial pain syndrome: A foundational study. Diagnostic criteria for myofascial pain syndrome (MPS) are well established in humans but remain underexplored in horses. This study aimed to identify which MPS clinical signs were present in the equine thoracolumbar region, assess internal coherence among clinical indicators, and explore the diagnostic relevance of owner-reported behavioural, signalment, management, and clinical variables. A population of 120 horses underwent a static physical assessment of the thoracolumbar region. Owner-reported horse behaviours were collected through a questionnaire. Taut band, hypersensitive spot, local t...
Biomarkers of equine asthma: A review of the current literature. Equine Asthma (EA) is a common, lower airway disease. Yet current diagnostic standards rely on bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) cytology, which is moderately invasive and not always feasible in field conditions. This review aimed to synthesize current evidence on candidate biomarkers of EA, with a primary focus on blood-based matrices and BALF, while also including data on biomarkers measured in tracheal wash (TW), saliva and exhaled breath condensate (EBC), where available. Searches were performed in PubMed, Scopus and Google Scholar, and original studies in horses with mild-to-moderate or...
Complete genome of Bacillus anthracis strain ter21 from an infected zoo pony in Ternopil, Ukraine, 2021. Using rapid nanopore whole-genome sequencing, we assembled the genome of strain ter21 (5,229,480 bp), a Tsiankovskii-I group isolate cultured from a fatal case in 2021 of a pony from a zoo in Ternopil, Ukraine, identifying virulence plasmid pXO1 that encodes anthrax toxin, and pXO2.
Ulcerative dermatitis, tendinitis, tenosynovitis, and desmitis caused by chronic infection with Serratia odorifera in a racehorse. We investigated a case of severe infection in a racehorse. The horse had developed progressive lameness associated with swelling of the left tarsal region, which progressed to ulcerative dermatitis, tendinitis, tenosynovitis, and desmitis. The plantar side of the superficial digital flexor (SDF) tendon was visible through the skin ulcer, and coalescing nodules were present in the dermis. The horse was euthanized and an autopsy was performed. Grossly, in addition to the changes described above, severe edema of the soft tissues was associated with the ulcer. Microscopically, necrotizing and ulc...
The effects of upper airway obstruction on oxygen consumption and ventilatory variables in Colombian criollo horses. While conditions associated with upper airway obstruction (UAO) are reported in Colombian Criollo horses, their effect on ventilation and performance is unknown. Objective: To investigate how oxygen consumption ($dot{rm V}$O2), ventilation,, and exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage (EIPH) are affected by UAO in horses performing at natural gaits. Methods: Twenty-three client-owned Colombian Criollo horses. Methods: A cross-sectional observational study assigned horses to a control (C), or UAO group after overground endoscopy. All horses performed a standardized submaximal exercise test while ...
Development of a rapid and highly accurate diagnostic test for detecting Theileria equi in horses using recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) combined with nucleic acid lateral flow immunoassay. Equine piroplasmosis (EP) is a protozoan disease in horses, mainly caused by Theileria equi, and is associated with non-specific signs such as fever, anemia, and edema. The lack of specific clinical signs, coupled with the high prevalence of carrier horses, highlights the critical need for a rapid and highly accurate diagnostic test for the detection of Theileria equi. Existing methods, including molecular, serological, and microscopic techniques, require specialized equipment, skilled personnel, and considerable time. The current study aims to develop a rapid and accurate assay for the detect...
Synovial transcriptomic biomarkers predict structural severity in equine osteochondral fragment-induced experimental osteoarthritis. Develop a global joint score (GJS) reflecting equine osteoarthritis (OA) structural severity and identify clinical or molecular parameters predicting disease severity. Unassigned: A retrospective analysis was performed using data from horses (n = 104; 58 females and 46 geldings; 2 to 5 years old) undergoing experimental OA induction via surgical osteochondral fragment creation in the middle carpal joint and high-speed treadmill exercise over 70 days. Longitudinal measures included subjective lameness examinations (lameness, effusion, and flexion), synovial fluid (SF) and serum glycosaminoglyca...
Signal-averaged electrocardiography in horses: characteristics of ventricular late potentials in healthy Thoroughbreds and horses with cardiac abnormalities. Sudden death in horses, often attributed to lethal arrhythmias, poses significant welfare and economic risks, yet its prediction remains challenging. This study aimed to characterize ventricular micro-potentials using signal-averaged electrocardiography (SAECG) and evaluate their potential for assessing sudden death risk. High-resolution orthogonal X-, Y-, and Z-lead ECGs were recorded in 24 healthy Thoroughbreds (aged 2-31 years), one horse with bupivacaine-induced myocardial injury, and three horses with persistent pathological murmurs. SAECG parameters, including filtered QRS duration (fQRS...
Evaluation of oxidative stress in ill neonatal foals: a preliminary study. Oxidative stress both contributes to and results from sepsis pathophysiology, but its role in ill foals remains poorly characterized. Objective: Ill foals will exhibit decreased antioxidant defense activity and increased oxidative products compared with healthy foals, and these changes will be associated with higher sepsis scores, lower survival scores, and non-survival. Methods: Twenty-six foals < 14 days old: 16 hospitalized foals (11 sick non-septic, 5 septic; median age, 1.5 days; range 1-13) and 10 healthy Standardbred foals (2 days old). Nine of 16 ill foals survived to discharge...
Evaluation of a canine Coll2-1 ELISA kit for use in equine serum and its correlation with radiographic joint disease. This study evaluated an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for the detection of Coll2-1, a peptide fragment of type II collagen released during cartilage degradation in horses using a kit originally developed for dogs. Objective: The objectives of this study were to: 1) assess the analytical applicability of the canine Coll2-1 ELISA in equine serum and 2) explore the correlations between Coll2-1 concentrations and radiographic scores of osteoarthritis (OA) in horses. Methods: Twelve Lusitano stallions, of similar age and workload but presenting different radiographic scores were include...
An unusual presentation of a sarcoid in Australia. Sarcoids are a common skin tumour affecting all equids. To date, only one case of a sarcoid in the oral cavity of the horse has been reported. In the present case, an oral sarcoid was identified using histology and polymerase chain reaction to detect bovine papillomavirus type 2 DNA. The lesion was known to be incompletely surgically excised and did not recur over a 15-month period. This case report describes the first oral sarcoid identified in Australia.
