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.
Lind EO, Christensson D.In the last few years stud farms have experienced increasing problems with Parascaris equorum infections in foals despite intensive deworming programs. This has led to the question as to whether the anthelmintic drugs used against this parasite are failing. This study aimed to investigate the efficacy of ivermectin, fenbendazole and pyrantel on the faecal output of ascarid eggs of foals. Methods: A Faecal Egg Count Reduction Test (FECRT) was performed on nine large studs in Sweden. Anthelmintic drugs were given orally and faecal samples were examined for ascarid eggs on the day of deworming an...
Bhoora R, Quan M, Franssen L, Butler CM, van der Kolk JH, Guthrie AJ, Zweygarth E, Jongejan F, Collins NE.A quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) assay using a TaqMan minor groove binder (MGB) probe was developed for the detection of Babesia caballi infection in equids from South Africa. Nine previously published sequences of the V4 hypervariable region of the B. caballi 18S rRNA gene were used to design primers and probes to target unique, conserved regions. The B. caballi TaqMan MGB qPCR assay was shown to be efficient and specific. The detection limit, defined as the concentration at which 95% of positive samples can be detected, was determined to be 0.000114% parasitized eryt...
Hagos A, Abebe G, Büscher P, Goddeeris BM, Claes F.This study was conducted from August 2005 to January 2007 to determine prevalence and distribution of dourine in horses and to investigate the occurrence of clinical and carrier cases in donkeys and mules in the Arsi-Bale highlands. Study methodology was based on questionnaire, serological, clinical and parasitological survey. The questionnaire indicated that dourine is a major health problem of equines in the Arsi-Bale highlands. Though dourine is commonly observed throughout the year, it has a seasonal character and occurs mostly during the breeding season from June to late September. Serolo...
Spokes PJ, Marich AJ, Musto JA, Ward KA, Craig AT, McAnulty JM.An outbreak of equine influenza occurred in New South Wales in 2007. In addition to the local spread of the disease between bordering properties, windborne spread over several kilometres had been postulated as a possible method of transmission in this outbreak. This study aimed to describe potential modes of transmission for a property infected with equine influenza where no apparent epidemiological links to other infected properties were reported. Methods: A semi-structured questionnaire was administered to owners of affected properties. The questionnaire collected detailed transmission-risk ...
Voermans M, Skidell J, Winberg F.Prestenotic oesophageal dilatation and stricture were diagnosed in a horse with a history of trauma in the cervical area and recurrent oesophageal obstruction. The diagnosis was established on the basis of the clinical examination, endoscopy, and positive contrast oesophagography. Conservative treatment was unsuccessful and surgical intervention was necessary. Oesophageal myectomy combined with myoplasty was performed, simultaneously relieving the dilatation and the stricture. No abnormalities were detected 8 weeks after surgery. The horse was on a normal diet and oesophageal obstruction did r...
Magdesian KG, Williams DC, Aleman M, Lecouteur RA, Madigan JE.To evaluate deafness in American Paint Horses by phenotype, clinical findings, brainstem auditory-evoked responses (BAERs), and endothelin B receptor (EDNBR) genotype. Methods: Case series and case-control studies. Methods: 14 deaf American Paint Horses, 20 suspected-deaf American Paint Horses, and 13 nondeaf American Paint Horses and Pintos. Methods: Horses were categorized on the basis of coat color pattern and eye color. Testing for the EDNBR gene mutation (associated with overo lethal white foal syndrome) and BAERs was performed. Additional clinical findings were obtained from medical reco...
Chang MH, Kim KH, Kim HS, Jun HJ, Kim DH, Jang JH, Kim K, Jung CW.Immunosuppressive therapy (IST) with antithymocyte globulin (ATG) plus cyclosporine (CSA) is standard therapy in patients with severe aplastic anemia (SAA) who do not have an available HLA-matched sibling donor. Methods: The current study aimed to determine the predictive factors for response to IST in patients with SAA and to identify prognostic factors following IST. A total of 62 patients diagnosed with SAA who received IST with either rabbit ATG (n = 33) or horse ATG (n = 29) plus CSA between October 1994 and December 2007 were included. Results: With a median follow-up duration of 60.5 mo...
Pusterla N, Hussey SB, Mapes S, Leutenegger CM, Madigan JE, Ferraro GL, Wilson WD, Lunn DP.The objective of the current study was to compare the performance of 4 methods to quantify Equid herpesvirus 1 (EHV-1) by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in nasal secretions from experimentally and naturally infected horses. Nasal secretions were collected on the challenge day and daily thereafter for 13 days from 4 experimentally infected horses. Additional nasal swabs were collected from 30 horses with clinical signs consistent with natural EHV-1 infection. Absolute quantitation of EHV-1 target molecules was performed using standard curves for EHV-1 and equine glyceraldehyde-3-phos...
Roest HI, de Bruijn CM, Picavet MT, Prins B, Parmentier D, de Zwart GM, Dijkstra YE, van Zijderveld FG.Symptoms, diagnosis and therapy of equine botulism are discussed by the presentation of two detailed reports of horses with neurological symptoms and the results of laboratory investigations over the period 2003-2008 in the Netherlands. In addition a brief summary of the available literature is presented. Prevailing symptoms of botulism in horses include paralysis of the tongue, salvation, dysphagia and paresis and paralysis of the skeletal muscles, as well as signs of colic. Symptoms and prognosis vary with the amount of botulinum neurotoxin (BoNT) involved. For early clinical diagnosis of bo...
Elad D, Blum S, Kol A, Ederi N, David D.A case of equine eumycotic mycetoma caused by Madurella mycetomatis is described. This is the first report of M. mycetomatis as the etiologic agent of human or animal infections in Israel. The definitive identification of the isolate was established by molecular methods. In addition the mold was cultured on various media through which we found that its growth rate was significantly augmented on incubation on trypticase soy agar, more so if horse serum was added to this medium. Sixteen previously published cases defined by the authors as mycetoma in horses are briefly reviewed. Among these, onl...
Jaffer O, Abdishakur F, Hakimuddin F, Riya A, Wernery U, Schuster RK.A total of 105 serum samples from endurance horses from different stables in Dubai were examined for the presence of antibodies against Theileria equi and Babesia caballi using immunofluorescence antibody test (IFAT) and competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (cELISA). A TaqMan real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to detect DNA of piroplasms in specimens of clotted blood or EDTA blood samples of the same animals. Out of the 105 serum samples, the IFAT detected antibodies against T. equi in 35 (33.3%) cases while the cELISA gave 34 (32.4%) positive results. Eleven (10.5%) o...
Meyer W, Kacza J, Schnapper A, Verspohl J, Hornickel I, Seeger J.Based on cryo-SEM, standard and high resolution TEM, glycoconjugate histochemistry, and microbiological differentiation, the present study demonstrates the colonisation of the epithelium of the equine oesophagus with microorganisms. As particularly apparent using cryo-SEM to illustrate natural conditions, the present microbiota were clearly dominated by bacteria, forming a one-layer system, as attached to and embedded in concentrated mannose/mannan substances covering the outer stratum corneal cells. Bacterial numbers ranged from 5600 to 7200 per mm(2) in the central part of the oesophagus, th...
Brosnahan MM, Damiani A, van de Walle G, Erb H, Perkins GA, Osterrieder N.Available vaccines fail to induce lasting and protective immunity to equine herpesvirus 1 (EHV-1) associated diseases. RNA interference is a novel approach showing promise for therapeutic use in outbreak situations. This study examined the effect of small interfering RNA (siRNA) on clinical signs as well as the presence of live virus and viral DNA in nasal secretions and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) in horses experimentally infected with EHV-1. siRNA targeting two EHV-1 genes (glycoprotein B and the origin binding protein) was administered 12h before and 12h after intranasal infe...
Dzieciatkowski T, Przybylski M, Cymerys J, Turowska A, Chmielewska A, Tucholska A, Banbura MW.Equine herpesvirus type 1 (EHV-1) is one of the major viral agents causing diseases in horses common worldwide. A variety of techniques, including PCR, have been used to diagnose EHV-1 infections. In this paper, an attempt of real-time PCR has been described, which uses specific fluorochrome-labeled TaqMan probes for detection of viral DNA. This method does not require post-amplification manipulations, thereby reducing the risk of cross-contamination. The assay was sensitive enough to detect EHV-1 sequences in different clinical samples, as well in mice neuronal cell cultures. The technique wa...
Jacobi S, Townsend WM, Bolin CA.To evaluate whether equine serum administered via a simulated subpalpebral lavage system (SPL) supports proliferation of Streptococcus zooepidemicus or Pseudomonas aeruginosa within the tubing. Methods: A sterile i.v. catheter with injection cap was inserted into sterilized silicone tubing (Mila). To mimic an SPL within the dorsal conjunctival fornix, the tubing was secured to an elevated platform. The tip of the tubing extended from the platform into a vial containing culture medium just inoculated with approximately 1.5 x 10(8) CFU/mL P. aeruginosa or S. zooepidemicus. To mimic administratio...
Arrigo NC, Adams AP, Weaver SC.The eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) complex consists of four distinct genetic lineages: one that circulates in North America (NA EEEV) and the Caribbean and three that circulate in Central and South America (SA EEEV). Differences in their geographic, pathogenic, and epidemiologic profiles prompted evaluation of their genetic diversity and evolutionary histories. The structural polyprotein open reading frames of all available SA EEEV and recent NA EEEV isolates were sequenced and used in evolutionary and phylogenetic analyses. The nucleotide substitution rate per year for SA EEEV (1.2 x 10(-4...
Moreau P, Lavoie JP.To evaluate effects of thrombophlebitis of 1 or both jugular veins on athletic performance of horses. Methods: Retrospective case series. Methods: 91 horses with jugular vein thrombophlebitis. Methods: Medical records of horses with jugular vein thrombophlebitis examined between 1988 and 2005 were reviewed for signalment, history, clinical signs, diagnosis, and treatment. Performance was evaluated in 2 ways. A questionnaire was used to obtain a subjective assessment from the owner or trainer of the horse's performance after thrombophlebitis, compared with the performance before thrombophlebiti...
Wobeser BK, Godson DL, Rejmanek D, Dowling P.A protozoal parasite identified as Neospora hughesi was found in inflammatory lesions in the central nervous system of a Canadian-born adult horse presented with neurological signs. This is believed to be the first case of equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM) caused by Neospora hughesi in a horse outside of the United States. Un parasite protozoaire identifié comme a été trouvé dans les lésions inflammatoires du système nerveux central d’un cheval adulte né au Canada présentant des signes neurologiques. On croit qu’il s’agit du premier cas d’encéphalomyélite protozoai...
Riggs LM, Krunkosky TM, Noschka E, Boozer LA, Moore JN, Robertson TP, Peroni JF.To compare characteristics and enzymatic products of leukocytes detected in the skin and laminar tissues of horses administered black walnut heartwood extract (BWHE) and horses administered purified lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Methods: 25 healthy 5- to 15-year-old horses. Methods: Horses were randomly assigned to receive LPS (20 ng of O55:B5 Escherichia coli endotoxin/kg; n = 5) IV or 6 L of BWHE (10) or water (control group; 10) via nasogastric intubation. Horses were euthanatized 12 hours after treatment or at onset of Obel grade 1 lameness. Laminar tissue samples and skin samples from the mid...
Oliveira Filho JP, Badial PR, Cunha PHJ, Cruz TF, Araújo JP, Divers TJ, Winand NJ, Borges AS.Equine serum or plasma iron concentration drops quickly during inflammation. Accumulation of iron inside macrophages and reduction of the intestinal absorption of this element cause hypoferremia during systemic inflammatory processes. These mechanisms are mediated by hepcidin, a 25 amino acids peptide synthesized mainly in the liver in response to iron stores and inflammation. Hepcidin is an important peptide for systemic iron homeostasis and also has antibacterial and antifungal activities. Hepcidin up-regulation is particularly useful during acute inflammation, especially before adaptive imm...
Stephen J, Harty M, Hollis A, Yeomans J, Corley K.An 11-year-old mare presented 36 hours after foaling with a ruptured bladder. Uroperitoneum was diagnosed on ultrasound and from the creatinine concentration of the peritoneal fluid. Bladder endoscopy demonstrated tissue necrosis and a rent in the dorsocranial aspect of the bladder. Following stabilisation, including abdominal drainage and lavage, the mare was taken to standing surgery. Under continuous sedation and epidural anaesthesia, and after surgical preparation, a Balfour retractor was placed in the vagina. Using sterile lubricant and moderate force, it was possible to insert a hand int...
de la Rebière de Pouyade G, Franck T, Salciccia A, Deby-Dupont G, Grulke S, Heyden LV, Sandersen C, Serteyn D.Equine neutrophil elastase (NE) is a protease released in inflammatory diseases and participating in tissue destruction. To measure NE in horse plasma to assess its role in pathological conditions, we purified elastase from equine neutrophils by a double step chromatography and obtained a pure protein of 27 kDa, 4 kDa smaller than the NE 2A previously purified (Scudamore et al., 1993; Dagleish et al., 1999), which was likely to be NE 2B. We developed an ELISA by using two specific polyclonal antibodies obtained from rabbit and guinea pig. The sandwich complex was detected using a secondary ant...
Carmona JU, Argüelles D, Deulofeu R, Martínez-Puig D, Prades M.The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical and biochemical effects of the administration of oral hyaluronan (Hyal-Joint [HJ]) on young horses with osteochondrosis (OC). Our hypotheses were that HJ administration is safe, would decrease the degree of synovial effusion and the concentration of nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) in synovial fluid, and would increase the concentration of hyaluronic acid (HA) in plasma and synovial fluid. Eleven young horses with tarsocrural OC were included in a randomised, double-blinded, placebo-controlled pilot clinical trial. Six horses rece...
Wennerstrand J, Gómez Alvarez CB, Meulenbelt R, Johnston C, van Weeren PR, Roethlisberger-Holm K, Drevemo S.Back problems are important contributors to poor performance in sport horses. It has been shown that kinematic analysis can differentiate horses with back problems from asymptomatic horses. The underlying mechanism can, however, only be identified in a uniform, experimental setting. Our aim was to determine if induction of back pain in a well-defined site would result in a consistent change in back movement. Back kinematics were recorded at a walk and trot on a treadmill. Unilateral back pain was then induced by injecting lactic acid into the left longissimus dorsi muscle. Additional measureme...
Ramery E, Fievez L, Fraipont A, Bureau F, Lekeux P.The long pentraxin 3 (PTX3) plays an important role in host defence and its over-expression may contribute to airway injury. The aim of the present study was therefore to characterize in more detail PTX3 and its expression in the horses' airway. Six healthy horses and six horses affected by recurrent airway obstruction (R.A.O.) were submitted to a dusty environment challenge. PTX3 DNA and cDNA were cloned and sequenced. PTX3 expression was evaluated by RT-qPCR, Western blotting and immunohistochemistry in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) cells, BALF supernatant and bronchial epithelial cell...
Bade D, Portis E, Keane C, Hallberg J, Bryson L, Sweeney M, Boner P.In vitro activity of ceftiofur and six other antimicrobial agents was evaluated against 79 Streptococcus equi subsp zooepidemicus isolates collected from horses with respiratory disease in Europe during 2007 and 2008. In addition, the in vitro activity of ceftiofur and other antimicrobial drugs was assessed against 59 S. equi subsp zooepidemicus and 49 S. equi subsp equi isolates collected by veterinary diagnostic laboratories in Europe from 2002 to 2006. The lowest concentration of ceftiofur that inhibited the growth of 90% of the isolates (MIC90) was 0.12 microg/ml, with the Clinical Laborat...
Bush JM, Fredrickson RL, Ehrhart EJ.In horses, osteosarcoma is a rare tumor, with the majority of reported cases occurring in the head, and, more specifically, in the mandible of young horses. The following report documents 8 cases of equine osteosarcoma, the majority occurring in male horses aged 7 years or older with a lack of metastasis identified in any horse. Six arose in the maxilla or mandible and one in the proximal tibia. The predominant subtype was fibroblastic osteosarcoma with fewer osteoblastic type tumors. All had osteoid and most had a chondromucinous matrix. Surgical excision was attempted in the majority of case...
Feary DJ, Abraham S, Woolford L, Trott DJ.A 6-year-old Arabian mare had a 4-week history of a subcutaneous mass (15 × 15 cm) at the base of the neck, cranial and distal to the prescapular lymph node on the right side. The mass was solid and painful on deep palpation. Ultrasonographic examination showed a soft-tissue abscess. Purulent aspirate was submitted for bacterial culture, which showed a moderate growth of an Actinomyces species. 16S rRNA gene sequencing was performed for definitive identification. Gene sequencing demonstrated close nucleotide homology with A. denticolens. Prolonged therapeutic management resulted in resolu...
Payette F, Charlebois A, Fairbrother JH, Beauchamp G, Leclere M.Nicoletella semolina was identified in the airways of horses and its low prevalence could be because of its difficult differentiation from other Pasteurellaceae. Objective: To develop a molecular method for the identification of N. semolina and to evaluate its prevalence in the mouth and the airways of healthy and severe asthmatic horses. Methods: Six healthy and 6 severely asthmatic horses in phase I, 10 severely asthmatic horses in phase II, and 10 healthy horses in phase III. Methods: Cohort (phases I and II) and cross-sectional (phase III) studies. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction pr...
Orth DN, Nicholson WE.Equine Cushing's disease is caused by hypersecretion of ACTH by hyperplasia or adenomas of pars intermedia (PI) cells, in contrast to human Cushing's disease, which is caused by hyperplasia or adenomas of pars distalis (PD) ACTH-secreting cells. We assayed both bioactive and immunoreactive (IR) ACTH in two normal equine pituitary glands and in the PD, PI, and pars nervosa of four such glands, as well as in the PI adenomas of five horses with Cushing's disease. In normal horse pituitaries, as in those of other species, most of the bioactive and IR-ACTH was found in PD, much less in PI, and only...
The Journal of protozoologyAugust 1, 1980
Volume 27, Issue 3 288-292 doi: 10.1111/j.1550-7408.1980.tb04259.x
Simpson CF, Mayhew IG.Equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM) was diagnosed in 10 horses. By electron microscopy, schizonts were found in intact host cells of the spinal cords or, more frequently, free in the extracellular spaces. Developmental stages of schizonts differed morphologically, and the late stage of schizogony was characterized by endopolygeny. These findings permitted tentative identification of the protozoon as a Sarcocystis sp. Free merozoites were present in the extracellular spaces or in cells of the spinal cord. Pericytes of capillaries were most frequently parasitized by merozoites were present ...
Baraúna RA, Ramos RTJ, Veras AAO, de Sá PHCG, Guimarães LC, das Graças DA, Carneiro AR, Edman JM, Spier SJ, Azevedo V, Silva A.The genomes of four strains (MB11, MB14, MB30, and MB66) of the species Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis biovar equi were sequenced on the Ion Torrent PGM platform, completely assembled, and their gene content and structure were analyzed. The strains were isolated from horses with distinct signs of infection, including ulcerative lymphangitis, external abscesses on the chest, or internal abscesses on the liver, kidneys, and lungs. The average size of the genomes was 2.3 Mbp, with 2169 (Strain MB11) to 2235 (Strain MB14) predicted coding sequences (CDSs). An optical map of the MB11 strain gen...
Rugh KS, Garner HE, Sprouse RF, Hatfield DG.Systemic arterial hypertension is associated with equine laminitis, a disease precipitated by gross over-ingestion of carbohydrates. We examined the hearts from nine chronically hypertensive (161 +/- 11/99 +/- 6 mmHg) laminitic ponies and nine normotensive (128 +/- 2/76 +/- 3 mmHg) ponies postmortem for signs of left ventricular hypertrophy. The hypertensive ponies had hearts which were significantly larger (7.77 +/- 0.26 g/kg bodyweight (BW) vs. 5.67 +/- 0.22 g/kg BW), as well as increased combined left ventricle and septum weight (4.99 +/- 0.21 g/kg BW vs. 3.67 +/- 0.20 g/kg BW) and left ven...
Trumble TN, Arnoczky SP, Stick JA, Stickle RL.The blood supply to the proximal sesamoid bone of the equine forelimb was examined in 18 cadaver limbs from adult horses, using x-ray computed tomography and a tissue-clearing (Spalteholz) technique. Results of the study indicated that the proximal sesamoid bones were supplied by multiple branches of the medial and lateral palmar digital arteries, which entered the proximal half of the bones on their non-articular, abaxial surface. After entering the bone, the vessels traverse dorsally, axially, and distally, arborizing into several smaller branches that appear to supply the entire bone. The m...
Barendsz AW.The enzyme butyrylcholinesterase from horse serum catalyses the hydrolysis of certain esters. The orange-red 2,6-dichloroindophenyl acetate will be converted by the enzyme into a deep blue alcohol. The colour transformation does not occur when the enzyme is inactivated. By making use of this biochemical reaction a cheap and simple, but very sensitive and specific detection tube could bedeveloped. The tube comprises a breakable ampoule with an aqueous buffer solution, a freeze-dried preparation of the chromogenic ester with a filler promoting its dissolution, a freeze-dried preparation of butyr...
Murray A, Pearson GT, Cottrell DF.Light microscopy was undertaken on sections from the caudal flexure of the duodenum and the terminal ileum proximal to the ileocaecal fold in 5 control horses, 5 horses with acute grass sickness (AGS), and 5 horses with chronic grass sickness (CGS). With the exception of the ileal submucous plexus of the CGS group, the AGS group had the lowest number of neurons as measured using a subjective scoring scheme. The proportion of abnormal neurons in the AGS group was similar in both plexuses and both regions, whereas the values for the CGS group were much higher in the duodenal region than in the i...
Aman JE, Valberg SJ, Elangovan N, Nicholson A, Lewis SS, Konczak J.Cerebellar Purkinje cell axonal degeneration has been identified in horses with shivering but its relationship with abnormal hindlimb movement has not been elucidated. Objective: To characterise surface electromyographic (sEMG) hindlimb muscle activity in horses with shivering, correlate with clinical scores and examine horses for Purkinje axonal degeneration. Methods: Descriptive controlled clinical study. Methods: The hindlimb of seven shivering and six control draught horses were clinically scored. Biceps femoris (BF), vastus lateralis (VL), tensor fasciae latae and extensor digitorum longu...
Garrett KS, Woodie JB, Embertson RM.Assessment of arytenoid movement has traditionally been performed using upper airway (UA) endoscopy. However, recent work suggests that laryngeal ultrasonography may provide additional complementary information. Objective: To determine the value of laryngeal ultrasonography for the diagnosis of recurrent laryngeal neuropathy in the horse. Objective: Horses with abnormal arytenoid movement (AM) during treadmill UA endoscopy would have increased echogenicity of the left cricoarytenoideus lateralis muscle (CALM) and smaller left CALM and vocalis size while horses with normal AM during treadmill U...
Plumlee KH, Johnson B, Gardner IA.Records were reviewed of horses that had fatal injuries at California racetracks over a 16-mo period. Horses were categorized based on injury type, sex, age and breed. Arsenic, cadmium, copper, iron, lead, molybdenum and zinc concentrations were measured in the liver and kidneys from each horse. Arsenic and lead were not detected in any tissues. Liver heavy metal concentrations were not related to the injury type. Kidney iron concentrations were significantly (P < 0.05) higher in horses with ligament ruptures and in horses with fractured sesamoid, carpus or metacarpus/metatarsus bones. Live...
Singh BR, Singh VP, Agarwal M, Sharma G, Chandra M.Haemolysin patterns of 175 strains of different Salmonella enterica subspecies enterica serovars isolated from different animal sources and places were determined using 11 different blood agar media made with either non-washed horse/sheep erythrocytes or with washed erythrocytes of cattle, sheep, horse, goat, rabbit, guinea pig, and human A, O and B blood groups. Study on 47 strains belonging to 10 serovars of Salmonella from buffalo meat (buffen), 42 strains of 11 serovars from goat meat (chevon): 16 strains of Salmonella enterica serovar Paratyphi B and 25 of S. enterica serovar Paratyphi B ...
Valberg SJ, Williams ZJ, Henry ML, Finno CJ.Shivers in horses is characterized by abnormal hindlimb movement when walking backward and is proposed to be caused by a Purkinje cell (PC) axonopathy based on histopathology. Objective: Define region-specific differences in gene expression within the lateral cerebellar hemisphere and compare cerebellar protein expression between Shivers horses and controls. Methods: Case-control study of 5 Shivers and 4 control geldings ≥16.2 hands in height. Methods: Using spatial transcriptomics, gene expression was compared between Shivers and control horses in PC soma and lateral cerebellar hemisphere w...
Becker E, Venter GJ, Greyling T, Molini U, van Hamburg H.Equine mortalities suspected to be due to African horse sickness (AHS) were reported from the arid Khomas Region, Namibia, in 2008. The area was previously considered a localized AHS-free area. Hartmann's mountain zebra (Equus zebra hartmannae), a potential but unconfirmed reservoir host of African horse sickness virus (AHSV), occurs in the region. Between 2009 and 2010 serum, blood and tissue samples from 31 culled E. z. hartmannae were analysed by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) (n = 31) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) (n = 18) to determine the p...
Widmer WR, Buckwalter KA, Fessler JF, Hill MA, VanSickle DC, Ivancevich S.Radiographic evaluation of navicular syndrome is problematic because of its inconsistent correlation with clinical signs. Scintigraphy often yields false positive and false negative results and diagnostic ultrasound is of limited value. Therefore, we assessed the use of computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging in a horse with clinical and radiographic signs of navicular syndrome. Cadaver specimens were examined with spiral computed tomographic and high-field magnetic resonance scanners and images were correlated with pathologic findings. Radiographic changes consisted of bony remodel...
Horin P, Sabakova K, Futas J, Vychodilova L, Necesankova M.In previous work, we found significant associations of horse polymorphic microsatellite and immunity-related (IR) gene markers with Rhodococcus equi infection of foals. Here, a statistically significant association between a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) within the interleukin 7 receptor-encoding gene (IL7R) with high R. equi burden in transtracheal aspirates was found (Fisher's F = 0.043, odds ratio: 8.00, 95% confidence interval: 1.127-56.795). Further positional and/or functional candidate genes investigated TLR2, IL13, IL17A, IL28R, TACE/ADAM 17 and GBP1, were not associated with in...
Westendorf J, Wobeser B, Epp T.The Kenney-Doig scale is a histopathology categorization (grading) system often used as the standard for assessing endometrial disease and communicating prognostic fertility information for equine breeding prospects. We investigated how Kenney-Doig categories compared within the same institution and across different institutions to determine if observer variability may contribute to category frequencies. We conducted a retrospective analysis of all equine endometrial submission records between 1998 and 2018 at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM) and Prairie Diagnostic Services (P...
Egbe-Nwiyi TN, Paul BT, Cornelius AC.This study aimed to investigate the prevalence and intensity of nematode infection among slaughtered donkeys in Kaltungo, Nigeria. Methods: A total of 72 fecal samples were examined by salt flotation and the modified McMaster fecal egg count technique to morphologically identify nematodes eggs and determine their egg per gram (EPG) outputs. Results: Out of a total of 72 (100%) donkeys sampled, 36 (50%) tested positive, but the prevalence of nematodes was independent of the age, sex, and breed of donkeys (p>0.05). Among the four species of nematodes identified in single and mixed infections,...
Rashid A, Mubarak A, Hussain A.Equine babesiosis is a tick-borne haematological disease of equidae that can affect acutely, subacutely and chronically. The disease is manifested by intermittent fever, anaemia, icterus and haemoglobinuria. The authors describe the clinical, haematological and therapeutic aspects of babesiosis in equines at two units in Kotley and at two units in Jehlum of the Remount Veterinary and Farms Corps (RVFC). Animals on these units showed the signs of illness. On clinical examination, intermittent temperature, increased respiratory rate, anaemia, lacrimation, conjunctivitis and pale mucous membranes...
Vernemmen I, Paulussen E, Dauvillier J, Decloedt A, van Loon G.This case report describes the 2-dimensional transthoracic (2D-TTE), 3-dimensional transthoracic (3D-TTE) and intracardiac echocardiographic (ICE) characterization of the fossa ovalis region in 2 horses. The first case was presented for poor performance and showed an anechoic zone in the interatrial septum on 2D-TTE. Based on 3D-TTE a deepened fossa ovalis could be identified and using ICE the presence of an interatrial shunt could be excluded. The second case was referred for a cardiac murmur and the presence of turbulent flow in and around the interatrial septum on 2D-TTE color flow Doppler....
Magdesian KG.Measurements of physiologic parameters, such as blood pressure or lactate concentration, are useful to detect occult derangements, such as tissue hypoxia and dysoxia. These tools are also useful in determining the effects of therapy. Monitoring techniques are now widely available for the intensive management of critically ill horses and foals. A number of these have evolved into noninvasive or minimally invasive devices and procedures and provide information that can be used for earlier and more dynamic therapeutic intervention. The goal of increased monitoring is to improve the level of care ...
Patty OA, Cursons RT.To identify Streptococcus equi subsp. equi (S. equi) by PCR analysis and obtain isolates by culture, in order to investigate the strains of S. equi infecting horses within New Zealand. Methods: A diagnostic PCR, based on the amplification of the seeI gene for S. equi, was used on 168 samples submitted from horses with and without clinical signs of strangles. Samples were also processed and cultured on selective media for the isolation of β-haemolytic colonies. In addition, the hypervariable region of the seM gene of S. equi was amplified and then sequenced for strain typing purposes. Results:...
Pérez J, Mozos E, Martín MP, Day MJ.The distribution of T (CD3), B (CD79) lymphocytes, immunoglobulin (IgG, IgM and IgA)-producing plasma cells, macrophages (lysozyme, Mac387) and MHC Class II antigen was analysed in the inflammatory infiltrate associated with 19 equine squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs) and six cases of precancerous lesions (actinic keratosis). The SCCs came from the penis (11 cases), conjunctiva (four), skin (two), nasal cavity (one) and oral cavity (one). Seven cases were well-differentiated and 12 moderately differentiated. Nine cases showed no invasion of peritumoral deep tissues (locally invasive), whereas th...
Mostafa MB, Elemmawy YM.There is limited knowledge about causes of musculoskeletal injury in jumping Thoroughbred horses. The objective of this study was to describe the relationships between musculoskeletal disorders and linear and angular limb measurements acquired from photographs of horses with markers at specific reference points. The diagnosed musculoskeletal disorders in either fore or hind limbs were flexor tendonitis, suspensory ligaments desmitis, and osteoarthritis of the distal intertarsal and tarso-metatarsal and carpometacarpal joints. Lengths and angles in 17 clinically normal jumping Thoroughbred hors...
Hoane JS, Morrow JK, Saville WJ, Dubey JP, Granstrom DE, Howe DK.Sarcocystis neurona is the primary causative agent of equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM), a common neurologic disease of horses in the Americas. We have developed a set of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) based on the four major surface antigens of S. neurona (SnSAGs) to analyze the equine antibody response to S. neurona. The SnSAG ELISAs were optimized and standardized with a sample set of 36 equine sera that had been characterized by Western blotting against total S. neurona parasite antigen, the current gold standard for S. neurona serology. The recombinant SnSAG2 (rSnSAG2)...
Gygax AP, Ganjam VK, Kenney RM.The surprisingly rapid rate of uterine involution detected is consistent with a high rate of conception as the first post-partum heat. Furthermore, many of the immediately post-partum features have attained the pregravid state by the end of the first post-partum oestrus and virtually all by the second post-partum oestrus. There was no specific cause detected for the higher rate of early embryonic death associated with conception at the foal heat.
Murase H, Sakai S, Kusano K, Hobo S, Nambo Y.Zinc is one of the essential microelements involved in the regulation of enzyme activity, as well as metabolism of nucleic acid and proteins. There have been few reports on equine serum zinc concentrations during the training period, and little is known about the relationship between zinc levels and diseases in horses. In this study, we measured serum zinc levels in healthy Thoroughbred racehorses, as well as in other horses, under general disease or training conditions. The reference value for serum zinc levels in Thoroughbred horses was 41-79 μg/dl. There were no differences in serum zinc l...
