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.
Yamashita-Kawanishi N, Ito S, Chambers JK, Uchida K, Sato M, Chang HW, Knight C, van der Meer F, Haga T.Equus caballus papillomavirus type 2 (EcPV2) infection has been associated with genital squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) development in horses. However, very few reports on EcPV2-associated disease in Asia exist. Our study characterizes pathological and virological features of an EcPV2-associated vulvar SCC from a Japanese mare. Conventional PCR, in situ hybridization, reverse-transcriptase PCR and immunohistochemistry confirmed the presence and distribution of EcPV2 within the lesion and suggested that p53 degradation may not be the mechanism by which this virus induces neoplastic transformation...
Lyn Macon E, Harris P, Partridge E, Day Barker V, Adams A.The oral sugar test (OST) is frequently used to identify insulin dysregulated (ID) equines. The effect of fasting and varying sugar dose for the OST has been investigated in the pony but little work has been done in the horse. This study aimed to investigate (1) an OST response with access to forage continued until the time of the OST or prevented for 3 hours prior to the OST and (2) responses of ID and non-insulin dysregulated (NID) horses to two different OST doses. Twenty-one mixed-breed horses (14.8 ± 3.2 years; 574.3 ± 83.3 kg) were used in two randomized crossover studies. Seven ID and...
Rings LM, Kamr AM, Kinsella HM, Hostnik LD, Swink JM, Burns TA, Christie K, David JB, Toribio RE.The enteroinsular axis (EIA) is an energy regulatory system that modulates insulin secretion through the release of enteroendocrine factors (incretins). Despite the importance of energy homeostasis in the equine neonate, information on the EIA in hospitalized foals is lacking. The goals of this study were to measure serum insulin and plasma incretin (glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide [GIP], glucagon-like peptide-1 [GLP-1] and glucagon-like peptide-2 [GLP-2]) concentrations, to determine the insulin and incretin association, as well as their link to disease severity and outcome in ho...
Kang H, Bienzle D, Lee GKC, Piché É, Viel L, Odemuyiwa SO, Beeler-Marfisi J.Severe equine asthma (SEA) is a common, debilitating lower airway inflammatory disorder of older horses. Alveolar macrophages (AMs) survey inhaled particulates from barn sources causing them to switch from an anti-inflammatory to a proinflammatory phenotype, resulting in neutrophil recruitment to the lung. This proinflammatory switch may contribute to the development and prolongation of SEA. Validated antibodies to identify the cells involved in the pathogenesis of SEA are lacking. In this study, monoclonal antibodies against CD90, CD163, and CD206 were tested for reactivity with equine leukoc...
Ghaly P, Di Mascio D, Vicaretti M.A common source of infection in equine, , is an uncommon pathogen in humans, rarely identified as the cause for mycotic aortic aneurysms. Typically associated with consumption of unpasteurized milk or contact with horses, can result in severe bacteremia, endocarditis and meningitis. We describe the presentation and successful management of a 69-year-old retired equestrian who underwent infrarenal aortic resection and reconstruction using autologous right femoral vein for a mycotic aneurysm.
Michishita M, Shibata R, Machida Y, Matsumoto M, Ochiai K, Azakami D.A 20-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding was referred with clinical signs of anorexia, weight loss, intermittent fever, cough, subcutaneous oedema and exercise intolerance. Haematological examination revealed the presence of blast cells, decreased lymphocytes, mild thrombocytopenia and anaemia but no leucocytosis. Serum analyses detected elevated aspartate aminotransferase and gamma-glutamyl transferase activities and triglyceride concentrations. Twenty-two days after the initial visit, the horse died after showing clinical signs of decreased appetite, increased body temperature, tachypnoea and t...
Chen Y, Cai S, Zhang Y, Lai Z, Zhong L, Sun X, Li S, Lu G.Equine hepacivirus (EqHV) is a newly discovered hepatitis C virus-like virus that can infect equines. EqHV strains circulating worldwide have been classified into subtypes 1-3. In previous studies, we detected the presence of EqHV strains of subtype 1 and 3 in China. To determine whether EqHV strains of subtype 2 are prevalent in China, serum samples were collected from 133 racehorses in Guangdong province in 2021 and were tested for EqHV RNA by RT-PCR, and the positive rate was 9% (12/133). Sequencing of the NS3 gene revealed that one field strain (GD2021) had a high degree of genetic similar...
Thampi P, Tabbaa SM, Johnstone B, Wimmer MA, Laurent MP, Wayne McIlwraith C, Frisbie DD.The equine model of posttraumatic osteoarthritis (OA) mimics certain aspects of the naturally occurring disease, both in horses and humans. The objective of this study was to assess articular cartilage degeneration in a posttraumatic OA model using the established macroscopic and microscopic scoring systems and compare them with a novel surface topography analysis. OA was induced in the carpal joint of 15 (n = 15) mixed breed horses. Surface changes on the articular cartilage were characterized using osteochondral blocks from the third carpal bone (C3) and radial carpal bone using surface...
A 1.8-year-old maiden Thoroughbred filly, without previous history of mating or reproductive management, was referred for clinical inspection due to the presence of sanguineous vaginal discharge and severe abdominal pain. Transrectal palpation indicated uterine asymmetry, and transrectal ultrasonography revealed a mass near the cervix measuring 8.3 cm in diameter, with heterogeneous echogenicity, a trabeculated center, and a well-defined hyperechoic border. Smaller masses surrounded the larger uterine mass. During the examination, the mare expelled a uterine mass through the vulva. Histologica...
Sobral GG, Neto OCG, da Silva AM, Carneiro GF.The aim of the present study is to evaluate the correlation between the total protein measured by an optical refractometer and the concentration of IgG by radial immunodiffusion (RID) to determine the performance of the optical refractometer to diagnose the failure of passive transfer of immunity (FPTI) in 12-hour-old foals. Blood was collected from foals (n = 30) 12 hours after birth. A study was carried out to measure the serum IgG concentration by RID test and measure total protein (TP) by optical refractometer. The correlation coefficient was measured between the TP concentration and the...
Hifumi T, Akioka K, Tanaka T, Miyoshi N.Alveolar echinococcosis, which is caused by a larval-stage infection of Echinococcus multilocularis, is a zoonosis with public health importance. Recently, alveolar echinococcosis in slaughtered horses has been reported in Japan and Poland. In terms of public health, a highly sensitive and specific diagnostic method is essential for early detection during meat inspection. In this study, the loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay was developed and validated to target the mitochondrial cytochrome b (cob) gene of E. multilocularis. Forty-one hepatic solid nodules obtained from each h...
Herteman N, Mosing M, Waldmann AD, Gerber V, Schoster A.Equine asthma (EA) causes airflow impairment, which increases in severity with exercise. Electrical impedance tomography (EIT) is an imaging technique that can detect airflow changes in standing healthy horses during a histamine provocation test. Objective: To explore EIT-calculated flow variables before and after exercise in healthy horses and horses with mild-to-moderate (MEA) and severe equine asthma (SEA). Methods: Nine healthy horses 9 horses diagnosed with MEA and 5 with SEA were prospectively included. Methods: Recordings were performed before and after 15 minutes of lunging. Absolute...
Abdelhakiem MAH, Hussein HA.Diseases of the central nervous system are a well-recognized cause of morbidity and mortality in equine. Collection and analysis of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) give information about the type and stage of degenerative and inflammatory diseases in central nervous system (CNS). The present research aimed to assess the clinical complications of CSF collections and to establish range values of cytological and biochemical parameters of CSF in adult healthy donkeys (Equus asinus). The CSF samples were collected from fifty healthy donkeys at the lumbosacral (LS) and atlanto-occipital (AO) sites. Result...
Tayari H, Flaherty D, Schauvliege S, La Rosa L, Auckburally A.To assess the accuracy and trending capability of continuous measurement of haemoglobin concentration [Hb], haemoglobin oxygen saturation (SaO) and oxygen content (CaO) measured by the Masimo Radical-7 pulse co-oximeter in horses undergoing inhalational anaesthesia. Methods: Prospective observational clinical study. Methods: A group of 23 anaesthetized adult horses. Methods: In 23 healthy adult horses undergoing elective surgical procedures, paired measurements of pulse co-oximetry-based haemoglobin concentration (SpHb), SaO (SpO), and CaO (SpOC) and simultaneous arterial blood samples were co...
Ackermann K, Kenngott R, Settles M, Gerhards H, Maierl J, Wollanke B.Equine recurrent uveitis (ERU) causes painful inflammatory attacks and oftentimes blindness in the affected eyes. The disease is considered a late sequela of systemic leptospirosis. The most effective therapy is the surgical removal of the vitreous (vitrectomy), which is not only therapeutic, but provides vitreous material that can be assessed diagnostically. For example, the lipL32 gene, culturable Leptospira spp., and anti-Leptospira antibodies have all been detected in vitreous samples obtained from eyes with chronic ERU. Despite this clear evidence of leptospiral involvement, the systemic ...
Savu AN, Schoenbrunner AR, Politi R, Janis JE.Animal bites are common worldwide. Due to the plethora of animals, there are diverse pathogens with specific associated risks and treatment algorithms. It is crucial to understand these to develop and execute appropriate management plans. This practical review was designed to amalgamate the most common bites worldwide and synthesize data to help guide treatment plans. Methods: A PubMed literature search was performed focusing on the major animal bites. High-level studies were preferred and analyzed but lower-level studies were also used if high-level studies did not exist. Results: The tables ...
Agreste FR, Moreira JJ, Fülber J, Bogossian PM, Chaible LM, Silva LCLC, Michelacci YM, Baccarin RYA.The synovial membrane (SM) presents itself with distinctive characteristics during arthroscopic procedures in cases of osteoarthritis (OA) as well as osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) in horses. Most of the arthroscopic findings of the SM are limited to a description of a nonspecific inflammation state. In the present study, the macroscopic and histological aspects of the SM in OA and OCD horses were compared to those of healthy horses. The expression of interleukin (IL) in SM was also investigated. Besides, the concentrations of ILs and keratan sulfate (KS) in the synovial fluid (SF), and the m...
Pollaris E, Broeckx BJG, Rajasekharan S, Cauwels R, Vlaminck L. fracture models are frequently used in human dentistry to provide insights in the fracture mechanisms of teeth. Equine cheek teeth fractures are an important dental pathology, but there has been no research performed to examine the fracture resistance . To evaluate the fracture resistance of equine cheek teeth and identify anatomical predictors that might influence fracture resistance in healthy teeth. It was further evaluated if the presence of a fissure caused a decrease in fracture resistance. experimental design. Individual cheek teeth were subjected to a compression load in a univer...
Patterson Rosa L, Troop TW, Martin K, Vierra M, Foster G, Lundquist E, Brooks SA, Lafayette C.Hereditary Equine Regional Dermal Asthenia (HERDA) is an autosomal recessive condition present in the American Quarter Horse and other related breeds. Resulting from a mutation in the peptidyl-prolyl cis-trans isomerase B (PPIB) gene, HERDA is homologous to Ehlers-Danlos syndrome in humans. Characterized by fragile, hyperelastic, skin, HERDA affected horses often present first with slow-healing wounds usually on the dorsum, and resulting in atrophic scars, seromas, and ulcers. As there is no treatment for the condition affected horses are typically reported to be unrideable, and if persisten...
Conze TM, Bagó Z, Revilla-Fernández S, Schlegel J, Goehring LS, Matiasek K.A final diagnosis in a horse with clinical signs of encephalopathy can be challenging despite the use of extensive diagnostics. Clinical signs are often not pathognomonic and need to be interpreted in combination with (specific) laboratory results and epidemiological data of the geographical region of the origin of the case(s). Here we describe the diagnostic pathway of tick-borne encephalitis virus infection in two horses using established molecular diagnostic methods and a novel in situ hybridization technique to differentiate between regionally important/emerging diseases for central Europe...
Bannai H, Kambayashi Y, Tsujimura K, Nagashima T, Takebe N, Tominari M, Nemoto M, Ohta M.The antibody response in horses inoculated with 2 doses of a live equine herpesvirus type 1 vaccine with different vaccination intervals (1 to 3 months) was evaluated with regard to the persistence of virus-neutralizing (VN) antibodies. The durations for which the geometric mean VN titers were maintained significantly higher than those before the first vaccination (P<0.05) were up to 5 months in horses that received the vaccination with a 1-month interval (n=17) and 7 months for those that received it with a 2-month (n=17) or 3-month interval (n=14 or 17). The vaccination program with the 2...
Paulussen E, Decloedt A, Vera L, Lefere L, van Loon G.Venous stenosis, a possible cause of jugular dilatation and congestion, is well known in human medicine but has poorly been described in horses. Objective: To report unilateral jugular vein stenosis as a cause of jugular vein dilatation in horses and describe treatment by percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA). Methods: Case report. Methods: Details of horses diagnosed with unilateral jugular stenosis were retrieved from medical records. Results: Five horses were presented with a non-painful, unilateral dilatation of the jugular vein of which two horses showed headshaking during exercise....
Erol E, Shaffer CL, Lubbers BV.The alarming increase in rifampin and macrolide resistance among Rhodococcus equi isolates highlights the need to identify alternative therapeutic options that can effectively control rhodococcosis in foals while limiting the further development of drug resistance. Objective: To evaluate bacterial killing, antibiotic synergism and mutant prevention concentrations (MPCs) of clarithromycin alone and in combination with doxycycline, minocycline or rifampin against clinical isolates of R equi. Methods: In vitro experiments. Methods: Bacterial time-kill, fractional inhibitory concentration (checker...
Santiago-Llorente I, López-San Román FJ, Villalba-Orero M.To determine demographic, preoperative and anaesthesia-related variables that may be associated with unsatisfactory recovery quality in horses undergoing emergency abdominal surgery (colic) in an equine teaching hospital. Methods: Retrospective case series. Methods: A total of 313 horses. Methods: The anaesthetic records of horses admitted for surgical treatment of colic between 2005 and 2018 were examined. Overall quality of recovery was assessed as dangerous, poor, fair, good or excellent. The following categories were constructed as a dichotomic variable: unsatisfactory recovery (poor and d...
Jiang Z, Haughan J, Moss KL, Stefanovski D, Ortved KF, Robinson MA.Gene therapy is currently prohibited in human and equine athletes and novel analytical methods are needed for its detection. Most in vivo products use non-integrating, recombinant viral vectors derived from adeno-associated virus (AAV) to deliver transgenes into cells, where they are transcribed and translated into functional proteins. Although the majority of wild-type AAV (WTAAV) DNA is removed from recombinant AAV (rAAV) vectors, some sequences are conserved. The goal of this study was to develop a quantitative polymerase chain reaction (QPCR) screening test targeting conserved AAV sequence...
Pusterla N, Leutenegger CM, Barnum S, Wademan C, Hodzic E.Equine respiratory viruses remain a leading cause of equine morbidity and mortality, with the resurgence of certain infections, an increasing population of elderly, more susceptible horses, the growth of international equine commerce, and an expansion in geographic distribution of pathogens. The focus of rapid diagnosis of infectious diseases has also shifted recently, with the appearance and increasing importance of nucleic acid amplification-based techniques, primarily polymerase chain reaction (PCR), at the expense of traditional methods such as clinical microbiology. While PCR is fast, rel...
Surasi K, Cummings KJ, Hanson C, Morris MK, Salas M, Seftel D, Ortiz L, Thilakaratne R, Stainken C, Wadford DA.The Abbott BinaxNOW rapid antigen test is cheaper and faster than real-time reverse transcription PCR (rRT-PCR) for detecting severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. We compared BinaxNOW with rRT-PCR in 769 paired specimens from 342 persons during a coronavirus disease outbreak among horse racetrack workers in California, USA. We found positive percent agreement was 43.3% (95% CI 34.6%-52.4%), negative percent agreement 100% (95% CI 99.4%-100%), positive predictive value 100% (95% CI 93.5%-100%), and negative predictive value 89.9% (95% CI 87.5%-92.0%). Among 127 rRT-PCR-positive ...
Won SY, Kim YC, Do K, Jeong BH.Prion disease is a fatal infectious disease caused by the accumulation of pathogenic prion protein (PrP) in several mammals. However, to date, prion disease has not been reported in horses. The Sho protein encoded by the shadow of the prion protein gene (SPRN) plays an essential role in the pathomechanism of prion diseases. To date, the only genetic study of the equine SPRN gene has been reported in the inbred horse, Thoroughbred horse. We first discovered four SPRN single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in 141 Jeju and 88 Halla horses by direct DNA sequencing. In addition, we found that the g...
Browning GF, Chalmers RM, Fitzgerald TA, Snodgrass DR.Ten cultivable equine rotavirus isolates, two of North American, six of British, and two of Irish origin, were compared with standard rotavirus strains and with each other by cross neutralization, neutralization with a panel of monoclonal antibodies (MAbs), hybridization to a simian rotavirus (SA-11) VP7 gene probe, and reaction with rotavirus subgrouping and serotyping MAbs in enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Six isolates, two of which had previously been serotyped as G3 by other workers, were found to be serotype G3; one was confirmed to be G5, and three were not related to serotypes G1 t...
Andersen UV, Howe DK, Dangoudoubiyam S, Toft N, Reinemeyer CR, Lyons ET, Olsen SN, Monrad J, Nejsum P, Nielsen MK.Strongyle parasites are ubiquitous in grazing horses. Strongylus vulgaris, the most pathogenic of the large strongyles, is known for its extensive migration in the mesenteric arterial system. The lifecycle of S. vulgaris is characterised by a long prepatent period where the migrating larvae are virtually undetectable as there currently is no test available for diagnosing prepatent S. vulgaris infection. Presence of S. vulgaris larvae in the arterial system causes endarteritis and thrombosis with a risk of non-strangulating intestinal infarctions. Emergence of anthelmintic resistance among cyat...
Tenzin T, Lhamo K, Rai PB, Tshering D, Jamtsho P, Namgyal J, Wangdi T, Letho S, Rai T, Jamtsho S, Dorji C, Rinchen S, Lungten L, Wangmo K, Lungten L....Rabies kills approximately 59,000 people each year worldwide. Rapid and accurate diagnosis of rabies is important for instituting rapid containment measures and for advising the exposed people for postexposure treatment. The application of a rapid diagnostic tests in the field can greatly enhance disease surveillance and diagnostic activities, especially in resource poor settings. In this study, a total of 179 brain tissue samples collected from different rabies suspect animal species (113 dogs, 50 cattle, 10 cats, 3 goats, 2 horses, and 1 bear) were selected and tested using both rapid immuno...
Browning GF, Studdert MJ.The genomes of 51 isolates of slowly cytopathic equine herpesviruses were examined by digestion with restriction endonucleases. Forty-seven of the isolates showed considerable fragment pattern heterogeneity although common fragments were evident, especially when any two isolates were compared or when they were digested with SalI. Fifteen of the 47 viruses, selected for their diverse fragment patterns, showed a high degree of homology in Southern blot hybridization. In contrast, four viruses, representing three epidemiologically distinct isolations, shared few, if any, comigrating fragments wit...
Lu Z, Chambers TM, Boliar S, Branscum AJ, Sturgill TL, Timoney PJ, Reedy SE, Tudor LR, Dubovi EJ, Vickers ML, Sells S, Balasuriya UB.The objective of this study was to develop and evaluate new TaqMan real-time reverse transcription-PCR (rRT-PCR) assays by the use of the minor groove binding probe to detect a wide range of equine influenza virus (EIV) strains comprising both subtypes of the virus (H3N8 and H7N7). A total of eight rRT-PCR assays were developed, targeting the nucleoprotein (NP), matrix (M), and hemagglutinin (HA) genes of the two EIV subtypes. None of the eight assays cross-reacted with any of the other known equine respiratory viruses. Three rRT-PCR assays (EqFlu NP, M, and HA3) which can detect strains of th...
Fernández D, González-Baradat B, Eleizalde M, González-Marcano E, Perrone T, Mendoza M.Trypanosoma evansi is the causative agent of equine trypanosomosis, disease that affects horse's productivity and health. Parasitological and molecular methods are mostly used to detect the infection. The aim of this work was evaluate PCR sensitivity to detect T. evansi using the primers 21/22-mer, ITS1, ESAG 6/7 and TBR 1/2 designed from repetitive (multicopies) genomic sequences. The results were compare with two parasitological tests in mice, micro-haematocrite centrifugation technique and direct microscopic examination. The results shows (a) that the minimum amount of DNA from blood of hig...
Lyons ET, Drudge JH, Tolliver SC.Over the past few years, cyathostomiasis has become increasingly recognized as a clinical problem of horses in the United States. Clinical cyathostomiasis has been reported frequently in Europe for a considerable time. This clinical syndrome is usually related to the sudden release of large numbers of the larval stages of small strongyles from the mucosa of the large intestine. Typical clinical signs include diarrhea, ventral abdominal edema, pyrexia, colic, weight loss, and poor body condition. Hypoalbuminemia and the presence of large numbers of small strongyles being passed in the feces are...
Elvander M, Persson B, Sternberg Lewerin S.As in most European countries, anthrax was common in Swedish livestock during the centuries leading up to the mid-twentieth century. After 1957, the disease was regarded as practically extinct. However, in the past 7 years, three outbreaks have caused public alarm because of the risk of environmental contamination. Properly buried carcasses should present little risk of spore contamination, and instructions were in place to ensure this since the 1890s. However, as has been demonstrated in recent outbreaks, carcasses were not always adequately buried and viable spores may remain in some sites....
Beech J, Boston R, Lindborg S, Russell GE.To compare the effect of thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) administration on endogenous ACTH concentrations in healthy horses and those with pituitary pars inter-media hyperplasia and compare the test with the dexamethasone suppression test (DST). Methods: Prospective case series. Methods: 15 horses with clinical signs of pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID), 4 horses with equivocal signs of PPID, and 29 horses without signs of PPID. Methods: ACTH concentrations prior to and after administration of TRH were measured 61 times in 48 horses. Results of the DST (cortisol response) were c...
Rash A, Woodward A, Bryant N, McCauley J, Elton D.H3N8 equine influenza virus (EIV) has caused disease outbreaks in horses across the world since its first isolation in 1963. However, unlike human, swine and avian influenza, there is relatively little sequence data available for this virus. The majority of published sequences are for the segment encoding haemagglutinin (HA), one of the two surface glycoproteins, making it difficult to study the evolution of the other gene segments and determine the level of reassortment occurring between sub-lineages. Methods: To facilitate the generation of full genome sequences for EIV, we developed a simpl...
Koenig TR, Mitchell KJ, Schwarzwald CC.Assessment of left ventricular (LV) function by tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) is not well established in horses with heart disease. Objective: To describe the use of pulsed-wave (PW) TDI for the assessment of LV function, establish reference intervals, investigate effects of mitral regurgitation (MR), aortic regurgitation (AR), and primary myocardial disease (MD), and provide proof of concept for the use of PW TDI in Warmblood horses with heart disease. Methods: Thirty healthy horses, 38 horses with MR, 25 with AR, 8 with MD. Methods: Echocardiograms were retrospectively analyzed. Reference int...
Pook JF, Power ML, Sangster NC, Hodgson JL, Hodgson DR.Resistance, especially to the anthelmintic benzimidazoles (BZ), has been reported in horse cyathostomes world-wide. Diagnosis of resistance has traditionally been made by faecal egg count reduction (FECR) trials, however, this technique has limitations. Some of the shortcomings may be resolved by refining the test or by using an in vitro test. FECR tests and the larval development assay (LDA) were performed on adult horses held on 15 different horse properties across a wide geographical area of NSW, Australia. FECR were measured before and 10-14 after days treatment with oxibendazole (OBZ), mo...
Woo PC, Teng JL, Bai R, Wong AY, Martelli P, Hui SW, Tsang AK, Lau CC, Ahmed SS, Yip CC, Choi GK, Li KS, Lam CS, Lau SK, Yuen KY.In a molecular epidemiology study using 791 fecal samples collected from different terrestrial and marine mammals in Hong Kong, genogroup I picobirnaviruses (PBVs) were positive by RT-PCR targeting the partial RdRp gene in specimens from five cattle, six monkeys, 17 horses, nine pigs, one rabbit, one dog, and 12 California sea lions, with 11, 9, 23, 17, 1, 1, and 15 sequence types in the positive specimens from the corresponding animals, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the PBV sequences from each kind of animal were widely distributed in the whole tree with high diversity, shar...
Mendoza FJ, Pérez-Écija A, Kappmeyer LS, Suarez CE, Bastos RG.Equine piroplasmosis (EP) is a global tick-borne disease of equids caused by the intraerythrocytic apicomplexan parasites and , and the more recently discovered . These parasites can be transmitted by several tick species, including , , and , but iatrogenic and vertical transmission are also common. Clinical signs of EP include poor performance, fever, icterus, abortions, among others, and peracute or acute forms of infection are associated with high mortality in non-endemic areas. EP is a reportable disease and represents an important barrier for the international trade of horses and other e...
Archer BG, Crawford TB, McGuire TC, Frazier ME.Equine infectious anemia (EIAV) is shown to have an associated RNA-instructed DNA polymerase similar in its cofactor requirements and reaction conditions to the RNA tumor virus DNA polymerases. Demonstrating this DNA polymerase activity requires a critical concentration of a nonionic detergent, all four deoxyribonucleoside triphosphates, and a divalent metal ion. The reaction is sensitive to RNase, and a substantial fraction of the FNA synthesized is complementary to viral RNA. The detection of a complex of tritium-labeled polymerase product DNA-template RNA, which sedimented at 60S to 70S, pr...
Declue AE, Johnson PJ, Day JL, Amorim JR, Honaker AR.Although the incidence of Gram-positive infection in horses is increasing, little is known about differences in inflammatory response between Gram-positive and Gram-negative organisms in this species. Equine blood was stimulated with components of both Gram-negative and Gram-positive organisms: lipopolysaccharide (LPS); lipoteichoic acid (LTA); peptidoglycan (PG); with combinations of LPS, LTA and PG; and with phosphate buffered saline (control). LPS, LTA and PG stimulated tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and interleukin (IL)-6 production but only LTA and PG stimulated IL-1β production from whole ...
Knottenbelt DC, Kelly DF.OBJECTIVE: Diagnosis and management of periorbital sarcoids in horses is a significant clinical challenge for the practicing veterinary surgeon and pathologist. The purpose of this study was to investigate the response of various types of sarcoids to different therapeutic methods. Animals studied Medical records of 445 clinical patients. Procedures This paper retrospectively examines the clinical and histological features of periorbital sarcoids and the treatment of 445 cases. Treatment by surgical excision, cryosurgery, Bacillus-Calmette-Gaérin (BCG) immunomodulation, topical cytotoxic appli...
Morita H, Shiratori C, Murakami M, Takami H, Toh H, Kato Y, Nakajima F, Takagi M, Akita H, Masaoka T, Hattori M.Four bacterial strains, designated ST18(T), HM244, HM250 and DI49, were isolated from the fresh faeces of four thoroughbred horses in Japan. Cells were Gram-positive, strictly anaerobic, catalase-negative, non-spore-forming, non-motile rods that occurred in chains. They were placed in the same subcluster based on 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, phenotypic characteristics and levels of DNA-DNA relatedness. Their DNA G+C content ranged from 36 to 38 mol%. Lactobacillus catenaformis, Lactobacillus vitulinus and Catenibacterium mitsuokai belong to cluster XVII of the Clostridium subphylum. Strain...
Carrick JB, Begg AP.Assessment of peripheral blood leukocytes is the most common clinical pathology test in equine practice. It is always a part of complete body function assessment and frequently is used alone, or in conjunction with, fibrinogen to monitor response to treatment.
Perumal AN, Gunawardene YI, Dassanayake RS.Setaria digitata is a filarial parasite that causes fatal cerebrospinal nematodiasis in goats, sheep and horses, resulting in substantial economic losses in animal husbandry in the tropics. Due to its close resemblance to Wuchereria bancrofti, this nematode is also frequently used as a model organism to study human lymphatic filariasis. This review highlights numerous insights into the morphological, histological, biochemical, immunological and genetic aspects of S. digitata that have broadened our understanding towards the control and eradication of filarial diseases.
Reed SR, Jackson BF, Mc Ilwraith CW, Wright IM, Pilsworth R, Knapp S, Wood JL, Price JS, Verheyen KL.No large scale epidemiological studies have previously quantified the occurrence of carpal, metacarpo- and metatarsophalangeal (MCP/MTP) joint injuries in Thoroughbred racehorses. Objective: To develop an objective classification system for carpal and MCP/MTP joint injuries and estimate the incidence of these injuries in young Thoroughbreds in flat race training. Methods: In a prospective cohort study, data on daily exercise and veterinary-diagnosed carpal and MCP/MTP joint injuries were collected from Thoroughbreds monitored since starting training as yearlings, for up to 2 years. Cases were ...
Bishop RP, Kappmeyer LS, Onzere CK, Odongo DO, Githaka N, Sears KP, Knowles DP, Fry LM.Equine theileriosis, a tick-transmitted disease caused by the hemoprotozoan parasites Theileria equi and Theileria haneyi, affects equids throughout tropical and subtropical regions of the world. It is a significant regulatory concern in non-endemic countries, where testing for equine theileriosis is required prior to horse import to prevent parasite entry. Within endemic areas, infection causes significant morbidity and mortality, leading to economic losses. No vaccine for equine theileriosis is available, and current drug treatment protocols are inconsistent and associated with significant s...
Stowe HD, Herdt TH.Assessment of the selenium status of livestock is an important aspect of production medicine, but variations in reported values between laboratories and between methods may be > 30%. Reliable interpretations require considerable experience with an assay and an extensive database from field and research case samples of a variety of species. The Michigan State University Animal Health Diagnostic Laboratory (MSU-ADHL) has offered Se analyses by acid-digestion and fluorometric detection since 1982. This laboratory expects serum Se values (nanograms per milliliter) of livestock to increase graduall...
Pedersen NC.Lentiviruses are associated with persistent infection and chronic
disease in three major species of livestock—horses, sheep, and goats.
Another lentivirus named bovine immunodeficiency virus (BIV) recently has been described (Gonda et al., 1987). It is a Visna-like virus that was originally isolated over a decade ago from cattle with
persistent lymphocytosis, lymphadenopathy, weakness, emaciation,
and central nervous system (CNS) lesions (Van der Maaten et al,
1972). There is very little information on the epidemiology, clinical
manifestations, or importance of bovine lentivirus infect...
Berryhill EH, Magdesian KG, Aleman M, Pusterla N.Equine coronavirus (ECoV) is a recently described enteric virus with worldwide outbreaks; however, there are little data available on clinical presentation, diagnosis, and outcome. The study objective was to document case management of ECoV in adult horses presented to a referral hospital and compare to a cohort of horses that tested negative for ECoV. A retrospective case series was performed based on positive real-time quantitative PCR results for ECoV on faeces from horses treated at the UC Davis Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital from 1 March 2012 to 31 March 2018. Horses negative for EC...
Purohit RC, McCoy MD.To evaluate the use of thermography in equine medicine, a three-phase study was conducted. In the first phase, six horses were examined thermographically, before and after exercise, to determine a normal thermal pattern. In the second phase, nine horses with acute and chronic inflammatory processes were examined thermographically. In the third phase, thermography was used to evaluate the effectiveness of anti-inflammatory drugs on chemically induced inflammatory reactions. All normal horses tested had similar infrared emission patterns. There was a high degree of symmetry between right and lef...
