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Topic:Disease Outbreaks
Disease outbreaks in horses refer to the occurrence and spread of infectious diseases within equine populations. These outbreaks can be caused by various pathogens, including bacteria, viruses, and parasites, and can lead to significant health issues in affected horses. Common diseases that may result in outbreaks include equine influenza, equine herpesvirus, strangles, and equine infectious anemia. The transmission of these diseases can occur through direct contact, environmental exposure, or vectors such as insects. Disease outbreaks can have substantial impacts on horse health, welfare, and the equine industry as a whole. This page compiles peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the epidemiology, transmission dynamics, and management strategies associated with disease outbreaks in equine populations.
Identification of swainsonine as a probable contributory mycotoxin in moldy forage mycotoxicoses. When infested with the fungus Rhizoctonia leguminicola, certain forages, e.g., red clover hay, can cause a "slobber syndrome" of varying severity when consumed by ruminants. The causative agent has been presumed to be slaframine [(1S,6S,8aS)-1-acetoxy-6-aminooctahydroindolizine], which is produced by R. leguminicola. In one serious outbreak of the slobber syndrome in horses, the red clover forage involved was carefully examined and found to contain R. leguminicola and slaframine. An identical hay sample is shown here by ion-exchange chromatographic and gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric an...
Serratia spp infection in 21 horses. Twenty-three isolations of Serratia spp were made from 21 horses at the University of Florida Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital between Jan 1, 1979 and July 1, 1983. Three Serratia spp were involved in single-organism and mixed infections of various tissues. Eight horses of this group died. All horses that died had massive, mixed, gram-negative infection. The other 13 responded to treatment, including systemic antibiotic therapy. Most of these horses were stressed and under antibiotic therapy prior to the time of culture. Possible nosocomial infection, variable antibiotic sensitivity, and a...
Antimicrobial drug susceptibility of bacteria isolated from disease processes in cattle, horses, dogs and cats. Results are presented of antimicrobial disc diffusion susceptibility testing on commonly isolated bacterial pathogens made at the Ontario Veterinary College Diagnostic Bacteriology Laboratory in 1981 and 1982. Nearly 2 000 isolates from horses, cattle, dogs and cats were tested. Comparison of resistance in the same bacterial species isolated from different animal species showed significant differences between some of the same antibiotics.
Study of an outbreak of cutaneous leishmaniasis in Venezuela. The role of domestic animals. During an outbreak of cutaneous leishmaniasis in a locality (Las Rosas, Cojedes State, Venezuela) previously non-endemic, 12.9% of humans, 7% of dogs and 21.4% of donkeys (Equus asinus) had lesions with parasites. The agent in the three hosts was identified as Leishmania braziliensis, subspecies braziliensis at least in man and donkey. The probable vector was Lutzomyia panamensis. No infection was found in a small sample of wild mammals examined. The outbreak was apparently linked with the importation of donkeys with ulcers, from endemic areas. The authors call attention to the fact that not o...
Suspected hepatotoxicity in neonatal foals: preliminary report of an emerging syndrome. An apparently new and emerging fatal hepatic disease affecting foals is described. Characteristics included evidence of hepatic failure, marked biliary hyperplasia, hepatocellular necrosis and occasionally fibrosis. Generally, the features of the disease appear to differ markedly from other hepatic diseases of neonatal foals.
Epidemiological survey of Corynebacterium equi infections on five Ontario horse farms. Corynebacterium equi was cultured from manure or soil on five horse-breeding farms in Ontario at monthly intervals on three occasions during the summer of 1982. The organism was widespread. Contamination by C. equi of the loafing paddock and pasture areas was significantly greater in a farm established 30 years than in two established for four and six years and there was a significant correlation between the C. equi burden in stables, paddocks and pastures and the length of use of the five farms for horses. In all farms, numbers of C. equi in pasture soil exceeded numbers in fresh manure, sugg...
Clinical observations on an outbreak of strangles. An outbreak of strangles, which occurred during the spring, summer and fall of 1980 on a Standardbred stud farm in eastern Alberta is described. The infective organism, Streptococcus equi, may have been introduced by an outside mare that was brought to the stud for breeding. All of the groups of horses on the farm were affected. For the most part, the disease was allowed to run its natural course. Only severely affected individuals were treated. During the outbreak, the foals were prophylactically treated with penicillin to prevent them from contracting the disease. Ten horses died of complica...
Equine herpesvirus abortion in Australia 1977 to 1982. Until 1977 no case of abortion caused by equine herpesvirus 1 (EHV1) had been recorded in Australia although the virus, called equine rhinopneumonitis virus, had been known to have been present at least since 1962. Outbreaks of EHV1 abortion occurred in New South Wales in 1977 and in 1981. Sporadic cases of EHV1 abortion had been confirmed in some parts of Australia each year since 1975. It was concluded that an abortigenic subtype of EHV1 had been introduced to Australia in 1977 and that the previously endemic respiratory subtype occasionally caused abortion. Virus isolation in a variety of c...
Isolation of saprophytic Microsporum praecox Rivalier from sites associated with horses. Several M. praecox isolates of saprophytic origin were obtained in Belgium from horses and their surroundings. Visualization of macroconidia in dust collected in stables proved its saprophytic origin. A few strains were obtained from human cases of tinea corporis.
Outbreak of ragwort (Senecio jacobea) poisoning in horses. Five out of 20 horses (25 per cent) on one farm died from an acute hepatic encephalopathy typical of ragwort toxicosis. Circumstantial evidence implicated pasture rather than hay as the principal source of the toxic alkaloids. Plasma levels of gamma glutamyl transferase (GGT) were determined on three occasions in all surviving ragwort-exposed horses. Elevated GGT levels were a useful early indicator of hepatic damage although not all horses with this biochemical sign developed clinical disease.
Identification of carriers of Streptococcus equi in a naturally infected herd. During an outbreak of strangles in a population of research horses, 4 mares were identified as carriers of Streptococcus equi. Three of the mares had typical signs of strangles (severe regional lymphadenitis with or without rupture of abscessed lymph nodes). The 4th mare experienced episodes of serous to mucopurulent nasal discharge, but never had more than a mild degree of lymph node enlargement. Streptococcus equi was isolated from the abscessed lymph nodes and from nasopharyngeal swab specimens from the first 3 mares from 6 to 19 weeks after rupture of involved nodes. Streptococcus equi was...
Study of equine histoplasmosis farciminosi and characterization of Histoplasma farciminosum. A detailed clinical and mycological study of horse infections with Histoplasma farciminosum was conducted for the first time in the Middle East. The disease seems to prevail in endemic form in the region. In all of the cases studied the infection involved only the cutaneous lymphatics and skin tissue with extension to the regional draining lymph glands. The disease seems to impose serious economic impact in the infected areas. Full description and thorough characterization of both the mycelial form and the yeast phase of the causative fungus were made.
Laboratory investigations on equine influenza during the outbreak in Poland in 1980. Summary
The outbreak of equine influenza in Poland in 1980 was caused by an equine influenza virus antigenically related to the strain A/equine/Miami/63/Heq2, Neq2. This was confirmed by isolation of six strains of influenza virus from horses suffering from the acute form of the disease. About 45 % and 69 % of positive results were obtained in the HI test performed with sera taken from convalescent and affected animals, respectively. A relatively high level of antibodies against newly isolated equine influenza virus strains was found in 50 % of serum samples taken from the grooms. A relativ...
Caecal rupture in parturient mares. The pathology of 4 cases of caecal rupture in foaling mares is described. One of these animals died suddenly, probably when rupture occurred, and 3 survived for 5 to 8 h and died from acute peritonitis.
The pathogenesis of this type of injury is discussed and it is suggested that rupture may arise from the pressure of a foetal hind foot against the caecum when distended by local tympany.
Marker characteristics of Venezuelan encephalitis virus strains isolated before and after epidemics and equine epizootics in Middle America. Ninety-four strains of Venezuelan encephalitis (VE) virus isolated from sentinel hamsters exposed in the Middle American countries of Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, and Honduras were examined for the presence of virions with marker characteristics of strains that cause large epidemics and equine epizootics. Thirty-four strains came from before and 60 strains came from after the Middle American epidemics and equine epizootics of 1966 and 1969-1972. Twenty-three virion clones that resembled epizootic strains by hydroxylapatite chromatography and Vero monkey kidney cell plaque size determinations wer...
[Progressive course of spinal cord tumors]. The main clinical varieties of spinal cord and equine tail tumors are reviewed. Of 221 cases, the progressive course of the disease was recorded in 76,9%, slow-progressive course was observed in 68,1% and rapid-progressive in 8,8% of cases. It is stressed that in the presence of the progressive course of the disease there may occur different manifestations of the tumorous process of the spinal cord, the examination of which makes it possible to improve the diagnosis, particularly in the early stage of the spinal oncological process.
