Disease prevalence in horses refers to the frequency and distribution of various diseases within equine populations. Understanding disease prevalence is essential for identifying health trends, assessing risk factors, and implementing effective disease management and prevention strategies. Common diseases affecting horses include equine influenza, equine herpesvirus, strangles, and equine infectious anemia. The study of disease prevalence involves collecting and analyzing data from veterinary reports, field studies, and laboratory diagnostics. This page compiles peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that investigate the patterns, causes, and implications of disease prevalence in horses, providing insights into equine health management and epidemiology.
Estep LK, McClure CJ, Burkett-Cadena ND, Hassan HK, Hicks TL, Unnasch TR, Hill GE.Eastern equine encephalitis virus (EEEV) is a mosquito-borne pathogen that cycles in birds but also causes severe disease in humans and horses. We examined patterns of avian host use by vectors of EEEV in Alabama from 2001 to 2009 using blood-meal analysis of field-collected mosquitoes and avian abundance surveys. The northern cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) was the only preferred host (fed on significantly more than expected based on abundance) of Culiseta melanura, the enzootic vector of EEEV. Preferred hosts of Culex erraticus, a putative bridge vector of EEEV, were American robin (Turdus ...
Kranenburg LC, van Ree HE, Calis AN, de Pater M, Buter GJ, van Maanen C, Sloet van Oldruitenborgh-Oosterbaarn MM.Equine proliferative enteropathy caused by Lawsonia intracellularis is an emerging disease of weanling foals and affects their growth and development. The prevalence of Lawsonia intracellularis in The Netherlands is not known. The aim of the study was to investigate the seroprevalence of Lawsonia intracellularis in horses in The Netherlands. Blood samples were taken from healthy foals before and after weaning and from healthy yearlings and mature horses on farms throughout The Netherlands. These samples were analysed for the presence of Lawsonia intracellularis-specific antibodies with a block...
Ehizibolo DO, Gusi AM, Ehizibolo PO, Mbuk EU, Ocholi RA.Despite the endemicity of brucellosis in Nigeria, reports on equine brucellosis are rare. The Rose Bengal Plate Test (RBPT) was used to determine the serologic prevalence of Brucella abortus antibodies amongst 75 horses from three stables in two States of northern Nigeria. The highest prevalence (22.7%) was recorded in stable C located in Plateau State and the lowest (6.7%) was found in stable B in Kaduna State. The overall prevalence determined was 14.7%. There is need for the inclusion of horses in brucellosis surveillance and control strategies in Nigeria to safeguard people at high risk.
Medina-Torres CE, Weese JS, Staempfli HR.Fecal samples were collected to establish the apparent prevalence of Clostridium difficile shedding in Standardbred and Thoroughbred racehorses housed at 4 racetracks and 2 breeding facilities, and in horses admitted to a referral large animal clinic. Forty-one (7.59%) of 540 racetrack horses, seven (5.83%) of 120 breeding farm horses, and four (4.88%) out of 82 horses admitted to the referral clinic were culture-positive for C. difficile. An overall fecal culture prevalence of 7.01% for C. difficile was identified in 742 fecal samples. PCR-ribotyping and toxin gene identification was performe...
Walmsley E, Steel C, Haines G, Lumsden J, O'Sullivan C.The incidence of colic following swimming exercise (SC) in a racehorse population examined over 3 years was 0.08%. Following 167,977 swims, 136 cases were reported. Colic resolved spontaneously in 2 horses, medically in 129 or surgically in 5. In a separate study, 21 horses were subject to exploratory laparotomy for SC. Findings included non-strangulating displacements in 7 horses, strangulating displacements in 7, a combination of non-strangulating and strangulating displacements in 1, prominent gaseous intestinal distension in 5 and no abnormalities in 1 horse. A poor response to analgesia p...
Kyvsgaard NC, Lindbom J, Andreasen LL, Luna-Olivares LA, Nielsen MK, Monrad J.Horses, mules and donkeys are indispensable farming and working animals in many developing countries, and their health status is important to the farmers. Strongyle parasites are ubiquitous in grazing horses world-wide and are known to constitute a threat to equine health. This study determined the prevalence of strongyle infection, the efficacy of ivermectin and fenbendazole treatment, and strongyle re-infection rates of working horses during the dry months in Nicaragua. One hundred and five horses used by farmers for transport of people and goods were randomly allocated into three treatment ...
Hinney B, Wirtherle NC, Kyule M, Miethe N, Zessin KH, Clausen PH.The objective of the study was to estimate the prevalence of helminths in the horse population of the state of Brandenburg, Germany. One hundred and twenty-six horse farms in the state were selected by randomised stratified sampling. In total, 1,407 horses across all farms were examined coproscopically. The experimental unit was the horse farm: a farm was considered infected when at least one horse on the farm investigated was positive for helminth eggs. Animal details such as age, breed and sex were collected for all study horses and analysed for risk of infection. Risk was defined as horses ...
Bitew M, Andargie A, Bekele M, Jenberie S, Ayelet G, Gelaye E.A cross-sectional serological survey was undertaken in selected districts of different agro-ecology of Jimma zone (Dedo, Yebu, Seka, Serbo, and Jimma town) from November 2009 to February 2010 to determine the seroprevalence of African horse sickness virus and associated risk factors of the disease. Two hundred seventy-four equids (189 horses, 43 mules, and 47 donkeys) with a history of non-vaccination for at least 2 years were selected randomly from the above areas. Sera samples were collected and assayed for the presence of specific antibody against African horse sickness virus using blocking...
Franson JC, Hofmeister EK, Collins GH, Dusek RJ.We screened 1,397 feral horses (Equus caballus) on Sheldon National Wildlife Refuge, Nevada, United States, for IgM and IgG against flavivirus during 2004-2006, 2008, and 2009. Positive serum samples were tested for neutralizing antibodies to West Nile virus (WNV) and St. Louis encephalitis virus (SLEV). One animal was positive for antibody against WNV in 2004, but all others tested in 2004-2006 were negative. In 2008 and 2009, we found evidence of increasing seropositive horses with age, whereas seroprevalence of WNV decreased from 19% in 2008 to 7.2% in 2009. No horses were positive for anti...
Praskova I, Bezdekova B, Zeman P, Jahn P.Anaplasma phagocytophilum is the aetiological agent of equine granulocytic anaplasmosis (EGA). The aim of this survey was to assess the prevalence of anti-A. phagocytophilum antibodies in the horse population of the Czech Republic (CZ) and to investigate possible links between seropositivity and the geographic origin, age, and/or sex of the tested horses. Antibodies against A. phagocytophilum were screened using an indirect fluorescent antibody method (IFA). Serum samples from 96 healthy horses from 8 localities (7 within the CZ and one control upland/tick-free locality in Ukraine) were examin...
Pagamjav O, Kobayashi K, Murakami H, Tabata Y, Miura Y, Boldbaatar B, Sentsui H.Three hundred sera were collected from horses in various parts of Mongolia in 2007 and seroepidemiological surveys for several equine viruses performed on them. Equid herpesvirus 1 and equine rhinitis A virus were prevalent, and equine arteritis virus and equid herpesvirus 3 were detected over a wide area though their rates of antibody-positivity were not high. Equine infectious anemia was distributed locally. The rates of horses antibody-positive for Japanese encephalitis virus and equine influenza virus were low, but these were detected. Bovine coronavirus antibodies were detected at a high ...
West Nile virus (WNV), the most widely distributed flavivirus worldwide, has lately reemerged in Europe, causing worrisome outbreaks in humans and horses. Serological analysis by enzyme-linked immunoassay and plaque reduction neutralization test showed for the first time in Serbia that 12% of 349 horses presented specific neutralizing WNV antibodies, which in one case also cross-neutralized Usutu virus (USUV). This is the first time that anti-USUV high neutralizing antibody titers are reported in horses. All these data indicate that WNV and USUV are circulating in the region and advise on the ...
Ataseven VS, Oğuzoğlu TÇ, Başaran-Karapınar Z, Bilge-Dağalp S.Equine adenovirus type 1 (EAdV-1) is a cause of repiratory tract infection in equids. In present study for the first time in Turkey, the prevalence of EAdV-1 in nasal swab samples obtained from horses showing respiratory symptoms was investigated by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and molecular characterization of the hexon gene detected in the Turkish (TR) strain was performed. Overall, the prevalence of EAdV-1 was found low (1.4%) as indicated by a positive PCR reaction from the nasal swab extracts tested. Phylogenetic analysis based on the partial sequences of the hexon gene of a TR-EAdV-1...
Hobson-Peters J, Arévalo C, Cheah WY, Blitvich BJ, Tan CS, Sandis A, Araya LN, Hernández JL, Toye P, Hall RA.We conducted a serosurvey for West Nile virus (WNV) infection in equines in Costa Rica in 2004. Antibodies to WNV were detected in 28% of the horses using an epitope blocking ELISA that is specific for WNV. WNV infection was confirmed for a subset of these sera by plaque reduction neutralization tests and Western blot. This is the first evidence of WNV activity in Costa Rica.
Ahmadnejad F, Otarod V, Fallah MH, Lowenski S, Sedighi-Moghaddam R, Zavareh A, Durand B, Lecollinet S, Sabatier P.We report the first large-scale serosurvey for West Nile virus (WNV) conducted in the equine population in Iran. Blood samples were obtained in 2008-2009 from 1054 equines collected from 260 districts located in 27 provinces. The overall seroprevalence rate for WNV neutralizing antibodies was 23·7%. Marked geographical variations were observed as province-specific seroprevalence rates ranged from 1% to 88%, the highest values being observed in the southern and western parts of the country. The presence of IgM-positive animals (n=9) indicated a recent circulation of WNV in several provinces. L...
Sloboda M, Jirků M, Lukešová D, Qablan M, Batsukh Z, Fiala I, Hořín P, Modrý D, Lukeš J.Equine piroplasmosis caused by Babesia caballi and Theileria equi is widespread in Asia. The presence of these haemozoans in Mongolia was previously confirmed in domestic as well as in reintroduced Przewalski horses in which they cause significant pathology. The data on occurrence of piroplasms from Bactrian camels in Asia is lacking. A total of 192 horses, 70 Bactrian camels, and additional 16 shepherd dogs from the Hentiy province were included in our study. No clinical signs typical for piroplasmid infection were observed during the field survey. Microscopic examination revealed the presenc...
Alanazi AD, Alyousif MS.The aim of the present study was to determine the seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in horses used for sporting purposes in the Province of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. In total, 266 serum samples from clinically healthy horses were analyzed for anti- T. gondii antibodies using the Sabin-Feldman dye test. Antibodies to T. gondii were found in 84 (31.6%) horses, with specific titers of 1∶16 (78 with a prevalence of 29.3%), 1∶64 (4 with a prevalence of 1.5%), and 1∶256 (2 with a prevalence of 0.8%). The number of seropositive horses in Shaqra (43.7%) was considerably higher than in other region...
Maddox TW, Williams NJ, Clegg PD, O'Donnell AJ, Dawson S, Pinchbeck GL.The increasing prevalence of antimicrobial resistance in bacteria represents a considerable problem for human and veterinary medicine, causing complications in the treatment of infections. Resistance in Escherichia coli from horses has been documented in commensal and pathogenic strains, but little information exists regarding the prevalence of such bacteria in hospitalised horses or associated risk factors. A longitudinal cohort study was conducted of 103 horses admitted to a referral equine hospital for more than 48 h, with faecal samples collected on hospital admission and subsequently ever...
Seo MG, Yun SH, Choi SK, Cho GJ, Park YS, Kwon OD, Cho KH, Kim TH, Jeong KS, Park SJ, Kwon YS, Kwak D.Equine piroplasms include two tick-borne protozoan parasites, Babesia caballi and Theileria equi. Although no clinical equine piroplasmosis has been reported in the Republic of Korea, the possible existence of the disease has been proposed due to a nationwide distribution of the vector ticks. To determine if the antibodies against B. caballi and T. equi were present, 184 sera of horses (Equus caballus) raised in the Republic of Korea from 2007 to 2010 were assessed using cELISA kits. Two (1.1%) out of 184 sera were positive for T. equi, but none were seropositive for B. caballi. Both samples t...
Barrandeguy M, Thiry E.Equine coital exanthema (ECE) caused by equid herpesvirus 3 (EHV-3) is a contagious venereal disease characterised by the formation of painful papules, vesicles, pustules and ulcers on the external genitalia of both mares and stallions. EHV-3 is an alphaherpesvirus that is distinct from the other equine herpesviruses and endemic in most horse breeding populations worldwide. The negative impacts of ECE on equine breeding enterprises are the forced, temporary disruption of mating activities of mares and stallions, the additional care and supportive treatment that is required for affected horses,...
Al Anazi AD, Alyousif MS.This study aimed to provide recent data on the occurrence of non-strongyle intestinal parasite infestation in horses in the Riyadh region of Saudi Arabia as a basis for developing parasite control strategies. We conducted necropsy for 45 horses from September 2006 to November 2007 in the Riyadh region, Saudi Arabia. 39 out of 45 horses were infected with intestinal parasites with an infestation rate of 86.6%. Infestations with seven nematode species and two species of Gasterophilus larva were found. The most prevalent parasites were Strongyloides westeri (64.4%) and Parascaris equorum (28.8%) ...
Pitzer JB, Kaufman PE, Tenbroeck SH.Insecticide resistance in the stable fly, Stomoxys calcitrans (L.) (Diptera: Muscidae),has been demonstrated previously, but mostly with insecticides that are no longer used, such as the organochlorines. Resistance to commonly used pyrethroids has been evaluated twice, but only in the midwestern United States. Stable fly susceptibility to a commonly used pyrethroid, permethrin, was determined in Florida to assess the possibility of resistance development. Diagnostic concentration evaluations of three stable fly field strains demonstrated a maximum of 57 and 21% survival to permethrin residues ...
Hagos A, Degefa G, Yacob H, Fikru R, Alemu T, Feseha G, Claes F, Goddeeris BM.This paper presents the results of a seroepidemiological survey of trypanozoon infection in horses carried out between September 2007 and June 2008. The survey was conducted to determine the seroprevalence of anti-trypanozoon antibodies in 880 serum samples collected randomly from selected horse-breeding districts of the Bale highlands of Ethiopia. The seroprevalence of trypanozoon infection was found to be 173 (19.66%) and 140 (15.91%) for the CATT/T. evansi and LATEX/T. evansi tests, respectively. The high seroprevalence of trypanozoon infection strongly indicates that the infection is endem...
Espinoza JR, Terashima A, Herrera-Velit P, Marcos LA.Fasciola hepatica is the causative agent of fasciolosis in Peru; the disease is an important public health problem by the high prevalence of the human infection affecting mainly children and a major veterinary problem by the high rates of infected livestock. The human disease is endemic in the Sierra and the Coast but sporadic in the Amazonia, and reported in 18 Departments, while the animal infection in 21 of 24 Departments of Peru. Transmission occurs in Andean rural populations engaged in agriculture, but recently an increasing number of people became infected in the cities. The epidemiolog...
Dangoudoubiyam S, Oliveira JB, Víquez C, Gómez-García A, González O, Romero JJ, Kwok OC, Dubey JP, Howe DK.Serum samples from 315 horses from Costa Rica, Central America, were examined for the presence of antibodies against Sarcocystis neurona, Neospora spp., and Toxoplasma gondii by using the surface antigen (SAG) SnSAG2 enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), the NhSAG1 ELISA, and the modified agglutination test, respectively. Anti- S. neurona antibodies were found in 42.2% of the horses by using the SnSAG2 ELISA. Anti- Neospora spp. antibodies were found in only 3.5% of the horses by using the NhSAG1 ELISA, and only 1 of these horses was confirmed seropositive by Western blot. Antibodies to T...
Baird JD, Valberg SJ, Anderson SM, McCue ME, Mickelson JR.The purpose of this study was to determine which continental European draught horse breeds harbour a mutation in the glycogen synthase 1 gene (GYS1) that is known to be responsible for type 1 polysaccharide storage myopathy in quarter horses and North American draught horses. Of a non-random selection of continental European draught horses belonging to 13 breeds, 62 per cent (250 of 403) tested were found to carry the mutant allele. The horses were located in Belgium, France, Germany, The Netherlands, Spain and Sweden. The mutation was identified in animals from each of the breeds examined. In...
Menzies-Gow NJ, Katz LM, Barker KJ, Elliott J, De Brauwere MN, Jarvis N, Marr CM, Pfeiffer DU.A retrospective study of laminitis was carried out to identify risk factors associated with this disease on an East Anglian farm with approximately 1000 animals living in an area of 1000 acres. Medical records between January 1997 and May 2000 and between April 2005 and March 2008 were reviewed, and the age, sex, weight (kg), height (inches [in] and hands [H]) and weight-to-height ratio (kg/in) was recorded. The prevalence, incidence and seasonality of laminitis were determined and their relationship to the monthly temperature, rainfall and hours of sunshine was evaluated. Averaged over the si...
Moraveji M, Hosseini MH, Amrabadi O, Rahimian A, Namazi F, Namavari M.Neospora caninum, an apicomplexan protozoan parasite, is recognized as a major cause of abortion in cattle. However, limited information is presently available on the seroprevalence of Neospora antibodies in horses worldwide. The aim of the present study is to determine serological prevalence of Neospora infection in horses in Iran. Blood samples were obtained from 200 horses and tested for serum antibodies against Neospora spp. by the Neospora modified direct agglutination test (N-MAT). Antibodies were found in 64 (32%) horses being tested with titers of 1:80. This is the first serological su...
Cummings E, James ER.Of 664 horses reported to have originated in southeastern and midwestern United States, 341 (51.4%) were positive for Onchocerca cervicalis cutaneous microfilariasis. The highest prevalence of 68.8% was recorded for horses from Virginia. Horses with the highest concentrations of microfilariae (as high as 19,770 microfilariae/mg in 1 horse) were from the Southeast (Georgia, Florida, Tennessee, and Alabama). For horses from South Carolina, the prevalence of infection was 57.1%; from the Midwest (Kentucky, Illinois, Ohio, and Indiana), 54.4%; from North Carolina, 45.5%; from Pennsylvania, 7.7%; a...
Tenter AM, Otte MJ, Gonzalez CA, Abuabara Y.Eighty-two equine sera from 13 farms in northern Colombia were examined for antibodies to Babesia caballi and B. equi using the complement fixation (CF) and the indirect fluorescent antibody (IFA) test. Seroreactors to both piroplasms were present on all farms. The IFA test indicated a prevalence of 90% for B. caballi and 94% for B. equi. The CF test detected antibodies to B. caballi in 41% and to B. equi in 65% of the animals. The prevalence of seroreactors in different age groups revealed a significant decline in CF antibodies to B. caballi in animals older than three years. IFA titres for b...
Lyons ET, Tolliver SC, Collins SS, Drudge JH.Research carried out during the last 4 years (1996-1999) of an 11-year study of the prevalence of internal parasites naturally transmitted to horse foals born on the same pasture on a farm in central Kentucky is presented here. Horses in this herd were not treated with any antiparasitic compound for over 20 years except for a replacement stallion in 1994. A total of 22 species, including 12 species of small strongyles, were recovered in the 4-year period. Transmission patterns of all species (n=35) of endoparasites recovered are compared for the 11-year study. Some of the changes were an incre...
Edwards GT.Sarcocystis was detected in oesophageal samples from 245 (62 per cent) of 394 horses and ponies killed at a Cheshire abattoir between February and August 1981. Prevalence of infection was closely related to age, increasing from 28.6 per cent of animals up to two years old to 88.9 per cent of those over eight years old. There were no significant regional differences in prevalence between horses from north west England, Yorkshire or South Wales. Significantly more female horses were infected (69.7 per cent) compared with males (56.2 per cent). Gross examination methods detected fewer than 55 per...
Razmi GR, Abedi V, Yaghfoori S.Toxoplasmosis is an important zoonotic disease with worldwide distribution. The infection is observed in an unusually wide range of warm-blooded animals, including most of the livestock and humans. Many studies have shown high prevalence of toxoplasmosis in man and animals in Iran. The present study was conducted to investigate the seroprevalence of toxoplasmosis in Turkoman horses in the North Khorasan Province. During 2011-2012, 100 blood samples from horses were collected and tested for antibodies against toxoplasmosis using indirect fluorescent antibody test. The seroprevalence of toxoplas...
Waqar N, Amin Q, Munir T, Ikram MS, Shahzad N, Mirza A, Ali A, Arshad MI.The present study aimed at investigating the percent prevalence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in equines and associated personnel. A total of 150 swabs of equines and 50 nasal swab samples of associated personnel were collected. These samples were processed in mannitol salt broth for enrichment. A total of 175 nasal swab samples changed the broth color from pink to yellow which were detected as samples containing S. aureus. These samples were processed further on specific media, namely mannitol salt agar, Staph-110, and blood agar, for phenotypic and Gram's staining-bas...
Oncel T, Vural G, Gicik Y, Arslan MO.This study was carried out in order to detect antibodies to Babesia (Theileria) equi in the local breed of horses in the province of Kars, Turkey. A total of 108 serum samples from apparently healthy horses in eight villages were examined for B. equi antibodies by an indirect immunofluorescent antibody test (IFAT). Of the 108 samples tested, 27 (25%) were found to be seropositive. The horses sampled in Aydinalan village had the highest prevalence (50.0%) of Babesia equi infection while the lowest prevalence was found among horses from Bayraktar village (12.5%). Statistically significant differ...
Donnelly J, Joyner LP, Frank C.Racehorses imported into Kuwait were tested for serum antibodies to Babesia equi and B. caballi by complement fixation (CF) and indirect fluorescent antibody (IFA) tests. The prevalence of B. equi was high (77.1% by IFA) whereas that of B. caballi was much lower (11.4%). Data for B. equi showed that infection was acquired after about 6 months at risk and that in the following 12 months animals had antibody levels detectable by both CF and IFA tests by 24 months the CF reaction was no longer detectable. Estimates of incidence and inoculation rates were calculated and found to be consistent with...
Rüegg SR, Torgerson PR, Doherr MG, Deplazes P, Böse R, Robert N, Walzer C.Piroplasmosis has been identified as a possible cause of mortality in reintroduced Przewalski's horses (Equus ferus przewalskii) in the Dsungarian Gobi (Mongolia). A cross-sectional and a longitudinal study were conducted in a representative sample (n = 141) of the resident domestic horse population and in 23 Przewalski's horses to assess the prevalence of Theileria equi and Babesia caballi. Piroplasms were detected in blood by light microscopy in 6.7% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 3.6-12.2%) of the domestic horse samples. Antibody prevalence was 88.6% (95% CI: 82.4-92.9%) for T. equi and 75....
Altermatt N, Dolf G, Ramseyer A, Burger D, Gerber V.The breeding of a healthy horse is the basic requirement for optimal performance. This is also specifically stated in the breeding goal of the Swiss warmblood horse and should be achieved through a strict selection of the stallions. The aim of this retrospective study was to assess the current state of the population to optimize breeding. Data on the health status of Swiss warmblood horses in the age between 6 and 16 years (midlife) were collected by a telephone survey and analyzed descriptively. Following the heritability of the most common health problems were estimated. Data on 1,861 horses...
Bast TF, Whitney E, Benach JL.In September 1970 three horses in eastern Long Island were clinically diagnosed
as having Eastern equine encephalomyelitis (EEE). At this time, EEE virus was isolated
from the blood clots of three migrating Northern Yellow-shafted Flickers, and from the brain
and liver of another Northern Yellow-shafted Flicker (Colaptes auratus lutetts). Following
this episode, a I-year arbovirus survey was conducted beginning in September 1970. Serologic
surveys indicated widespread prevalence of EEE antibodies in the avian population and also
low grade activity in various mammals. Powassan and St. Lou...
Wray C, Sojka WJ, Bell JC.During the period 1973 to 1979 the number of recorded incidents of equine salmonellosis increased from 23 in 1973 to a peak of 111 incidents in 1976, but has since decreased to 32 in 1979. Of the 416 incidents recorded during the period of the survey 292 were caused by Salmonella typhimurium and 121 by 33 different serotypes; in three instances rough strains of salmonella were involved. The number of incidents caused by serotypes other than S typhimurium increased from one in 1973 to 32 in 1976. The number of different salmonella serotypes increased from two in 1973 to 23 in 1977 and has subse...
Paillot R.The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations has recently estimated that the world equid population exceeds 110 million (FAOSTAT 2017).[...].
Burger NC, Nesvadba J, Nesvadba Z, Busato A, Gottstein B.A cross-sectional field study on the prevalence of Dicrocoelium dendriticum was performed in the Emmental. The study included 211 bovines, 170 equines, 20 ovines, 46 caprines and 23 rabbits (from 119 farms). In addition, laboratory routine diagnostic data obtained from 2.840 animals--all originating from the same area of investigation--were assessed in the same way. The infection extent concerning the different animal species were the following: bovines 46%, equines 12%, ovines 30%, caprines 48% and rabbits 9%. Univariate analyses of baseline epidemiological data identified no significant risk...
Ruszczyk A, Cywinska A, Banbura MW.The prevalence of Equine herpesvirus 2 (EHV-2) infections in the horse populations in Poland was investigated. Peripheral blood leukocytes (PBLs) of 139 horses were tested. The animals were divided into four groups: clinically healthy horses, horses suffering from respiratory disorders, mares with a recent abortion and horses with diagnosed ataxia. Thirty-four virus isolates were obtained from leukocytes of the tested animals by cocultivation with equine dermal cells and were identified as EHV-2 by PCR using primers for the gB gene of EHV-2 and/or primers for the sequence located upstream of t...
Jose-Cunilleras E, Hinchcliff KW.Listeria monocytogenes rarely causes disease in horses
(Emerson and Jarvis 1968; McCain and Robinson 1976; Clark et
al. 1978; Welsh 1983; Wallace and Hathcock 1995; Larochelle et
al. 1999; Wilkins et al. 2000). It is described as a cause of
abortion, septicaemia in equine neonates, mature horses and
ponies and neurological disease in a foal (Emerson and Jarvis
1968; McCain and Robinson 1976; Clark et al. 1978; Welsh
1983; Wallace and Hathcock 1995; Larochelle et al. 1999;
Wilkins et al. 2000). Most cases of listeriosis in other species
arise from the ingestion of contaminated food and...
Clarke AF, Madelin TM, Allpress RG.The relationship between air hygiene within two types of identically managed horse housing and the incidence of covert respiratory disease (as revealed by endoscopic examination) of their inhabitants was assessed. The horses were all under the supervision of the same trainer. In one yard the design ensured the boxes were well ventilated in still air conditions. In the other yard the boxes were insulated and there was little provision for natural ventilation in still air conditions. There was heavy fungal and actinomycete contamination of wood shavings in the heavily insulated, poorly ventilate...
Kaaden OR, Eichhorn W, Essbauer S.There is continual variation in viral epidemics regarding clinical symptoms, duration and disappearance, and the emergence of new diseases. This can be observed in both human and animal diseases. This evolution of virus diseases is mainly related to three factors: aetiological agent, host and environment. As far as genetic alterations of the virus are concerned, two major mechanisms are involved: mutations such as recombination and reassortment; and selection for resistance or susceptibility. This review focuses on the epidemiology of newly emerged virus diseases in man and animals, such as ac...
In the present study, we serosurveyed the exposure of 222 draft horses to different arboviruses in the city of Santa Fe, Argentina. Plaque reduction neutralization tests confirmed exposure to Fort Sherman virus (FSV), Saint Louis encephalitis virus (SLEV), West Nile virus (WNV), and Río Negro virus (RNV). Apparently, Western and Eastern equine encephalitis viruses did not circulate in the population tested. The confirmation of five seroconversions for WNV, FSV, and SLEV and the association between prevalence and age are indicative of recent circulation. These results highlight the importance ...