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Topic:Disease Prevalence
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.
Recombinant NhSAG1 ELISA: a sensitive and specific assay for detecting antibodies against Neospora hughesi in equine serum. Neospora hughesi is a recently identified cause of equine protozoal myeloencephalitis. However, the significance of this parasite is poorly understood. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) with a recombinant form of the N. hughesi 29-kDa surface antigen (rNhSAG1) was developed for serodiagnosis of equine N. hughesi infections. Parallel ELISA analysis showed that animals immunized or infected with N. hughesi exhibited greater antibody reactivity with rNhSAG1 than with the Neospora caninum homolog, rNcSAG1. The rNhSAG1 ELISA showed 94.4% sensitivity and 95.0% specificity when compared wi...
The emergence of Clostridium difficile as a pathogen of food animals. Clostridium difficile causes pseudomembranous colitis in humans, usually after disruption of the bowel flora by antibiotic therapy. Factors mediating the frank disease include the dose and toxigenicity of the colonizing strain, its ability to adhere to colonic epithelium, the concurrent presence of organisms that affect multiplication and toxin production or activity, and the susceptibility of the host. Toxins A (an enterotoxin) and B (a cytotoxin) play the major role in pathogenesis and the detection of toxins in gut contents is the gold standard for diagnosis. Disease in horses takes the for...
Seroprevalence of antibodies against Coccidioides immitis in healthy horses. To determine the seroprevalence of antibodies against Coccidioides immitis in healthy horses residing in an area in which the organism is endemic. Methods: Prospective study. Methods: 197 healthy horses (in which coccidioidomycosis had not been previously diagnosed) that resided in an area of Arizona in which coccidioidomycosis is endemic. Methods: Of the horses evaluated at the Arizona Equine Medical and Surgical Center during a 6-month period, 197 with no clinical signs of coccidioidomycosis were randomly selected for inclusion in the study; sera were evaluated for IgM and IgG antibodies aga...
Ticks and tick-borne disease in Guatemalan cattle and horses. Blood samples and ticks were collected from 48 cattle and 74 horses from seven sites in the Peten region of Guatemala. Data on body condition, mucous membrane capillary refill time and tick infestation levels were recorded for each animal in the study. Horses had significantly higher levels of tick infestation than cattle, as well as poorer body condition scores. Seroprevalence of Babesia spp. was 95.8% for B. bovis in cattle, 89.6% for B. bigemina in cattle, and 92.7% for B. equi in horses. Seroprevalence of Anaplasma marginale in cattle was 87.5%, similar to reports in animals from other reg...
Infestation of Werneckiella equi on Icelandic horses, characteristics of predilection sites and lice dermatitis. Lice infestations on horses caused by the lice Werneckiella (Damalinia) equi and Haematopinus equi are observed worldwide. In this study, the distribution and clinical manifestations of lice on Icelandic horses were examined. Thirty-eight out of 93 animals (40.86%) were identified as infested with W. equi. Sixty-eight animals (73.12%) presented dermatological lesions associated with lice infestation, while only 32 of these animals presented lice. Six animals had no clinical signs although of being lice-positive, and 19 animals (20.43%) showed neither lice nor clinical manifestations. Lice burd...
Theileria (Babesia) equi and Babesia caballi infections in horses in Galicia, Spain. The control of equine piroplasmosis is becoming increasingly important to maintain the international market open to the horse industry. The purpose of this study was to demonstrate the occurrence of equine piroplasmosis (Theileria equi and Babesia caballi) in Galicia, north-west Spain, and to compare haematological and serum biochemistry parameters between non-parasitaemic horses and horses parasitaemic with T. equi and B. caballi. Sixty serum samples (control group) were taken from healthy horses pastured on two farms, and examined for evidence of equine T. equi and B. caballi infection by in...
Epidemiological studies on equine cestodes in central Spain: infection pattern and population dynamics. An epidemiological study on equine cestodosis was carried out in central Spain. A total of 372 digestive tracts from equids slaughtered in abattoirs located in central Spain were studied from November 2001 to May 2004. Anoplocephala perfoliata was detected in 24% of the animals and Anoplocephala magna in 18%. Individual tapeworm burden was from 1 to 491 tapeworms for A. perfoliata and from 1 to 64 tapeworms for A. magna. Low tapeworm burdens (less than 30 cestodes) predominated significantly (p<0.01) in all seasons for both species. Seasonal prevalence of infection by A. perfoliata was signifi...
Prevalence of Taylorella equigenitalis infection in stallions in Slovenia: bacteriology compared with PCR examination. The prevalence of Taylorella equigenitalis infection in Slovenia is unknown and methods used to refine identification in these stallions are required. Objective: In diagnosis of T. equigenitalis, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) would have advantages over culture methods, especially in cases where small numbers of causal agent or intensive contamination of genital swabs are involved. Methods: Culture method and PCR were used to examine a total of 980 genital swabs from the urethra and fossa urethralis of 245 stallions for the presence of the contagious equine metritis organism. Results: Among 2...
Inflammatory airway disease, nasal discharge and respiratory infections in young British racehorses. Respiratory disease is important in young Thoroughbred racehorses, but the variation in the rates of occurrence between different ages and training groups has not been characterised. Objective: To determine the rates of respiratory disease, particularly inflammatory airway disease (IAD), as well as evidence of infection, and their variation between age and group. Methods: Horses were examined monthly in 7 British flat training yards over a 3 year period. IAD was defined as increased mucus in the trachea with increased proportions of neutrophils in tracheal wash samples. Frequencies of disease ...
Prevalence and diagnosis of parasites of the stomach and small intestine in horses in south-west England. Parasites were extracted from the stomach and small intestine of 118 horses at slaughter. The most abundant species was the tapeworm Anoplocephala perfoliata. Maximum likelihood analysis was used to investigate the relationship between the number of worms and their total weight, and the ability of an antibody-based elisa to diagnose the level of infection. The total weight of tapeworms increased towards a maximum as the number of worms increased, suggesting a population density-dependent constraint on the weight. The number of A perfoliata present could be predicted approximately from the resu...
A novel subgroup among genotypes of equine arteritis virus: genetic comparison of 40 strains. The authors determined partial nucleic sequences of the variable regions of open-reading frame (ORF5) from 151 nucleotide to 668 nucleotide and deduced amino acid sequences of 518 nucleotide respectively of 20 equine arteritis virus (EAV) isolates. About 19 Hungarian and one Austrian EAV strains were subjected to sequence analysis, the further data of 20 EAV strains: six North American and 14 European were obtained from the GenBank. Comparative sequence analysis of the Hungarian EAV strains indicated that among the three variable regions the first has been affected mostly by point mutations. G...
Prevalence of neutralizing antibodies to Equine rhinitis A and B virus in horses and man. Equine rhinitis viruses (ERVs) are the causative agents of mild to severe upper respiratory infections in horses worldwide. Immunologically, four serotypes of ERVs have been identified. Equine rhinitis A virus (ERAV) and Equine rhinitis B virus 1 (ERBV1) are the most frequent serotypes in Europe. Both viruses have a broad host range in cultured cells with ERAV being able to infect humans. Since there is neither information on the seroprevalence of ERAV and ERBV1 in Austria nor on the zoonotic potential of ERBV1, we investigated 200 horse and 137 veterinary sera for the presence of neutralizing...
Equine viral arteritis control scheme: a brief review with emphasis on laboratory aspects of the scheme in New Zealand. To review laboratory aspects of the equine viral arteritis (EVA) control scheme in New Zealand between 1989 and 2002. Methods: The optimisation and performance of the virus neutralisation test (VNT) for equine arteritis virus (EAV) antibody, and the cell culture test to detect EAV in semen were analysed. Laboratory data and control scheme results were reviewed. Results: Using optimised tests, it has been shown that antibody prevalence in Standardbred horses has steadily declined from 54% to <20%. Prevalences in Thoroughbred horses have remained at a low level of around 3%. The number of horses...
West Nile virus in Morocco, 2003. West Nile virus (WNV) reemerged in Morocco in September 2003, causing an equine outbreak. A WNV strain isolated from a brain biopsy was completely sequenced. On the basis of phylogenetic analyses, Moroccan WNV strains isolated during the 1996 and 2003 outbreaks were closely related to other strains responsible for equine outbreaks in the western Mediterranean basin.
Community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in horses and humans who work with horses. To evaluate the prevalence of nasal colonization with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in horses and horse personnel. Methods: Prospective prevalence study. Methods: 972 horses and 107 personnel from equine farms in Ontario, Canada and New York state. Methods: Nasal swab specimens were collected from horses and humans on farms with (targeted surveillance) and without (nontargeted surveillance) a history of MRSA colonization or infection in horses during the preceding year. Selective culture for MRSA was performed. Isolates were typed via pulsed-field gel electrophoresis, and ...
West Nile virus and North America: an unfolding story. Before the introduction of the West Nile virus (WNV) into the United States of America (USA) in 1999, conditions in North America were ideal for an arboviral epidemic. Such factors as the large, susceptible and non-immune animal and human populations, the presence of competent vectors, increasing international travel and commerce, existing methods for rapid dissemination and an ill-prepared animal and public health infrastructure all combined to create the essential elements for a severe animal and public health crisis--the 'perfect microbial storm'. The introduction of WNV into New York City ...
Use of a Bayesian risk-mapping technique to estimate spatial risks for mare reproductive loss syndrome in Kentucky. To estimate spatial risks associated with mare reproductive loss syndrome (MRLS) during 2001 among horses in a specific study population and partition the herd effects into those attributable to herd location and those that were spatially random and likely attributable to herd management. Animals-Pregnant broodmares from 62 farms in 7 counties in central Kentucky. Methods: Veterinarians provided the 2001 abortion incidence proportions for each farm included in the study. Farms were georeferenced and data were analyzed by use of a fully Bayesian risk-mapping technique. Results: Large farm-to-fa...
Vector competence of Culicoides species and the seroprevalence of homologous neutralizing antibody in horses for six serotypes of equine encephalosis virus (EEV) in South Africa. Field-collected Culicoides species (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) were fed on horse blood-virus mixtures containing one of the six serotypes of equine encephalosis virus (EEV1 to EEV6). The virus mean titres in the bloodmeals varied between 6.1 and 7.0 log10TCID50/mL. Of 19 Culicoides species assayed after 10 days extrinsic incubation at 23.5 degrees C, five yielded the challenge virus, namely Culicoides (Avaritia) imicola Kieffer (EEV1-6), C. (A.) bolitinos Meiswinkel (EEV1, 2, 4, 6), C. (Meijerehelea) leucostictus Kiefer (EEV1, 2), C. (Culicoides) magnus Colaço (EEV1) and C. (Hoffmania) zuluens...
Molecular epidemiologic features of Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis isolated from horses. To characterize isolates of Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis from horses, cattle, and sheep in Colorado, Kentucky, Utah, and California in samples collected during perceived epidemics of infection (increased numbers of cases identified) in 2002 and 2003, and determine how closely isolates were related and their possible source. Methods: 54 isolates of C pseudotuberculosis from 49 horses, 4 cattle, and 1 sheep. Methods: Random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay, PCR assay for the gene encoding the phospholipase D (PLD) toxin, biochemical analyses, and tests...
Epidemiological study of equine piroplasmosis in Mongolia. The purpose of this study was to demonstrate the occurrence of equine piroplasmosis in Mongolia, a country in which the disease occurs epidemically in different climatic conditions. Antibodies to Babesia equi and B. caballi were determined in serum samples of 254 pastured horses in different locations of Mongolia using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay with recombinant antigens. One hundred and eighty-five (72.8%) and 102 (40.1%) of all serum samples were positive for B. equi and B. caballi infections, respectively. In addition, 78 (30.7%) samples were positive for both B. equi and B. cabal...
Equine herpes virus 2 infection in horse populations in Poland. 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...
A cross-sectional study of epizootic lymphangitis in cart-mules in western Ethiopia. A cross-sectional study was conducted to determine the prevalence of epizootic lymphangitis (EL) in 309 cart-mules (cart-pulling mules) in Bako and Ejaji towns, Western Ethiopia using clinical and microbiological examinations, between November 2002 and April 2003. The overall prevalence was 21% (CI=16.6-26%). The clinical, histological and mycological characteristics of EL in a cart-mule were similar with those in a horse. There was significant (chi2=133.5, P=0.001) association between tick infestation and EL lesions in study cart-mules. Amblyoma coherence and Boophilus genera were the ticks c...
Prevalence and demographic characteristics of exertional rhabdomyolysis in horses in Australia. The proportion of the horses, of both sexes and of different ages, breeds and levels of activity, owned by a stratified random sample of Australian owners, which had suffered one or more episodes of exertional rhabdomyolysis during the previous 12 months was determined. The proportion in the general population was 1.9 per cent, and horses which exercised were significantly more likely to have experienced the condition than horses which did not. There were significant differences between the sexes and between certain breeds and activity groups in the proportions of horses affected.
Molecular epidemiology of virulent Rhodococcus equi from foals in Brazil: virulence plasmids of 85-kb type I, 87-kb type I, and a new variant, 87-kb type III. We investigated the prevalence of virulent Rhodococcus equi in clinical isolates from 41 foals (19 sporadic and seven endemic cases) in Brazil between 1991 and 2003. Of the 41 virulent isolates, six contained an 85-kb type I plasmid, 33 contained an 87-kb type I plasmid, both of which have been found in isolates from the Americas, and the remaining two contained a new variant, which did not display the EcoRI, EcoT22I and BamHI digestion patterns of the 11 representative plasmids already reported (85-kb types I-IV; 87-kb types I and II; 90-kb types I-V). We tentatively designated the new varian...
Onchocerca cervicalis in horses from southern Brazil. The objective of this study was to determine the occurrence of Onchocerca cervicalis in 1200 adult horses from rural areas of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Umbilical skin specimens measuring 2 x 2 cm were minced, suspended in 10 ml of distilled water and incubated at room temperature overnight. The liquid volume was centrifuged and the sediment was screened for microfilariae. The ligamentum nuchae were totally removed, preserved in ice and dissected for the detection of adult forms of Onchocerca cervicalis. Microfilariae of Onchocerca cervicalis were detected in midventral skin biopsy samples in ...
