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.
Dorn CR, Priester WA.Four hundred sixty-nine oral-pharyngeal malignancies diagnosed in dogs, cats, horses, and cattle and submitted to the Viterinary Medical Data Program between March 1, 1964, and Dec 31, 1974, were analyzed. Of these cases, 84% were in dogs. The most frequent oral-pharyngeal cancer in dogs was melanoma; in cats and horses, it was squamous cell carcinoma. In dogs, the risk of developing melanoma increased more with age than did the risk of developing squamous cell carcinoma and fibrosarcoma. Male dogs had significantly greater risk of developing fibrosarcomas and melanomas than did female dogs. T...
Murray MD, Snowdon WA.The distributions of the following feral animals are given -- cattle, buffalo, pig, goat, deer, camel, horse, donkey, fox, dog and cat -- and the native dingo. The possible role these and the native rodents, marsupials and monotremes would play should an exotic disease of livestock enter Australia is discussed. It is considered that feral animals would be important in creating foci from which the disease would spread.
The Journal of hygieneDecember 1, 1976
Volume 77, Issue 3 401-408 doi: 10.1017/s0022172400055789
Platt H, Atherton JG, Orskov I.An account is given of K. pneumoniae capsule types occurring in horses, with particular reference to strains originating from the genital tract in the mare and the external genitalia of the stallion. A survey of the prevalence of K. pneumoniae and E. aerogenes strains in the preputial flora of healthy stallions is described. The majority of horses were found to be carriers of these organisms. The cultural characteristics of these preputial strains are described and compared with those of K. pneumoniae strains associated with epidemic metritis in mares. The epidemiological significance of certa...
Lyons ET, Drudge JH, Tolliver SC.Eyes from 114 (30.3%) of 376 dead horses, examined from 3 April 1975 to 3 April 1976, were naturally infected with adult Thelazia lacrymalis; 1 horse was also infected with 1 male Thelazia skrijabini. Adult T. lacrymalis from dead horses were successfully transferred mechanically to the eyes of 3 of 4 Shetland ponies raised helminth-free. Larvae from gravid female T. lacrymalis underwent development in experimentally infected, laboratory-raised face flies (Musca autumnalis) and third-stage larvae ranging from 1.82 to 2.94 mm in total length were recovered at 12 to 15 days postexposure. A total...
Bigler WJ, Lassing EB, Buff EE, Prather EC, Beck EC, Hoff GL.Research and surveillance programs relating to the circulation of eastern equine encephalomyelitis (EEE) virus in Florida between 1955 and 1974 are summarized. All available data suggest that EEE virus is 1) endemic in many Florida fresh water swamps and waterways, 2) active in a continuous cycle throughout the year with a peak between May and August, and 3) circulating in Culiseta melanura. It has been isolated also from eight other mosquito species.
Pfaff G.In South Africa 2,41% of horses bleed in a race. If all raced until they were 7 years old probably another 2,12% would bleed. Many others bleed after the race or during exercise or at rest. The incidence of epistaxis is significantly greater in geldings than in females and uncastrated males (P less than 0,001). There is an age distribution of bleeding which is highest at 4 years and lowest at 2 years of age (P less than 0,001).
Ogbourne CP.A total of 21 species of Cyathostominae was found in the lumen of the large intestine of 86 mature horses of various ages and breeds killed in south-west England during 1972-1974. Cylicostephanus longibursatus, C. goldi, C. calicatus, Cyathostomum catinatum, C. coronatum and Cylicocyclus nassatus were found in over 80% of the horses, while 12 of the remaining species were detected in less than 30%. Quantitative studies on 55 horses showed the adult cyathostome burdens to rise to a sharp peak (average over 400,000/horse) in April-June and a lower one in November-December. Parallel fluctuations ...
Whipp SC, Donta ST.Antibody titers to Escherichia coli heat-labile enterotoxin (LT) were measured in serum samples collected from mature cows, butcher pigs, mature sows and adult sheep, horses, dogs, cats, turkeys, and chickens. The frequency of LT antitoxin titers was greatest in sows (94%) and less in cows (38%). Titers were higher in swine than in cattle. There were no LT antitoxin titers in serums from sheep, horses, dogs, cats, turkeys, and chickens. It was concluded that LT-producing Escherichia coli are prevalent in the swine population, but much less so in cattle and the other species examined.
Scherer WF, Ordonez JV, Dickerman RW, Navarro JE.Evidence was sought during 1970-1975 of persistence of equine-virulent Venezuelan encephalitis (VE) virus in regions of Central America that were heavily involved in the epidemic-equine epizootic of 1969. (a) Four sentinel horses were exposed in an arid, upland region of the Atlantic drainage of Guatemala during August-October 1970, but no horse became infected. (b) The epicenter region of the 1969 outbreak, in southwestern Guatemala and southwestern El Salvador, was studied during July 1970-February 1974; no antibody developed in sentinel horses, sentinel hamsters did not die, mosquitoes yiel...
Goto H.The efficacy of Japanese encephalitis vaccine in horses has been described from the effect of mass vaccination on the local prevalence of the disease in horses in each district of Hokkaido, Japan.
Estola T, Neuvonen E.In 1974, a very extensive influenza/A/equi 2 epidemic broke out in the Finnish horse population. To study the efficacy of influenza vaccinations a questionnaire was sent after the epidemic to all Finnish veterinarians. The answer material was selected to contain only stables which had had clinically typical cases. The material consisted 234 unvaccinated and 629 vaccinated horses. In the latter group 466 horses were vaccinated adequately. The results of the study showed that of the unvaccinated horses 212 (91%) and of the adequately vaccinated horses only 42 (9.4%) contracted clinically typical...
Myers DM.Three pathogenic leptosipras and 12 saprophytic Leptospira biflexa strains were isolated from 72 apparently normal horse kidneys collected at an abattoir in Argentina. Cross-agglutination reaction patterns of the pathogens showed that they were antigenically homologous with members of the Hebdomadis group. When one of the strains was compared to Hebdomadis serotypes in reciprocal agglutination-absorption tests, it was found to be serologically homologous to serotype hardjo. This is the first known report of an isolation of this serotype from horses. Serological tests were also carried out on r...
Hayes RO, Francy DB, Lazuick JS, Smith GC, Jones RH.A virus surveillance project was established and maintained during 1972 along 10 major river drainages in six states. Mosquitoes, biting flies, and blood specimens from sentinel equines were collected during 83 field trip visits to 141 arthropod collecting sites and 22 sentinel locations from April into December 1972. There were 173,074 mosquitoes tested and 303 arboviruses isolated from 11 of 41 species. From 13,388 biting flies tested, 8 arbovirus isolations were obtained in 1 of 5 species. There was no isolation of Venezuelan equine encephalitis (VEE) virus. Western equine encephalitis (WEE...
Hatch C, McCaughey WJ, O'Brien JJ.During the months October-May inclusive 90-8% of horses slaughtered at an abattoir near Dublin and 66-9% of those at an abattoir near Belfast were infected with Gasterophilus intestinalis; 28-6% of horses at the former abattoir harboured G nasalis while none of the horses examined at the latter abattoir was found to be infected with this species.
Morse EV, Duncan MA, Page EA, Fessler JF.Salmonellosis in Equidae is a serious global problem. The prevalence may range from 0.36% to 27%. Probably 5% to 10% of the equine population in the U.S. is or has been infected. Over 40 serotypes of Salmonella have been cultured from Equidae. S. typhimurium (66.31%), S. enteritidis (9.6%), S. newport (5.16%) and S. heidelberg (4.89%) have been the most common equine isolates. The clinical and bacteriological studies of 23 naturally occurring infections in a large veterinary hospital were studied. Nine patients were infected with S. typhimurium, 8 with S. anatum, 1 with S. newport, 4 with dual...
Gräfner G, Zimmermann H, Karge E, Münch J, Ribbeck R, Hiepe T.Systematic faunal studies in the district Schwerin showed at the present time there are 3 more or less damage-biotopes existing in the districts of Perleberg, Ludwigslust and Parchim; 5 river sources can be considered as potential sources, 5 are temporary and 2 are ephemeral whilst in 3 further areas environmental influences such as effluent impairs the flow of the river and the developmental stages of Simuliidae were not observed.--The following species were found: Boophthora erythrocephala, Wilhelmia salopiensis, Wilhelmia equina, Odagmia ornata, Eusimulium aureum and Eusimulium lundstroemi....
Damron GW.A survey of horses for gastrointestinal trichomonads was conducted to determine the organism's role in equine diarrhea and to establish its proper identity and morphology. Trichomonads were found by cultural examination of feces of 101 (35%) of 289 apparently healthy horses. At necropsy, trichomonads were cultured from 11 (37%) of another 30 horses which showed no signs of diarrhea at the time of death. In 4 of the 11 horses, colonies of trichomonads numbered 30,000 to 150,000/ml of cecal fluid. Diarrhea was induced in 1 of 6 horses, with the fecal fluid containing 10,000 to 110,000 trichomona...
Gürler AT, Bölükbaş CS, Açici M, Umur S.Helminths of equines are one of the most important agents of parasitic diseases. Therefore, many studies have been conducted on helminths of equines in Turkey. In this article, a check list and prevalence rates of helminths of equines in Turkey have been given.
Wilkins CA, Bergh N.An examination of the sera of 329 horses for L. pneumophila antibodies revealed a much lower exposure rate than that reported in the United States of America. Further serological investigations of persons closely associated with a sero-positive horse indicated that the horse could not be considered to be a source of infection but that both humans and animals were probably exposed to a common source of infection. The results showed that 192/329 (58.4%) of the sera tested negative, 114/329 (34.7%) had end-point titres of 1/2, 22/329 (6.7%) end-points of 1/16 and one an end point of 1/256 (0.3%)....
Peat FJ, Kawcak CE, McIlwraith CW, Berk JT, Keenan DP.Changes in the proximal sesamoid bones (sesamoids) and the insertional region of the adjacent suspensory ligament branch (branch) are of particular importance in young Thoroughbreds sold at public auction. Little is known about the prevalence of concurrent ultrasonographical branch change, relative to the various grades of radiological sesamoid appearance. Objective: To examine the existence of concurrent radiological and ultrasonographical findings in individual sesamoid-branch units in sales horses; to determine whether there are any radiological findings that are consistently accompanied by...
Junkkari R, Mykkänen A, Sulku P, Rantala M, Pohjanvirta T, Eklund M, Pelkonen S, Grönthal T. subsp. (), an opportunistic pathogen often found in the stable environment and upper respiratory tract of young horses, can cause severe pneumonias in Equidae. In this study we investigated the occurrence, genetic variation and antimicrobial susceptibility of isolates from 63 weanling horses kept in loose housing or conventional stables. The bacterial isolates were typed by using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and multi-locus sequence typing (MLST). The possible associating factors (stable type, age, breed and clinical signs) for positive finding were analysed using logistic regre...
Luthersson N, Harris PA, Parkin T, Þorgrímsdóttir ÚÝ, Bennet ED.It is unknown whether the high prevalence of Equine Squamous (ESGD) and Equine Glandular (EGGD) Gastric Disease in extensively grazed Icelandic horses in the autumn/winter is seasonally driven. Objective: To determine the prevalence of, and risk factors for, gastroscopically significant ESGD (ESGD:score of ≥2/4); gastroscopically severe ESGD (ESGD:score of ≥3/4) and gastroscopically significant EGGD (EGGD:score of ≥1/2) in extensively pasture-managed Icelandic horses at four timepoints. Methods: Prospective longitudinal cohort. Methods: Gastroscopy was undertaken in 80 Icelandic horses (...
Powell DG, Whitwell K.Following an outbreak of CEM in England during 1977 a Code of Practice was introduced to control the disease in 1978. The Code recommended a bacteriological screening programme for Thoroughbred mares and stallions and improved standards of hygiene on the stud farm. As a result of the implementation of the Code a number of asymptomatic carrier mares was detected. Stallions which had transmitted CEM in 2977 and were treated did not transmit the disease during 1978. Two small outbreaks of CEM were reported during the 1978 breeding season.
Hillidge CJ, Whitlock TW.Post race endoscopy was carried out on 255 two-year-old quarter horses and exercise-induced pulmonary haemorrhage (EIPH) was diagnosed in 166 (65 per cent) of them. Visible epistaxis was seen in a higher proportion of geldings than in either mares or stallions. The prevalence of EIPH was similar in mares (73 per cent) and in geldings (74 per cent). A significantly lower prevalence (49 per cent) was noted in stallions (P less than 0.01). It was concluded that a sex variation in the prevalence of EIPH exists in two-year-old quarter horses.
Peters JW, de Boer B, Broeze-ten Voorde G, Broeze J, Wiemer P, Sterk T, Spoormakers T.Prevalence of dental disorders in 483 horses and ponies Five equine veterinarians working at three equine referral hospitals examined the oral cavity of 483 horses and ponies prior to surgery, to gain information about the prevalence of common dental disorders in the horse. A thorough examination, using hands/fingers, a full-mouth speculum, a dental mirror and a good light source, is essential to detect such disorders. Many horses examined needed dental attention even though there were no problems with mastication or riding. The most detected abnormalities were sharp enamel points on the bucca...
of surveillance testing, April to June 2017International disease occurrence in the second quarter of 2017These are among matters discussed in the most recent quarterly equine disease surveillance report, prepared by Defra, the Animal Health Trust and the British Equine Veterinary Association.
Weaver MP, Wilant L.A postal survey of the owners of Clydesdale horses in the UK and USA was conducted to obtain information on tarsocrural effusion ('bog spavin') as an indicator of osteochondrosis from 935 horses. Additional information requested included details of how this condition was investigated and treated. The reported tarsocrural effusion incidence was 10 per cent. The majority of respondents believed the condition to be of concern to Clydesdale owners, but only a minority were aware of the implications of tarsocrural effusion, suggesting that owner education would be of benefit.
Ribeiro HS, Larangeira NL, Paiva F.The authors sacrificed fifty-five horses originated from the "Pantanal", lowlands in the State of Mato Grosso in two different periods, droughty period and flooded and they described for the first time the Dictyocaulus arnfieldi in Mato Grosso. Relationship between droughty and flooded periods proved not to occur.
This report summarizes West Nile virus (WNV) surveillance data reported to CDC through ArboNET and verified by states and other jurisdictions as of July 23, 2002. During the reporting week of July 17-23, nine human cases of WNV were reported from two states (Louisiana and Mississippi). During the same period, WNV infections were reported in 202 dead crows, 48 other dead birds, 13 horses, and 69 mosquito pools.
Teruya JM, Santa Rosa CA, Giorgi W, Yanaguita RM.A serological examination was carried out for L. monocytogenes antibodies on 9,318 domestic animal--7,809 bovine, 838 horses and 671 swine--in São Paulo, Brazil. Serum agglutination in tubes was the method used. Only somatic antigens from serotypes 1, 2, 3, 4a and 4b were employed. It was considered reagent all sera reacting in a titer 1/20 while as positive only sera with 1/320 or above. According this criteria the results showed showed that in cattle 17.8% were reagent but only 8 sera were positive for types 1, 2 and 4b. Only type 1 was found in horses in a rate of 22.7% reagent, and 11 pos...