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Topic:Disease Prevention
Disease prevention in horses encompasses strategies and practices aimed at minimizing the occurrence and spread of infectious and non-infectious diseases within equine populations. These practices include vaccination programs, biosecurity measures, and regular health monitoring. Vaccination helps to stimulate the horse's immune system to protect against specific pathogens, while biosecurity measures, such as quarantine and sanitation, reduce the risk of disease transmission. Regular health monitoring, including physical examinations and diagnostic testing, aids in early detection and management of potential health issues. This page compiles peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore various methods and their effectiveness in preventing diseases in horses, as well as the development and implementation of prevention programs in different equine settings.
Hendra virus: an emerging paramyxovirus in Australia. Hendra virus, first identified in 1994 in Queensland, is an emerging zoonotic pathogen gaining importance in Australia because a growing number of infections are reported in horses and people. The virus, a member of the family Paramyxoviridae (genus Henipavirus), is transmitted to horses by pteropid bats (fruit bats or flying foxes), with human infection a result of direct contact with infected horses. Case-fatality rate is high in both horses and people, and so far, more than 60 horses and four people have died from Hendra virus infection in Australia. Human infection is characterised by an a...
Efficacy of domperidone gel in an induced model of fescue toxicosis in periparturient mares. The objective was to evaluate the efficacy of domperidone in the prevention of reproductive complications of fescue toxicosis in periparturient mares. Pregnant mares at ≤310 days of gestation were fed ≥200 μg ergovaline per kg diet daily in endophyte-infected fescue hay and seed, starting ≥30 days before their expected foaling date (EFD: 340 days after breeding). Thirty-five mares were randomized to a treatment group to receive either domperidone gel (n = 20, 1.1 mg/kg, PO, once daily) or placebo (n = 15). Treatment was initiated 10 to 15 days before the EFD and continued for 5 days aft...
Anesthesia of the geriatric equine. Advancements in veterinary medicine have resulted in an increased number of geriatric horses being presented for medical or surgical procedures that require general anesthesia. Due to the physiological changes associated with aging and the likelihood of concurrent disease conditions, the geriatric equine is at an increased risk during anesthesia. The main physiological changes associated with aging, and their impact on anesthesia, are discussed in this review.
Control of Strongyloides westeri by nematophagous fungi after passage through the gastrointestinal tract of donkeys. Strongyloides westeri is the most prevalent nematode among equines aged up to four months and causes gastrointestinal disorders. The objective of this study was to observe the control of infective S. westeri larvae (L3) by the nematophagous fungi Duddingtonia flagrans (AC001) and Monacrosporium thaumasium (NF34) after passage through the gastrointestinal tract of female donkeys. Twelve dewormed female donkeys that were kept in stables were used. Two treatment groups each comprising four animals received orally 100 g of pellets made of sodium alginate matrix containing a mycelial mass of either...
Development of a novel mucosal vaccine against strangles by supercritical enhanced atomization spray-drying of Streptococcus equi extracts and evaluation in a mouse model. Strangles is an extremely contagious and sometimes deadly disease of the Equidae. The development of an effective vaccine should constitute an important asset to eradicate this worldwide infectious disease. In this work, we address the development of a mucosal vaccine by using a Supercritical Enhanced Atomization (SEA) spray-drying technique. Aqueous solutions containing the Streptococcus equi extracts and chitosan were converted into nanospheres with no use of organic solvents. The immune response in a mouse model showed that the nanospheres induced a well-balanced Th1 and Th2 response charac...
Monitoring of equine health in Denmark: a survey of the attitudes and concerns of potential database participants. At present Denmark has no central database holding records of equine health and disease. Nor have attitudes to the establishment of a national database, and the concerns it raises, been investigated in a systematic way. The objective of the present study was to assess the attitudes and concerns of potential database stakeholders. Attitudes to participation, and the location, financing and management of the proposed database, together with any concerns it raises, were investigated in a questionnaire study of 13 potential stakeholder groups in Denmark (in total, 1581 questionnaire recipients and...
Humeral stress remodelling locations differ in Thoroughbred racehorses training and racing on dirt compared to synthetic racetrack surfaces. Veterinarians have observed a putative change in the location of humeral stress remodelling in Thoroughbred racehorses with change from dirt to synthetic racetrack surfaces. Objective: To determine whether the location and severity of humeral stress remodelling differs between Thoroughbred racehorses exercising on dirt and synthetic racetrack surfaces, the potential significance of different locations of stress remodelling, and the potential usefulness of scintigraphy for prevention of complete humeral fracture. Methods: Scintigraphic images of humeri from 841 Thoroughbred racehorses at 3 race...
A review of African horse sickness and its implications for Ireland. African horse sickness is an economically highly important non-contagious but infectious Orbivirus disease that is transmitted by various species of Culicoides midges. The equids most severely affected by the virus are horses, ponies, and European donkeys; mules are somewhat less susceptible, and African donkeys and zebra are refractory to the devastating consequences of infection. In recent years, Bluetongue virus, an Orbivirus similar to African horse sickness, which also utilises Culicoides spp. as its vector, has drastically increased its range into previously unaffected regions in norther...
A description of the demographic characteristics of the New Zealand non-commercial horse population with data collected using a generalised random-tessellation stratified sampling design. We conducted a cross-sectional survey to determine the demographic characteristics of non-commercial horses in New Zealand. A sampling frame of properties with non-commercial horses was derived from the national farms database, AgriBase™. Horse properties were stratified by property size and a generalised random-tessellated stratified (GRTS) sampling strategy was used to select properties (n=2912) to take part in the survey. The GRTS sampling design allowed for the selection of properties that were spatially balanced relative to the distribution of horse properties throughout the country. Th...
Mechanisms of equine infectious anemia virus escape from neutralizing antibody responses define epitope specificity. Determining mechanisms of viral escape to particular epitopes recognized by virus-neutralizing antibody can facilitate characterization of host-neutralizing antibody responses as type- versus group-specific, and provides necessary information for vaccine development. Our study reveals that a single N-glycan located in the 5' region of the Wyoming wild-type equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV) principal neutralizing domain (PND) accounts for the differences in neutralization phenotype observed between PND variants, while variations in charged amino acids within the PND do not appear to play a ...
Emergence and re-emergence of glanders in India: a description of outbreaks from 2006 to 2011. Glanders, a bacterial disease of equines caused by Burkholderia mallei, is a fatal infectious disease of equines and has zoonotic significance. The disease has been eradicated from many countries by statutory testing, elimination of infected animals and import restrictions. However, it is still endemic in parts of Africa, Asia, the Middle East and Central and South America. In India, major glanders outbreaks were reported from different parts of the country between 1976 and 1982. Later, sporadic cases of the disease were reported in 1988, 1990 and 1998. The country remained free of glanders fo...
The implementation of biosecurity practices and visitor protocols on non-commercial horse properties in New Zealand. A survey was conducted to investigate biosecurity practices on non-commercial horse properties, to describe the number of visits by horse professionals and any protocols that visitors were required to follow before interacting with resident horses. Data were collected in November 2009 during a cross-sectional study of non-commercial horse properties, in New Zealand, selected using generalised random-tessellated stratified design and a self-administered postal questionnaire. Data were described and the associations between property-level factors and biosecurity practices were analysed using log...
The 9th International Veterinary Immunology Symposium. This special issue of Veterinary Immunology and Immunopathology summarizes the Proceedings of the 9th International Veterinary Immunology Symposium (9th IVIS) held August 2010, in Tokyo, Japan. Over 340 delegates from 30 countries discussed research progress analyzing the immune systems of numerous food animals and wildlife, probing basic immunity and the influence of stress, genetics, nutrition, endocrinology and reproduction. Major presentations addressed defense against pathogens and alternative control and prevention strategies including vaccines, adjuvants and novel biotherapeutics. A spe...
Measurement of digital laminar and venous temperatures as a means of comparing three methods of topically applied cold treatment for digits of horses. To compare effects of 3 methods of topically applied cold treatment (cryotherapy) on digital laminar and venous temperatures in horses. Methods: 9 healthy adult Thoroughbreds. Methods: Thermocouples were placed in palmar digital veins and digital laminae of both forelimbs of horses. Three methods of cryotherapy were applied to the distal aspects of the limbs: wader boot (63-cm-tall vinyl boot filled with ice and water [ice slurry]), ice bag (5-L fluid bag filled with ice slurry), and a gel pack boot (boot containing frozen gel packs). Gel packs and ice slurries were replenished every hour duri...
Serological responses and clinical outcome after vaccination of mares and foals with equine herpesvirus type 1 and 4 (EHV-1 and EHV-4) vaccines. Equine herpesvirus type 1 and type 4 (EHV-1 and EHV-4) cause infections of horses worldwide. While both EHV-1 and EHV-4 cause respiratory disease, abortion and myeloencephalopathy are observed after infection with EHV-1 in the vast majority of cases. Disease control is achieved by hygiene measures that include immunization with either inactivated or modified live virus (MLV) vaccine preparations. We here compared the efficacy of commercially available vaccines, an EHV-1/EHV-4 inactivated combination and an MLV vaccine, with respect to induction of humoral responses and protection of clinical d...
A Potential Role for Pro-Inflammatory Cytokines in the Development of Insulin Resistance in Horses. Understanding the mechanisms involved in the development of insulin resistance in horses should enable development of effective treatment and prevention strategies. Current knowledge of these mechanisms is based upon research in obese humans and rodents, in which there is evidence that the increased production of pro-inflammatory cytokines by adipose tissue negatively influences insulin signaling in insulin-responsive tissues. In horses, plasma concentrations of the cytokine, tumor necrosis factor-α, have been positively correlated with body fatness and insulin resistance, leading to the hypo...
Efficacy of an avirulent live vaccine against Lawsonia intracellularis in the prevention of proliferative enteropathy in experimentally infected weanling foals. To determine the efficacy of an avirulent Lawsonia intracellularis vaccine in preventing proliferative enteropathy in weanling foals. Methods: 12 healthy weanling foals. Methods: Foals were randomly assigned to a vaccinated, nonvaccinated, or control group. Vaccinated foals received an avirulent porcine L intracellularis frozen-thawed vaccine intrarectally 60 and 30 days prior to experimental challenge. On day 1, vaccinated and nonvaccinated foals were challenged via nasogastric intubation with a virulent heterologous isolate of L intracellularis. Control foals were not challenged. Clinical ob...
Efficacy of omeprazole paste in the prevention of gastric ulcers in 2 years old Thoroughbreds. Prevalence of equine gastric ulcer syndrome in 85 young Thoroughbreds was investigated. The presence of gastric ulcers was confirmed in 27.1% (23/85) of the horses by endoscopic examination. Sixty-two horses without gastric ulcers were allocated randomly to either the treated group (31 horses) or sham-dosed control group (31 horses) in order to investigate the efficacy of omeprazole oral paste in the prevention of gastric ulcers. At the second endoscopic examination conducted after 28 days of administration, only 1 horse in the treated group developed gastric ulcers, while 12 horses developed ...
Musculoskeletal disease and injury, now and in the future. Part 2: Tendon and ligament injuries. Tendon and ligament injuries continue to be one of the most frequent causes of orthopaedic injury and early retirement in the Thoroughbred racehorse. In the UK, the Horserace Betting Levy Board has invested considerable research funding in the last decade in order to investigate aspects of tendon epidemiology, biology and therapy, in order to decrease both the welfare and economic consequence of such injuries. This review summarises key aspects of this research effort and identifies specific research directions for the future.
Managing obesity in pasture-based horses. Obesity - a common problem in pasture-based horses - warrants intervention because it is associated with an increased risk for development of laminitis. Treating obesity in pasture-based horses is relatively simple and generally involves reducing caloric intake by using grazing muzzles and/or increasing caloric expenditure through exercise. To prevent recurrence of obesity after weight loss, clients should be educated on how to monitor body condition and to adjust feeding and management programs to maintain proper body condition.
Immunogenicity of two adjuvant formulations of an inactivated African horse sickness vaccine in guinea-pigs and target animals. Monovalent, inactivated and adjuvanted vaccines against African horse sickness, prepared with serotypes 5 and 9, were tested on guinea-pigs to select the formulation that offered the greatest immunity. The final formulation of the vaccines took into account the immune response in the guinea-pig and the inflammatory properties of two types of adjuvant previously tested on target animals. A pilot study was subsequently conducted on horses using a vaccine prepared with serotype 9. The vaccine stimulated neutralising antibodies from the first administration and, after the booster dose, 28 days lat...
Immunogenicity and clinical protection against equine influenza by DNA vaccination of ponies. Equine influenza A (H3N8) virus infection is a leading cause of respiratory disease in horses, resulting in widespread morbidity and economic losses. As with influenza in other species, equine influenza strains continuously mutate, often requiring the development of new vaccines. Current inactivated (killed) vaccines, while efficacious, only offer limited protection against diverse subtypes and require frequent boosts. Research into new vaccine technologies, including gene-based vaccines, aims to increase the neutralization potency, breadth, and duration of protective immunity. Here, we demons...
Equine wellness care in ambulatory practice. Clients want dependable veterinary care and to understand how the services will benefit and meet their horse’s needs. Wellness visits provide ambulatory practitioners with great opportunities to strengthen the doctor-client-patient bond; effective communication with clients during wellness visits, where new literature or facts can be presented, can offer opportunities for demonstrating the value of having the veterinarian maintain a primary role in disease control. The criteria for selecting vaccines, interpreting FECs, and diagnosing dental pathology require the continued need for veterinar...
European outbreaks of atypical myopathy in grazing horses (2006-2009): determination of indicators for risk and prognostic factors. Appropriate management of atypical myopathy (AM) requires the establishment of an accurate diagnosis and prognosis. Furthermore, preventive measures to avoid AM need to be refined. Objective: The aims of the study were as follows: 1) to improve the diagnosis of AM; 2) to identify prognostic predictors; and 3) to refine recommended preventive measures based on indicators of risk factors. Methods: An exploratory analysis of cases in Europe between 2006 and 2009 reported to the Atypical Myopathy Alert Group was conducted. Based on clinical data, reported cases were allocated into 2 groups: ...
Intestinal barrier function in neonatal foals: options for improvement. Gastrointestinal defence in the new-born is limited in comparison to adults, due to an immature epithelial barrier function and deficits in both innate and adaptive immune responses. Consequently, neonates (including foals) are at increased risk of disturbance to mucosal homeostasis during initial intestinal colonisation that may lead to excessive inflammation and bacterial translocation into the bloodstream, resulting in septicaemia. Bacterial recognition by Pattern Recognition Receptors (PRRs) and their downstream regulation of cytokine release have been shown to be pivotal for gastrointesti...
