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.
Wang E, Bowen RA, Medina G, Powers AM, Kang W, Chandler LM, Shope RE, Weaver SC.Following a 19-year hiatus, Venezuelan equine encephalitis (VEE) reemerged in western Venezuela in December 1992. This outbreak is important in understanding VEE emergence because phylogenetic studies imply that sympatric, enzootic, subtype ID VEE viruses mutated to generate the epizootic/epidemic. Although the 1992-1993 strains belong to subtype IC, a serotype implicated in extensive outbreaks during the 1960s and in 1995, relatively small numbers of human and equine cases occurred in 1992-1993. We, therefore, evaluated the pathogenicity of these Venezuelan enzootic ID and epizootic IC viruse...
Seidl AF, Moraes AS, Silva RA.The impact of three treatment strategies for Trypanosoma evansi control on horse mortality in the Brazilian Pantanal based on four size categories of cattle ranches is explored. The region's 49,000 horses are indispensable to traditional extensive cattle ranching and T. evansi kills horses. About 13% of these horses would be lost, annually, due to T. evansi if no control were undertaken. One preventive and two curative treatment strategies are financially justifiable in the Pantanal. The best available technology for the treatment of T. evansi from a horse mortality perspective is the preventi...
Hooper-McGrevy KE, Giguere S, Wilkie BN, Prescott JF.To determine whether purified equine immunoglobulin specific for Rhodococcus equi virulence-associated proteins A and C (VapA and VapC) can confer passive protection against R. equi-induced pneumonia in foals. Methods: Twenty-eight 3-week-old mixed-breed pony foals. Methods: 7 foals received IV injections of equine hyperimmune plasma (HIP) against whole-cell R. equi, and 7 received purified equine immunoglobulin specific for VapA and VapC 1 day prior to intrabronchial infection with R. equi strain 103+. Eleven foals were not treated prior to infection, and 3 control foals were neither treated ...
Medina-Leendertz S, Valero N, Chacín-Bonilla L, Añez F, Giraldoth D, Arias J, Espina G, Díaz S, Bonilla E.In mice infected with the Venezuelan equine encephalomyelitis (VEE) virus and exposed to high intensity light (2500 lux) with a 12 h light: 12 h dark photoperiod, a significant increase in the levels of melatonin in the olfactory bulb was observed. The significance of these findings deserves further studies to understand the mechanisms involved in this effect since the olfactory bulbs have been proposed as first portal for VEE virus entry into the CNS. The increase in melatonin content could represent one of the mechanisms of defense against the viral attack.
Chotwiwatthanakun C, Pratanaphon R, Akesowan S, Sriprapat S, Ratanabanangkoon K.The purpose of this study was to prepare a potent polyvalent antivenom against three elapids namely, the Thai cobra (Naja kaouthia, NK), the King cobra (Ophiophagus hannah, OH) and the banded krait (Bungarus fasciatus, BF). Two groups of horses were immunized. Group 1, comprising five horses, was immunized twice with a mixture of postsynaptic neurotoxins followed by an additional six immunizations with a mixture of crude venoms of the three elapids. Group 2, comprising four horses, was immunized with a mixture of crude venoms throughout the course. For the first immunization, the immunogens we...
Heldens JG, Hannant D, Cullinane AA, Prendergast MJ, Mumford JA, Nelly M, Kydd JH, Weststrate MW, van den Hoven R.Pregnant mares and young foals were vaccinated with Duvaxyn EHV1,4, an inactivated and adjuvanted vaccine containing both the EHV-1 and 4 antigens. SN and CF antibody titres were induced two weeks after first vaccination. Antibody levels were boosted after second vaccination, however they never reached the levels induced after virus challenge. Young foals were challenged with virulent EHV-1 and EHV-4 field viruses. Pregnant mares were challenged with the highly abortigenic EHV-1 strain Ab4. Vaccinated animals showed a clear reduction in clinical signs and virus excretion compared to unvaccinat...
Rupić V, Bacar-Huskić L, Lojkić M, Habe F, Ergotić N.Research was carried out into the effect that different quantities and compositions of concentrated portions of meal had on certain haematological properties and on the immune response of mares in the course of hyper-immune antitetanus sera production. The experiment involved 24 Nonius and Lipizzaner cross-bred mares divided into two groups of 12 animals each, a control group and a trial group. The experiment lasted 12 months, with haematological and immunological tests being carried out every 30 days. During the course of the experiment each mare was subjected to 11 immunisation cycles, and i...
Archer DF, Dorin M, Lewis V, Schneider DL, Pickar JH.To evaluate vaginal bleeding profiles with lower doses of conjugated equine estrogens (CEE) and medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA) as continuous combined therapy. Methods: The Women's Health, Osteoporosis, Progestin, Estrogen (Women's HOPE) study, a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Methods: Study centers across the United States. Methods: Two thousand six hundred seventy-three healthy, postmenopausal women. Methods: Women received CEE, 0.625 mg/d; CEE, 0.625 mg/d, plus MPA 2.5 mg/d; CEE, 0.45 mg/d; CEE, 0.45 mg/d, plus MPA, 2.5 mg/d; CEE 0.45 mg/d, plus MPA, 1.5 mg/d; CEE, 0....
Hines MT, Paasch KM, Alperin DC, Palmer GH, Westhoff NC, Hines SA.Rhodococcal pneumonia is an important disease of young horses that is not seen in immunocompetent adults. Since all foals are normally exposed to Rhodococcus equi in their environment, we hypothesized that most develop protective immune responses. Furthermore, these antigen-specific responses were hypothesized to operate throughout adult life to prevent rhodococcal pneumonia. A better understanding of the mechanisms of immune clearance in adult horses would help define the requirements for an effective vaccine in foals. Adult horses were challenged with virulent R. equi by intrabronchial inocu...
Tremaine WH, Dixon PM.The treatments of 277 horses with equine sinonasal disease (1984-1996), described by Tremaine and Dixon (2001), are reported here. Long-term (median duration 24 months) outcomes of treatment of the more common disorders were good, with 92% of horses with sinonasal mycosis, 84% with primary sinusitis, 82% with sinus cysts, 78% with dental sinusitis and 75% with sinonasal trauma reported to have complete remission of clinical signs. However, only 33% of horses with progressive ethmoidal haematoma (PEH) and 12% with sinonasal neoplasia reported long term remission of clinical signs.
Sheoran AS, Timoney JF, Tinge SA, Sundaram P, Curtiss R.The aim of this study was to investigate the intranasal immunogenicity for the horse of a Deltacya Deltacrp-pabA mutant (MGN-707) of Salmonella enterica serotype Typhimurium (S. typhimurium). MGN-707 caused no sign of disease, was not detected in feces and a single administration induced strong Salmonella-specific serum and nasal mucosal antibody responses. All ponies had made strong salmonella specific serum IgGa, IgGb, IgA and IgM antibody responses by day 25 after the first immunization. IgM responses to salmonella lipopolysaccharide (LPS) were short lived whereas salmonella specific serum ...
Hay WP, Mueller PO, Harmon B, Amoroso L.To evaluate the efficacy of 1% sodium carboxymethylcellulose (SCMC) for prevention of experimentally induced abdominal adhesions in horses. Methods: Prospective, controlled, experimental study. Methods: Twelve healthy adult horses. Methods: The effect of 1% SCMC on adhesion formation was evaluated in 12 healthy horses by using an established model of serosal trauma to induce intraabdominal adhesions. After ventral median celiotomy, 2 separate areas of the jejunum were abraded, and three 2-0 chromic gut sutures were placed in each abraded area. Jejunal resection and end-to-end anastomosis was p...
Labruna MB, Kerber CE, Ferreira F, Faccini JL, De Waal DT, Gennari SM.From December 1998 to March 1999, 40 stud farms were studied in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. During visits to farms, horses reared under grazing conditions were examined for the presence of ticks. On each farm visit, horse pastures were closely inspected and a questionnaire was given to the farm supervisor with the purpose of gaining information about ecological and management variables (independent variables) that could be associated with the presence and infestation levels of ticks on the farm (dependent variables). Three tick species were found during the study. Anocentor nitens, Amblyo...
Tobiasch E, Kehm R, Bahr U, Tidona CA, Jakob NJ, Handermann M, Darai G, Giese M.Equine arteritis virus (EAV) is a member of the Arteriviridae family, that includes lactate dehydrogenase-elevating virus (LDV), porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV), and simian haemorrhagic fever virus (SHFV). Equine arteritis is a contagious disease of horses and is spread via respiratory or reproductive tract. The objective of the present study is to evaluate the possibility for developing a model system for prevention horses against an EAV infection by DNAvaccination. A cDNA bank from the RNA of EAV was established. This gene library contains the translation unit of ...
Nicol C.It is frequently asserted that equine stereotypies, such as crib-biting, wind-sucking and weaving, are caused by boredom. However, this explanation is too general to be of practical use in discerning the causes of each stereotypy or in devising management practices to prevent their occurrence. The majority of equine stereotypes start within one month of weaning when both the nutritional and social environment of the foal are substantially altered. Epidemiological research has revealed that the provision of low quantities of forage and minimal opportunities for social contact are associated wit...
Leroux C, Craigo JK, Issel CJ, Montelaro RC.A primary mechanism of lentivirus persistence is the ability of these viruses to evolve in response to biological and immunological selective pressures with a remarkable array of genetic and antigenic variations that constitute a perpetual natural experiment in genetic engineering. A widely accepted paradigm of lentivirus evolution is that the rate of genetic variation is correlated directly with the levels of virus replication: the greater the viral replication, the more opportunities that exist for genetic modifications and selection of viral variants. To test this hypothesis directly, we ex...
Davis BS, Chang GJ, Cropp B, Roehrig JT, Martin DA, Mitchell CJ, Bowen R, Bunning ML.Introduction of West Nile (WN) virus into the United States in 1999 created major human and animal health concerns. Currently, no human or veterinary vaccine is available to prevent WN viral infection, and mosquito control is the only practical strategy to combat the spread of disease. Starting with a previously designed eukaryotic expression vector, we constructed a recombinant plasmid (pCBWN) that expressed the WN virus prM and E proteins. A single intramuscular injection of pCBWN DNA induced protective immunity, preventing WN virus infection in mice and horses. Recombinant plasmid-transform...
Wilson PJ, Clark KA.To determine whether postexposure rabies prophylaxis (PEP) in domestic animals, as mandated by the state of Texas, has continued to be effective and to evaluate PEP and preexposure rabies vaccination failures from 1995 through 1999. Methods: Retrospective study. Methods: 830 unvaccinated domestic animals (621 dogs, 78 horses, 71 cats, and 60 cattle) that received PEP and 4 animals (3 dogs and 1 horse) that had preexposure rabies vaccination failure. Methods: Zoonotic incident case reports from 1995 through 1999 were reviewed for information regarding unvaccinated domestic animals that received...
Dargatz DA, Traub-Dargatz JL, Sangster NC.Antimicrobial and anthelmintic resistance are growing issues for the equine practitioner. The development of antimicrobial or anthelmintic resistance is a source of significant concern because of increased frequency of treatment failures and increased treatment costs. In addition, antimicrobial resistance may have important consequences for public health. Only through judicious use can the efficacy of antimicrobials and anthelmintics be prolonged. This article discusses the development of resistance and suggestions for control.
Santschi EM, Vrotsos PD, Purdy AK, Mickelson JR.To determine incidence of the Ile118Lys endothelin receptor B (EDNRB) mutation responsible for overo lethal white syndrome (OLWS) and its association with specific types of white patterning. Methods: 945 horses of white-patterned bloodlines and 55 solid-colored horses of other breeds. Methods: Horses were genotyped by use of allele-specific polymerase chain reaction to determine incidence of the Ile118Lys EDNRB mutation. Results: Genotypes detected were homozygous Ile118, homozygous Lys118, and heterozygous. All foals with OLWS were homozygous for the Ile118Lys EDNRB mutation, and adults that ...
MacKay RJ, Granstrom DE, Saville WJ, Reed SM.Recent advances in the understanding of the parasite life cycle, epidemiology, clinical signs, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of EPM are reviewed. The NAHMS Equine '98 study and a controlled retrospective study from The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine identified a number of risk factors associated with development of the disease. The national annual incidence of EPM was 1% or less depending on the primary use of the animals. Increased disease risk was associated with age (1-5 and > 13 years of age), season (lowest in winter months and increasing with ambient tempe...
Loos C, Castelein A, Vanzant E, Adam E, McLeod KR.Insulin dysregulation (ID) is associated with an increased risk of laminitis which often necessitates the need for clinical intervention. To test the contention that the prophylactic supplementation of nutraceuticals could mitigate ID in susceptible horses, 16 mature horses with a history of ID were supplemented with either the placebo (n = 8) or nutraceutical (n = 8) once daily. Horses were housed in dry lots with ad libitum access to grass hay and fed a concentrate twice daily to provide 0.5 g starch/kg BW/meal. A combined glucose-insulin tolerance test was performed on all horses before and...
Wong JKY, Choi TLS, Wong COL, Curl P, Wan TSM, Ho ENM.Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM), also known as dimethyl sulfone, is a naturally occurring sulphur-containing compound that can be found in plants, animals and humans. MSM can also be a metabolite of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO). Due to their anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects, both MSM and DMSO are prohibited substances in horseracing. As both substances are naturally occurring, their misuse in horses is controlled by International Residue Limits (IRL) of 1200 and 15 μg/mL, respectively, in horse urine as established by the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities. The elimination ...
Hepworth-Warren KL, Love K.Bacterial pneumonia is a common disease in adult horses, but there are no guidelines for practitioners regarding risk factors, diagnosis, and management of the disease. The objectives of this study were to describe how a group of equine veterinarians diagnose and treat bacterial pneumonia in adult horses. A 22-question survey was distributed via multiple platforms to equine veterinarians asking questions regarding the frequency with which they identified specific clinical findings and used certain diagnostic modalities, and the approach to antimicrobial and adjunct therapy. Three hundred nine ...
Helbig H, Berghaus LJ, Venner M, Berghaus R, Hart KA.Adequate vitamin availability is vital for cellular and immune function and for normal growth. Available data on age-related changes in serum concentrations of vitamins in foals are limited. In addition, associations between circulating vitamin concentrations and the development of bronchopneumonia in foals are not described. Objective: (1) To quantify circulating concentrations of vitamins C, D and E from birth to weaning in foals; (2) to determine associations between vitamin concentrations and the development of bronchopneumonia during this period. Methods: Prospective cohort study. Methods...
Scott I, Lawrence KE, Gee EK.Shortened egg reappearance periods (ERP) have been seen as an early warning of anthelmintic resistance development in cyathostomins in horses. The hypothesis has been that in these instances, efficacy against egg laying adult cyathostomins remains high, but a decline in activity against later larval stages leads to the earlier resumption of egg shedding after treatment. In this study using a single herd of horses we investigated the ERP of a number of commonly used equine anthelmintics and examined whether ERP might show seasonal variation between winter and summer. Four main Faecal egg count ...
Jarquín-Díaz VH, Dayaram A, Soilemetzidou ES, Desvars-Larrive A, Bohner J, Buuveibaatar B, Kaczensky P, Walzer C, Greenwood AD, Löber U.The microbial composition of host-associated microbiomes is influenced by co-evolutionary interactions, host genetics, domestication, and the environment. This study investigates the contribution of environmental microbiota from freshwater bodies to the gastrointestinal microbiomes of wild khulans (Equus hemionus hemionus, n = 21) and compares them with those of captive khulans (n = 12) and other equids-Przewalski's horse (n = 82) and domestic horse (n = 26). Using PacBio technology and the LotuS pipeline for 16S rRNA gene sequencing, we analyze microbial diversity and conduct ...
Vaccination is one of the most important measures for preventing infectious diseases. Vaccinations against tetanus and West-Nile-Virus are essential to protect the individual horse. These infections are not contagious and are not transmitted from animal to animal. By contrast, Equine Influenza and Equine-Herpes-Virus infections are highly contagious, transmissible diseases. In addition to protecting the vaccinated individual, vaccinating as many horses as possible aims at inducing a broad herd immunity, which interrupts infection chains and thus additionally protects the individual. Vaccinatio...
Choi Y, Parkin T.Superficial digital flexor (SDF) tendinopathy is one of the most common musculoskeletal diseases in Thoroughbreds and a major cause of retirement from racing among racehorses in South Korea. However, there are no previous epidemiological studies on SDF tendinopathy-related risk factors for racehorses in South Korea. The interventions derived from such a study could reduce the occurrence of SDF tendinopathy and, therefore, extend horses' racing careers. Objective: To identify the risk factors associated with SDF tendinopathy for Thoroughbreds in South Korea. Methods: Retrospective case-control ...
Branda F, Yon DK, Albanese M, Binetti E, Giovanetti M, Ciccozzi A, Ciccozzi M, Scarpa F, Ceccarelli G.Equine influenza (EI) is a highly contagious respiratory disease caused by the equine influenza virus (EIV), posing a significant threat to equine populations worldwide. EIV exhibits considerable antigenic variability due to its segmented genome, complicating long-term disease control efforts. Although infections are rarely fatal, EIV's high transmissibility results in widespread outbreaks, leading to substantial morbidity and considerable economic impacts on veterinary care, quarantine, and equestrian activities. The H3N8 subtype has undergone significant antigenic evolution, resulting in the...
Marsella R.Antibiotic resistance is a growing concern worldwide and across species. This is especially important in horses with skin infections, as many of them are infected with Staphylococcus aureus, which can also colonize people. An increasing body of literature has documented colonization of horses with methicillin-resistant S aureus (MRSA) and transmission of MRSA between horses and veterinarians and vice versa. Colonization with MRSA does not always result in disease but has a potential impact on other horses, owners, handlers, and especially veterinarians. The WHO has published criteria to determ...
da Silva-Álvarez E, Gómez-Arrones V, Correa-Fiz F, Martín-Cano FE, Gaitskell-Phillips G, Carrasco JJ, Rey J, Aparicio IM, Peña FJ, Alonso JM....This study aims to unveil potential differences in the vaginal and uterine microbiomes in mares and jennies, and to identify possible mechanisms involved in uterine immune homeostasis. The microbiota was characterized using 16S rRNA sequencing, and the uterine proteome was analyzed using UHPLC/MS/MS in 18 samples from healthy mares and 14 from jennies. While taxonomic analysis revealed high interspecies similarities, β-diversity analysis showed distinct clustering, with only two vaginal taxa and five uterine taxa differing between species. Despite compositional differences, PICRUSt analysis s...
Vasconcelos de Sousa AL, Riet-Correa F, Botelho de Castro M, Machado M.We reviewed the history, epidemiology, clinical signs, pathology, pathogenesis, treatment, control, and prophylaxis of Sorghum poisoning in livestock. Economic losses in the livestock industry associated with sorghum have been reported since the 19th century. Hyperacute/acute poisoning associated with cyanide (HCN) or nitrate/nitrite frequently occurs in ruminants that consume high quantities of growth and regrowth sorghum after drought, followed by rainfall, respectively. Chronic cystitis-ataxia syndrome primarily affects horses after weeks of grazing on sorghum pastures, while congenital art...
Franco JJ, Gonzálvez M, Cano-Terriza D, Barbero-Moyano J, Jose-Cunilleras E, Alguacil E, García J, García-Bocanegra I.Equine viral arteritis is a notifiable infectious disease with sanitary and economic implications at a global scale. A cross-sectional serosurvey was performed to determine the exposure of equids to the Alphaarterivirus equid [Equine Arteritis Virus (EAV)] in three regions in western Europe. Serum samples from 1425 equids (1196 horses, 104 donkeys, and 125 mules/hinnies) from Catalonia (northeastern Spain), Andalusia (southern Spain) and southeastern United Kingdom (UK) were collected during the period 2011-2023. The overall EAV seroprevalence in EAV-unvaccinated equids was 9.7 % (138/1425; 9...
Punyadarsaniya D, Taesuji M, Rattanamas K, Ruenphet S.Standard serological tests post-vaccination, such as enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), complement fixation, and virus neutralization, are crucial for monitoring African horse sickness (AHS). However, the availability of commercial test kits such as blocking ELISA varies by regions; while they are commonly used in Africa and Europe, their limited availability and high cost in Thailand present significant challenges. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate an alternative approach using an in-house indirect ELISA based on cell-based monovalent and polyvalent strains of live attenuated AH...
Tolnai CH, Forgách P, Marosi A, Fehér O, Paszerbovics B, Tenk M, Wagenhoffer Z, Kutasi O.In the last three decades, West Nile virus (WNV, Flaviviridae, Orthoflavivirus genus) has become one of the most important encephalitic agents worldwide, causing substantial numbers of cases in humans and horses every year by re-emerging in endemic areas and emerging in new territories. It is considered that after natural WNV infection, humans and birds develop long-term immunoprotection, but data on immunoprotection in horses is scarce. Objective: West Nile virus infection provides long-term humoral immunity in subclinically infected horses. Methods: Client-owned, naturally WNV subclinically ...
Herkenhoff ME.MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are molecules that regulate gene expression by targeting the 3' untranslated region (UTR) of mRNAs. They are essential in numerous biological processes like growth, metabolism, and muscle development. miRNA research has become crucial in livestock breeding, offering solutions for improving animal health and productivity. This review focuses on miRNAs' roles in equine performance, reproduction, and disease, highlighting key findings and future applications in these areas. It discusses the use of circulating miRNAs (ci-miRNA) as biomarkers for athletic performance, particularl...
Tian Y, Su Y, Jiang X, Su L, Zhang B, Lv F.The zoonotic pathogen subspecies (SEZ) frequently colonizes equines harmlessly but can occasionally cause disease or cross species barriers. Currently, growing evidence suggests SEZ can lead to severe clinical manifestations in horses and other animals, posing a threat to human and companion animal health. In this study, we sequenced the complete genome of the SEZ strain HT321, a novel sequence type 420 isolated from a donkey with a respiratory infection in China. Subsequently, we conducted comparative genomics, core genome single nucleotide polymorphisms (cgSNP), phylogenetic analysis multi...
Payette-Stroman A, Ross Y, Ma X, Boutelle C, Holschbach C, Blanton JD, Wallace R.Rabies in livestock in the United States (US) poses a significant public health concern due to the potential for human exposure and economic losses to producers. Understanding the epidemiology of rabies in livestock supports broader One Health goals by enhancing early detection of viral incursions and protecting both animal and human health. This study assessed the epidemiology of rabies in livestock in the US from 2012 to 2021 using surveillance data reported to the National Rabies Surveillance System. A sensitivity analysis was conducted to estimate economic losses, including livestock value...
Furukawa R, Tozaki T, Kawate K, Kikuchi M, Ishige T, Takahashi Y, Fukui E, Kakoi H.Gene doping, which entails the administration of transgenes, poses a serious threat to the integrity of equine sports and also raises both ethical and regulatory concerns. Current methods used for the detection of such doping often necessitate the extraction of DNA from plasma, which can be time-consuming and labour-intensive. To overcome this limitation, we developed a direct chamber digital PCR (cdPCR) method that enables transgene detection in equine plasma without the need for DNA purification. Using the equine erythropoietin (EPO) transgene as a model, we validated the assay by analysing ...
Reemtsma FP, Giers J, Horstmann S, Stoeckle SD, Gehlen H.Plasma amino acid (PAA) concentration in horses vary according to the exercise type. This study evaluated the changes in PAA levels and the associated metabolites, urea and ammonia, following short-duration, high-intensity cross-country exercise in eventing horses. Twenty eventing horses participated in 55 rides at 14 international competitions (2* to 4* levels) across five venues in Germany and Poland. Blood samples were collected at four timepoints: before exercise (TP0), at 10 min (TP1), and at 30 min (TP2) post-exercise, as well as in the morning on the day after the competition (TP3). A t...
Ghielmetti G, Stevens MJA, Schmitt S, Kittl S, Cernela N, Biggel M, Schulthess B, Keller PM, Schrenzel J, Stephan R.Rhodococcus equi is an intracellular bacterial pathogen that can cause infections in various hosts, including humans and animals. Host-associated virulence plasmids have been identified as key contributors to the pathogenicity of R. equi and potentially play a role in determining the host tropism of the bacteria. The investigation of additional clinical and environmental isolates is likely to provide novel insights into the population structure, infection pathways, and drug resistance of this important pathogen. We combined whole-genome sequencing and antimicrobial-susceptibility testing of 37...
Brodesser DM, Schlangen K, Rodríguez-Rojas A, Kuropka B, Doulidis PG, Brandt S, Pratscher B.Malignant melanoma (MM) affects not only humans but also animals, with gray horses being particularly predisposed to acquiring the disease. Multiomics have greatly advanced the understanding of human MM. In contrasty little is known regarding the pathogenesis of gray-horse melanoma and the unique phenomenon of melanoma "dormancy" in some animals. To help close this gap in knowledge, melanoma tissue and intact skin collected from gray horses were subjected to transcriptome analysis using RNAseq. In the next step, cultured primary tumor cells and normal skin fibroblasts were established from gra...
Wunderlich G, Bull M, McGilchrist N, Zhao C, Ross T, Rose M, Chapman B.The equine gut microbiome is a complex and dynamic ecosystem, housing a diverse consortium of bacteria and anaerobic fungi (AF) capable of breaking down complex plant matter and converting it into vital energy sources for their host. The aim of this study was to broaden our current understanding of bacterial and AF diversity in the equine hindgut and how it differs between cohorts and responds to dietary shifts. Results: Faecal samples were collected from 48 horses and the bacteriome and anaerobic mycobiome analysed using long-read amplicon sequencing. Samples were collected from racehorses (R...
Pusterla N, Lawton K, Barnum S, Vitomirov A, Anaya S, Naranatt P, Swadia H, Mendonsa E.The objective of this study was to evaluate a point-of-care (POC) PCR assay for the detection of Salmonella spp. in pooled environmental samples collected at an equine veterinary hospital. A total of 945 environmental samples were collected from high-risk areas, including ICU and isolation stalls, high-traffic areas, treatment rooms, and surgical suites. The environmental samples were collected using drag swabs placed in selenite broth and individually incubated at 35 °C for 20 h. Following the incubation period, 1 mL of up to 10 individual environmental samples were pooled together. Each poo...
Turcotte G, O'Sullivan TL, Rossi TM, Spence KL, Winder CB, Greer AL.Horses are frequently transported, creating opportunities for the spread of pathogens. Disease transmission models for equine infectious diseases face limitations on their generalizability due to challenges in describing equine movement and the structure of their contact networks beyond simplistic assumptions. This study aimed to combine a stochastic, agent-based, SEIR model for equine influenza disease dynamics with an observed Ontario, Canada equine contact network structure to quantify the potential magnitude of equine influenza outbreaks in Ontario competition horses under different condit...
In light of the increasing reports of anthelmintic (AH) resistance in equids, a national survey on helminth control practices was distributed to 42 528 keepers. A total of 4 344 responses was obtained. Respondents implemented preventive pasture practices with varying frequency according to the age of the animals, such as pasture rotations (78.1-80.6 %), excrement removal from pastures several times a year (15.9-27.2 %) and/or mixed or rotational grazing with ruminants (14.5-18.1 %). A majority of keepers routinely used AH treatments even though they did not perceive any major risk to the...
Gröndahl G, Righetti F, Aspán A, Bjerketorp J, Frosth S, Frykberg L, Jacobsson K, Guss B, Paillot R, Flock JI, Henriques-Normark B, Waller AS.Strangles, caused by Streptococcus equi subspecies equi (S. equi), is a prevalent infectious disease of horses. This is the first report on the use of a new vaccine, Strangvac, in a natural outbreak of strangles. Objective: To measure the effects of Strangvac vaccination during an outbreak of strangles at a Swedish farm. Methods: Longitudinal cohort study. Methods: Healthy horses (n = 17) were vaccinated on day 0, which occurred 23 days after strangles was first confirmed in three unvaccinated horses on the same farm. Blood serum samples were collected on day 0, day 28 and day 489. A com...
Righetti F, Hentrich K, Flock M, Frosth S, Jacobsson K, Bjerketorp J, Pathak A, Ido N, Henriques-Normark B, Frykberg L, Paillot R, Guss B, Wood T.... subspecies () is the cause of strangles, one of the most prevalent diseases of horses worldwide. The disease is characterised by fever and the formation of abscesses in the lymph nodes of the head and neck, which can restrict the airway. A multicomponent subunit vaccine, Strangvac, has been shown to effectively reduce clinical signs of strangles and to reduce its incidence. The aim of this study was to determine the immune response against the immunoglobulin-cleaving endopeptidase IdeE, a key protective component within the vaccine and the ability of antibodies to neutralize the proteolytic...
Basso RM, Cerri FM, Possebon FS, Braga PRC, Casas MRT, Oliveira-Filho JP, Araújo Júnior JP, Ribeiro MG, Arroyo LG, Borges AS. spp. are important pathogens of foals, causing clinical enterocolitis and sepsis. We characterized the resistance, virulence, and stress response genes in isolates from foals with or without diarrhea. isolates ( = 23) recovered from fecal samples of 16 diarrheic and 7 non-diarrheic <1-y-old foals were subjected to whole-genome sequencing. The most common serovars detected in diarrheic foals were subsp. serovars Infantis and Minnesota. Multidrug resistance was observed in 9 of 23 isolates, with 8 of the 9 from diarrheic foals. All of the isolates contained at least 2 resistance genes, ...
Modrý D, Hainisch EK, Fuehrer HP, Kniha E, Unterköfler MS, Sádlová J, Jahn P, Řeháková K, Sedlák K, Votýpka J.We report 4 cases of equine cutaneous leishmaniasis caused by Leishmania martiniquensis in Czech Republic and Austria, outside the known endemic range of leishmaniases. The parasite should be considered as a potential cause of cutaneous lesions in horses; the risk for zoonotic transmission to immunocompromised humans is anticipated throughout central Europe.
