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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.
Attempts to immunoprotect adult horses, specifically pregnant mares, with commercial vaccines against clinical disease induced by equine herpesvirus-1. In a project lasting 4 years more than 300 Lipizzans, around 180 of them adults, were vaccinated systematically against Equine Herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1) and representative groups thereof were serologically controlled for their antibody responses. In part, vaccination intervals recommended on packing slips were followed, in part other intervals, implicated by intermediary results, were used. A live virus vaccine proved ineffective if humoral antibodies were present. An oil-adjuvanted vaccine proved of highest antiviral immunogenicity, but after repeated revaccinations caused severe local reactions ...
Fumonisin B1 concentrations in feeds from 45 confirmed equine leukoencephalomalacia cases. During the fall of 1989 and winter of 1990, numerous reports of equine leukoencephalomalacia (ELEM) occurred from many regions of the United States. Typically, horses were consuming feed partially or entirely composed of corn and/or corn screenings. From October 1989 through May 1990, samples from 55 confirmed or suspected ELEM cases were received at the National Veterinary Services Laboratories, Ames, Iowa, for fumonisin B1 analysis. Samples from 9 cases in 1984-1985 were also obtained. Fumonisin B1, a mycotoxin produced by Fusarium moniliforme, causes ELEM, but little is known of naturally o...
The equine rhabdomyolysis syndrome in the United Kingdom: epidemiological and clinical descriptive information. The paper provides some basic epidemiological and clinical descriptive information for the equine rhabdomyolysis syndrome (ERS) in the United Kingdom. Information was obtained retrospectively from laboratory submission data as well as cases investigated by the author via their veterinary surgeon. Sex appeared to be a significant variable, with females being more likely than males to suffer from ERS compared to other conditions (P less than 0.01). More samples were submitted in the period November-February than at other times of the year (P less than 0.01). The condition appeared to be found in...
Maternal antibodies against equine influenza virus in foals and their interference with vaccination. Foals that were born to mares vaccinated twice a year against influenza had moderate to high haemagglutination-inhibition antibody titers at 24 hours after birth. The foals were vaccinated at six and ten weeks of age, and again at three to five months after birth. Four months after the third vaccination no antibodies against A/H7N7 and A/H3N8 influenza viruses were detected in these foals. Thus, maternal antibodies probably prevented the development of antibodies against equine influenza virus after vaccination. Foals born to the same mares one year later were monitored to determine the rate o...
Neutralization of HIV-1: a paradox of humoral proportions. The production of immunoglobulin capable of neutralizing the infectivity of a virus represents one of the most remarkable molecular accomplishments of the host's available immune defenses. It should be no surprise that a virus that has existed in the parenchyma of the immune system has evolved as an equally dynamic molecule (i.e., viral envelope) for survival. Neutralizing immunoglobulin (Ig) can best serve the host under conditions where the invading pathogen requires a well-defined cell-free state for establishing an infection or transmission. Evidence for a controlling and therefore protect...
Equine helminth infections: control by selective chemotherapy. A programme of selective anthelmintic therapy was used in a herd of 31 horses. Faecal egg counts were done during the months of September, November, January, March, May and the following September. Horses with greater than or equal to 100 eggs per gram (epg) were treated with ivermectin, and those with less than 100 epg were not treated. The criteria for adequate internal parasite control in the herd was a median herd faecal egg count of less than or equal to 100 epg. Effectiveness of selective therapy was assessed by faecal egg count after nine months of treatment and was determined to be ade...
Evaluation of intravenous administration of concentrated immunoglobulin G to colostrum-deprived foals. Ten foals of various breeds were deprived of colostrum from birth to 36 hours of age, then were allotted to 2 groups. Foals of group 1 (n = 6) were given 20 g (200 ml) of purified equine IgG IV in a 10% solution, and foals of group 2 (n = 4) were given 30 g (300 ml) of the same preparation. Total administration time for each 10 g of IgG in 100 ml was approximately 10 minutes. Serum IgG concentration in foals was assessed prior to, between 24 and 48 hours, and at 7 and 14 days after IgG administration. Between 24 and 48 hours after IgG administration, mean serum IgG concentration in group-1 foa...
Homotypic and heterotypic serum and milk antibody to rotavirus in normal, infected and vaccinated horses. The homotypic and heterotypic antibody response to rotavirus was determined in three pony mares and their foals. The normal concentrations of anti-rotavirus antibodies in mares' milk and mares' and foals' serum over the first 10 weeks post-partum were measured using IgA, IgG and rotavirus serotype-specific enzyme linked immunosorbent assays. Experimental infection of the foals with serotype 3 equine rotavirus produced a rapid, serotype-specific response which peaked 10 days after infection and a slower heterotypic response which peaked 32 days later. In contrast, vaccination of the mares with ...
Viral respiratory disease of the horse. The diagnosis of any viral respiratory disease relies on laboratory procedures to isolate the virus and demonstrate a significant rise in serum antibody titers. To isolate viruses from the upper respiratory tract, it is imperative that nasopharyngeal swabs are obtained from animals in the early acute stage of illness, i.e., during the pyrexic phase when the virus is replicating. Nasopharyngeal swabs must be placed in a virus transport medium and forwarded immediately to the laboratory at refrigerated temperature. Equine influenza, rhinopneumonitis, and equine viral arteritis are the three vira...
Aetiologic study on an influenza-like epidemic in horses in China. About thirty thousands horses were affected and hundreds of them died in an epidemic caused by equine 2 influenza virus (H3N8) in China. The estimated morbidity and mortality accounted for 81% and 2%, respectively. The viral protein and RNA electrophoresis patterns revealed that the new isolates were antigenically different from the prototype strain influenza A/eq/Miami/1/63(H3N8). Therefore, the representative strain of the equine 2 subtype of influenza A virus recommended for producing reference reagents, vaccines, and for serological diagnosis must have been altered by antigenic drift.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. COPD continues to be a severe condition in horses. Despite increased understanding of its pathogenesis, there is relatively little information on effective treatment regimens. Management and prevention are critical, and more emphasis should be placed on improved housing, bedding, and feeding. More sophisticated accurate methods also are required for identifying specific causative allergens.
Bacterial pneumonia. Bacterial pneumonia in the horse often occurs secondary to viral respiratory infection; however, primary infections can occur. A diagnosis of bacterial pneumonia is made on the basis of history, physical examination, and laboratory and radiographic findings. Treatment consists of appropriate antimicrobial therapy for at least 7 to 10 days; further therapy may be needed in more severe cases. Prevention of bacterial pneumonia includes attempting to prevent viral respiratory infections and appropriate management to prevent stress to the respiratory tract.
Antibodies in horses, mules and donkeys following monovalent vaccination against African horse sickness. A total of 256 sera collected from three species of domesticated equidae in four different Spanish provinces were examined 1-4 months after the administration of attenuated monovalent African horse sickness virus (AHSV) serotype 4 vaccine. Approximately 10% of the sera were negative by ELISA, virus neutralization, agar gel immuno-diffusion and complement fixation tests. Similar negative reactions were recorded with sera from two ponies after experimental primary vaccination. The rapid rise in antibodies in sera from these two ponies, after a second dose of vaccine, suggested they would probabl...
A study of bovine and equine immunoglobulin levels in pony foals fed bovine colostrum. As part of a project to raise specific pathogen free (SPF) Welsh Mountain Pony foals, free from exposure to Equid herpesvirus type 1, foals were removed from their dams at birth and fed bovine colostrum. This study characterises the uptake of bovine colostral immunoglobulin and production of endogenous immunoglobulin, in 10 SPF foals. An enzyme-linked immunoadsorbent assay was developed to measure serum concentrations of bovine IgG1 (boIgG1) to assess the efficiency of transfer, and rate of elimination of boIgG1 by the foal. The endogenous production of equine IgG was studied using a single ra...
[Year-round antibody profile of groups of horses of a herd kept in isolation after differently terminating use of an experimental viral combination vaccine]. The commercial vaccine "Resequin F Konz." devised against viral respiratory infections of horses contains the abortigenic Equine Herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1). Therefore we had used it in our protection project of the Austrian Lipizzaners+ primarily to prevent abortions. Taking into account the recent perception that for young horses the respiratory-pathogenic EHV-4 type is essential Behringwerke Marburg added this particular virus to their market product to produce a multicomponent experimental vaccine. We examined this vaccine for its antibody induction as well as their persistence against each of i...
Role of antibody to extracellular proteins of Rhodococcus equi in protection against R. equi pneumonia in foals. Rhodococcus equi produces two exoenzymes (REE), a cholesterol oxidase in large amounts and a phospholipase C, which cause lysis of sheep red blood cells (SRBC) sensitized with Staphylococcus aureus beta toxin. Two immunization studies were done in foals to determine the role of antibody to REE in protection against R. equi pneumonia. In the first study, three foals (mean age 10 days) were vaccinated four times at 2-week intervals with over 1 million units of partially purified exoenzymes (PREE). In the second study, three foals (mean age 19 days) were administered plasma from an adult horse va...
[Studies in riding arenas and on different riding path surfaces with respect to respiratory tract contamination in horses. Air hygiene studies in riding arenas]. Using the direct sedimentation method, the air pollution with fungal spores was measured in indoor riding arenas and compared to horse stables, outside riding arenas and covered sport courts. Depending on the location of indoor arenas and stables, the presence of "dust-nests", the number of horses ridden, and the moisture of the tread layer, an air pollution was measured which was equivalent to that in stables except at times of feeding and straw-giving. Outside and in sport arenas a low air pollution was found. Recommendations are given, regarding optimum air hygiene especially for horses wit...
Investigation of antigenic structure of attenuated and virulent Venezuelan equine encephalomyelitis virus by means of monoclonal antibodies. A comparative study of the antigenic structure of virulent strains and attenuated vaccine strains of Venezuelan equine encephalomyelitis virus (VEEV) by means of monoclonal antibodies has made it possible to investigate the antigenic structure of the envelope glycoproteins E1 and E2, and to specify their role in the development of antiviral immunity. On the E1 glycoprotein there are five nonoverlapping antigenic sites consisting of eight epitopes that are recognized by monoclonal antibodies; six sites consisting of twenty epitopes were found on the E2 glycoprotein. The monoclonal antibodies ag...
Immunization of horses with Crotalus durissus terrificus (South American rattlesnake) venom. A comparison of four different procedures. 1. A comparative study was carried out on horses immunized with Crotalus durissus terrificus venom using four different inoculation procedures, which included the use of Freund's adjuvant, A1(OH)3 and liposomes as adjuvants. The antibody titer was assessed by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and the neutralizing potency by the neutralizing median effective dose (ED50). 2. The inoculation schedule used in horses to obtain antivenom serum consisted of sc injections of a 7.5 mg venom starting dose in 5.0 ml sterile saline emulsified with an equal volume of Freund's complete adjuvant. One...
Protection against naturally acquired Rhodococcus equi pneumonia in foals by administration of hyperimmune plasma. A 2-year field study was performed to determine the capability of increasing Rhodococcus equi specific antibody in foals via plasma transfusion or mare vaccination, to determine the kinetics of R. equi (ELISA) antibody decay and to assess the protective effects of these procedures in foals on a farm endemic for R. equi. Plasma donors were vaccinated with a killed R. equi bacterin and produced high levels of anti-R. equi antibodies, which were harvested by plasmapheresis. In Experiment 1, 68 foals were given 1 litre of hyperimmune plasma intravenously (i.v.) between 1-60 days of age. Foal plasm...
Antigen recognition in feral mares previously immunized with porcine zonae pellucidae. Twenty-six free-roaming feral mares were immunized against porcine zonae pellucidae (PZP) between February and May, 1988. Eight sexually mature mares received 2 inoculations 2 weeks apart, and 18 mares received 3 inoculations at intervals of 2 and 4 weeks. Analysis of urinary oestrone conjugates (E1C) and non-specific progesterone metabolites (iPdG) in samples collected in October, 1988, revealed that none of the 18 mares that received 3 and only 1 of the 6 mares that received two inoculations were pregnant, whereas 3 of 6 sham-injected control mares and 5 of 11 untreated mares were pregnant. ...
Resistance to benzimidazole anthelmintics in small strongyles (Cyathostominae) of horses in Denmark. This study was undertaken to establish whether anthelmintic resistance was present in nematode parasites of horses in Denmark. Sixteen horse farms were selected for faecal egg count reduction (FECR) tests to measure the efficacy of the anthelmintic used. Resistance to benzimidazole anthelmintics was found on 13 of the 16 farms, with FECR values ranging from 80.0% to -101.3%. On the remaining 3 farms FECR was 100.0%, 99.3% and 97.2%. Results of a questionnaire study on anthelmintic usage, parasite control measures and management practices showed that horses in this study were treated on average...
A rare GC mutant in horses disclosed by isoelectric focusing and subsequent immunoprinting. An apparent incompatibility in the GC/DBP system in a mare and her colt was found after classification by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Because of this observation an analysis of the equine GC/DBP system by isoelectric focusing and subsequent immunoprinting was initiated. Further GC subtypes, however, were not encountered: the three phenotypes GC F, FS and S were also delineated by this method. The GC types in the case of disputed descent were dissolved: GC S was found in the mare and GC FS in her colt as well as in another of her male offspring. It is proposed that a rare GC mutant is r...
[Immunotherapy of squamous cell carcinoma of the bovine eye and of equine sarcoid]. Squamous cell carcinomas of the bovine eye and equine sarcoids are briefly reviewed. A single injection of BCG into the tumour results in permanent regression of the lesion in 37 per cent of the cattle, regression followed by recurrence of the tumour in 26 per cent and in progressive growth of the tumour in 37 per cent of the cases. Recurrence may be prevented by repeated injection into the lesion. From 50 to 60 per cent of the cows will remain free from tumours. Equine sarcoids show a complete regression in 70-80 per cent of the cases. Tumours on the limbs show a less satisfactory response (l...
