The study of diseases in horses encompasses a wide range of conditions affecting equine health, including infectious diseases, metabolic disorders, and genetic abnormalities. These diseases can impact various systems within the horse, such as respiratory, gastrointestinal, and musculoskeletal systems, and can lead to significant health challenges. Research in this area focuses on understanding the pathophysiology, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of equine diseases. Common diseases studied include equine influenza, equine herpesvirus, and laminitis. This page provides access to peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the etiology, clinical presentation, and management strategies of diseases in horses, contributing to the advancement of equine veterinary medicine.
Elfving K, Malmsten J, Dalin AM, Nilsson K.Both Rickettsia helvetica and Anaplasma phagocytophilum are common in Ixodes ricinus ticks in Sweden. Knowledge is limited regarding different animal species' competence to act as reservoirs for these organism. For this reason, blood samples were collected from wild cervids (roe deer, moose) and domestic mammals (horse, cat, dog) in central Sweden, and sera were tested using immunofluorescence assay to detect antibodies against spotted fever rickettsiae using Rickettsia helvetica as antigen. Sera with a titer ≥1:64 were considered as positive, and 23.1% (104/450) of the animals scored positi...
Miller SM, Katzwinkel RH.This case report shows that keratomas can occur in both hind feet of equine patients and should be considered as a diagnosis for long-standing, intermittent lameness localised to the hooves. A Thoroughbred racehorse presented with long-standing abscessation of the right hind hoof. Owing to the long-standing nature, the abscess draining tract was surgically explored. A focal mass was found within the solar horn. Histopathology revealed the mass to be a keratoma. A similar mass was removed from the left hind hoof a few months later after similar presenting signs. This case shows that keratomas c...
Lotstra RJ, van den Broek J, Power T, Marr CM, Wijnberg ID.Atrial fibrillation is a common equine arrhythmia. Quinidine alone, or with digoxin are common treatments. Studies on outcome in Warmblood populations in which duration of the AF is often unknown are limited. Objective: To identify the factors that are associated with the success of full treatment cardioversion with oral medication, and establish whether there are differences in these factors between institutions. Methods: Retrospective case series using patient records of Equine University Clinic of Utrecht University and Rossdales Equine Hospital, Newmarket. Methods: Forty-nine horses treate...
Toombs-Ruane LJ, Riley CB, Rosanowski SM, Kendall AT, Benschop J.Decreased efficacy of veterinary antimicrobials and increased prevalence of multi-drug resistance (MDR) is of concern, but little is known of antimicrobial resistance encompassing the New Zealand (NZ) equine population. Recent concerns have arisen over the emergence of multi-resistant bacteria [1], especially on NZ stud farms where antibiotics are frequently used for respiratory disease without veterinary input [2]. Objective: To describe bacterial culture and antimicrobial sensitivity results from respiratory samples submitted of young horses (4 weeks to 3 years old). Methods: Retrospective s...
Trachsel DS, Grenacher B, Schwarzwald CC.Plasma atrial/A-type natriuretic peptide concentration (CpANP) was measured in horses presenting with various heart diseases to assess its potential diagnostic value. Methods: Fifteen healthy horses (Group 1) and 60 horses with various heart diseases associated with normal chamber size and function (Group 2, n = 24), associated with abnormal left atrial (LA) size and/or function but normal left ventricle (LV) (Group 3, n = 19), or associated with both abnormal LA and LV size and/or function (Group 4, n = 17). Methods: CpANP was measured by a commercially available radioimmunoassay. Echoc...
Donoghue EM, Lyons ET, Bellaw JL, Nielsen MK.Parascaris spp. infects foals worldwide and may cause airway inflammation in addition to small intestinal impaction and rupture. It is observed that acquired immunity eliminates ascarid burdens beginning at about 6 months of age, and current evidence suggests that a single parasite generation propagates in each foal crop. The purpose of this study was to monitor natural parasitic infections in untreated mixed breed horse foals over the course of 0-300 days of age. Fecal samples were collected monthly from all foals born in 2014 (n=13), beginning July 2014 through February 2015. Fecal egg count...
Gloria A, Carluccio A, Petrizzi L, Noto F, Contri A.Equine spermatozoa from the cauda epididymis were previously collected and frozen, and the fertility was assessed. Most studies were performed on healthy stallions that had undergone routine castration or on the epididymis collected at the abattoir, but there are no studies on the quality of epididymal semen in subjects which have died from colic or which underwent intensive care. The present study was designed to verify whether a severe illness could affect epididymal semen quality and freezability in the stallion. Therefore, epididymal semen characteristics during the freezing process in sta...
Hamond C, Martins G, Bremont S, Medeiros MA, Bourhy P, Lilenbaum W.A strain of Leptospira kirschneri (serogroup Grippotyphosa) was cultured from urine of a mare post-abortion in Brazil and characterized by serogrouping, multiple-locus variable-number tandem repeat analysis, PGFE, and sequencing of genes rrs and secY. Strains of L. kirschneri have apparently never been recovered from horses in tropical area, only in Europe and USA. Knowledge of local epidemiology is important to interpret genetic profiles of leptospires circulating in an area.
Golomidova AK, Kulikov EE, Prokhorov NS, Guerrero-Ferreira RC, Ksenzenko VN, Tarasyan KK, Letarov AV.We report the complete genome sequencing of two Escherichia coli T5-related bacteriophages, DT57C and DT571/2, isolated from the same specimen of horse feces. These two isolates share 96% nucleotide sequence identity and can thus be considered representatives of the same novel species within the genus T5likevirus. The observed variation in the ltfA gene of these phages, resulting from a recent recombination event, may explain the observed host-range differences, suggesting that a modular mechanism makes a significant contribution to the short-term evolution (or adaptation) of T5-like phage gen...
Bockisch F, Aboling S, Coenen M, Vervuert I.Vitamin-D intoxication by yellow oat grass is often reported under the syndrome of enzootic calcinosis in ruminants in the upper regions of the Alps. The intake of Trisetum flavescens in ruminants and horses induces calcification of soft tissue, including vessels, tendons and ligaments, lung, heart and kidneys. Clinical symptoms, including a reluctance to move, inappetence, body-weight loss and impaired organ function, are frequently observed. To date, there are only a very few case reports about yellow-oat-grass intoxication in horses. The present case report describes Vitamin-D intoxication ...
Sokół R, Michalski MM.The presence of Hippobosca equina strongly influences the behaviour and health status of horses. The aim of the study was to analyse the invasion dynamics of the forest fly in Polish primitive horses (Equus caballus gmelini) in the Popielno Forest Reserve (northeastern Poland). Observations were carried out from May to September, every two weeks for two consecutive years (2012 and 2013) in five study groups: in 11-12-year-old mares with foals, 6-7-year-old leading stallions, 1.5-year-old fillies, 1.5-year-old colts and 9-10-year-old working geldings. Adult H. equina were counted in the preferr...
McQueen CM, Dindot SV, Foster MJ, Cohen ND.Rhodococcus equi pneumonia is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in neonatal foals. Much effort has been made to identify preventative measures and new treatments for R. equi with limited success. With a growing focus in the medical community on understanding the genetic basis of disease susceptibility, investigators have begun to evaluate the interaction of the genetics of the foal with R. equi. This review describes past efforts to understand the genetic basis underlying R. equi susceptibility and tolerance. It also highlights the genetic technology available to study horses and des...
Chen J, Guo X, Li L.The nucleocapsid (N) protein is the most conserved structural protein in equine arteritis virus (EAV). This study aimed to identify the minimal conserved B cell epitope on the EAV N protein. The purified N protein was used to immunize mice for preparing monoclonal antibody (mAb). The reactivity of mAb was evaluated by Western blot and immunofluorescence assay. Moreover, 11 overlapping peptides (named MBP-N1 to MBP-N11) were designed to localize the linear antigenic epitope within the N protein. The peptides were identified by indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and Western blot....
Dawson C, Dixon J, Lam R, Priestnall SL, Escanilla N.To describe the differential diagnoses, investigation, and management of a periocular swelling close to the nasolacrimal duct in a horse that was consistent with a nasolacrimal duct dacryops (lacrimal cyst). A 16-year-old gelding, Connemara cross presented with a history of a periocular swelling rostroventral medial to the right eye that had been sampled by the referring veterinary surgeon. A cystic lesion was diagnosed following standing computed tomography. Surgical removal of the cystic lesion was performed, and the tissue was submitted for histopathologic and immunohistochemical examinatio...
Oyarzun-Ampuero F, Vidal A, Concha M, Morales J, Orellana S, Moreno-Villoslada I.The treatment of skin wounds represents an important research area due to the important physiological and aesthetic role of this tissue. During the last years, nanoparticles have emerged as important platforms to treat skin wounds. Silver, gold, and copper nanoparticles, as well as titanium and zinc oxide nanoparticles, have shown potential therapeutic effects on wound healing. Due to their specific characteristics, nanoparticles such as nanocapsules, polymersomes, solid lipid nanoparticles, and polymeric nanocomplexes are ideal vehicles to improve the effect of drugs (antibiotics, growth fact...
Taktaz Hafshejani T, Nekoei S, Vazirian B, Doosti A, Khamesipour F, Anyanwu MU.This study was undertaken to investigate molecularly the occurrence of EHV-1 and EHV-4 infection among equine population in regions, Iran. Blood samples from 53 and 37 randomly selected horses settled in Isfahan and Shahrekord, Iran, respectively, were collected. Detection of EHV-1 and EHV-4 genes in the blood samples was done using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Out of 53 and 37 samples from Isfahan and Shahrekord, 4 (18.18%) and 3 (8.10%) were positive for PCR of EHV-1, respectively. Nine (16.98%) and 6 (16.21%) were positive for PCR of EHV-4, while 6 (11.32%) and 3 (8.10%) were positive f...
Willsallen H, Yang PJ, Jacobs KA.This case report describes the accidental intramuscular administration of 20 mL Gudair® vaccine to a 7-year-old Standardbred mare and successful treatment of the resulting inflammatory reaction by radical surgical resection.
Beasley A, Coleman G, Kotze AC.There have been several international reports of macrocyclic lactone (ML)-resistant Parascaris equorum over the past decade, but the resistance status of Australian P. equorum populations is largely unknown. A case of apparent reduced efficacy of ivermectin against P. equorum in Australia was investigated. Results: A faecal egg count reduction test carried out on a group of weanling foals in south-east Queensland showed the efficacy of ivermectin to be 65%. Conclusions: The case highlights the need to review current worm control strategies, especially for young horses.
Maddox TW, Clegg PD, Williams NJ, Pinchbeck GL.Antimicrobial resistance poses a significant threat to the continued successful use of antimicrobial agents for the treatment of bacterial infections. While the epidemiology of antimicrobial resistance in bacteria from man has been studied extensively, less work has been undertaken in companion animals, particularly horses. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus has been identified as a cause of infections, with a low prevalence of nasal carriage by horses in the community but higher for hospitalised horses. Molecular characterisation has shown methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus...
Seyedmousavi S, Guillot J, Arné P, de Hoog GS, Mouton JW, Melchers WJ, Verweij PE.The importance of aspergillosis in humans and various animal species has increased over the last decades. Aspergillus species are found worldwide in humans and in almost all domestic animals and birds as well as in many wild species, causing a wide range of diseases from localized infections to fatal disseminated diseases, as well as allergic responses to inhaled conidia. Some prevalent forms of animal aspergillosis are invasive fatal infections in sea fan corals, stonebrood mummification in honey bees, pulmonary and air sac infection in birds, mycotic abortion and mammary gland infections in ...
Whitfield-Cargile CM, Cohen ND, Suchodolski J, Chaffin MK, McQueen CM, Arnold CE, Dowd SE, Blodgett GP.In equids, susceptibility to disease caused by Rhodococcus equi occurs almost exclusively in foals. This distribution might be attributable to the age-dependent maturation of immunity following birth undergone by mammalian neonates that renders them especially susceptible to infectious diseases. Expansion and diversification of the neonatal microbiome contribute to development of immunity in the gut. Moreover, diminished diversity of the gastrointestinal microbiome has been associated with risk of infections and immune dysregulation. We thus hypothesized that varying composition or reduced div...
Bullone M, de Lagarde M, Vargas A, Lavoie JP.The identification of serum biomarkers of lung inflammation would facilitate the diagnosis of inflammatory airway disease (IAD) in horses. Objective: Horses with IAD have higher serum concentrations of markers of inflammation compared to controls. Methods: Twelve horses with IAD and 10 control horses. Methods: This was a prospective case-control study. Blood and BALF were collected from horses with IAD and controls. Serum concentration of surfactant protein D (SP-D), haptoglobin, serum amyloid A (SAA) and of the soluble form of triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 1 (sTREM-1) was mea...
Norris JW, Pombo M, Shirley E, Blevins G, Tablin F.Two congenital bleeding diatheses have been identified in Thoroughbred horses: Glanzmann thrombasthenia (GT) and a second, novel diathesis associated with abnormal platelet function in response to collagen and thrombin stimulation. Objective: Platelet dysfunction in horses with this second thrombasthenia results from a secretory defect. Methods: Two affected and 6 clinically normal horses. Methods: Ex vivo study. Washed platelets were examined for (1) expression of the αIIb-β3 integrin; (2) fibrinogen binding capacity in response to ADP and thrombin; (3) secretion of dense and α-granules; (...
Laval K, Favoreel HW, Poelaert KC, Van Cleemput J, Nauwynck HJ.Equine herpesvirus type 1 (EHV-1) is a main cause of respiratory disease, abortion, and encephalomyelopathy in horses. Monocytic cells (CD172a(+)) are the main carrier cells of EHV-1 during primary infection and are proposed to serve as a "Trojan horse" to facilitate the dissemination of EHV-1 to target organs. However, the mechanism by which EHV-1 is transferred from CD172a(+) cells to endothelial cells (EC) remains unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate EHV-1 transmission between these two cell types. We hypothesized that EHV-1 employs specific strategies to promote the adhesion o...
Schoster A, Mosing M, Jalali M, Staempfli HR, Weese JS.The intestinal microbiota is important for health and disease. Factors that disturb the equine intestinal microbiota need further investigation. Objective: To determine the effects of transport, fasting and anaesthesia on the faecal microbiota of healthy adult horses using next-generation sequencing. Methods: Experimental trial. Methods: Faecal samples were taken from 8 horses at baseline, after transport, 12 h of fasting and 24, 48 and 72 h after a 6 h anaesthesia. Next generation sequencing of the V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene was used to assess the microbial composition of faeces. Alpha...
Wylie CE, Collins SN, Verheyen KL, Newton JR.Epidemiological studies into the risk factors for naturally-occurring equine laminitis are limited. There are a small number of such studies, although the results are inconsistent and remain disputed. The reasons for the conflicting results remain unclear. The aim of this review was to critically evaluate previous research in order to identify publications which provide the best evidence of risk factors for naturally-occurring equine laminitis. A systematic review of English language publications was conducted using MEDLINE (1950-2010), CAB Direct (1910-2010) and IVIS (1997-2010). Additional p...
Bründler P, Frey CF, Gottstein B, Nussbaumer P, Neuhaus S, Gerber V.An association between equine recurrent airway obstruction (RAO) and increased resistance to intestinal parasites has been demonstrated in descendants of an RAO-affected stallion. It was hypothesised that members of another high-incidence RAO family (F) and unrelated RAO-affected Warmblood horses (UA) would shed fewer strongylid eggs than unrelated RAO-unaffected pasture mates (PM) under the same environmental conditions. Faecal worm egg counts were performed on faecal samples (63 F, 86 UA, 149 PM) and classified into three categories: 0, 1-100 and >100 eggs per gram. While results for F di...
The Journal of heredityMarch 20, 2009
Volume 100, Issue 4 481-486 doi: 10.1093/jhered/esp006
Wittwer C, Hamann H, Distl O.A whole-genome scan for radiological signs of osteochondrosis (OC) and osteochondrosis dissecans (OCD) in South German Coldblood (SGC) horses using 250 microsatellite markers identified a genome-wide significant quantitative trait locus (QTL) for fetlock OCD and a chromosome-wide QTL for hock OC on Equus caballus chromosome (ECA) 18 at a relative position of 45.9-78.2 cM. The aim of this study was to analyze associations of single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in candidate genes for OC in this QTL region using 96 SGC horses. The OC-QTL on ECA18 could be confirmed and narrowed down to an inte...
Knight DA, Weisbrode SE, Schmall LM, Reed SM, Gabel AA, Bramlage LR, Tyznik WI.The potential role of dietary copper in the development of cartilage defects in foals was investigated. Twenty-one mares were fed rations containing 13 ppm copper (CuC, control) or 32 ppm copper (CuS, supplemented) during the last three to six months of gestation and first three months of lactation. Their foals were fed pelleted concentrate containing 15 or 55 ppm Cu and were destroyed at 90 (5 CuC and 5 CuS foals) or 180 (6 CuC and 5 CuS foals) days. Focal cartilage lesions were found at multiple sites on necropsy. In foals killed at 90 days, there were over twice (9 versus 4) as many lesions...
Dutta SK, Mattingly BL, Shankarappa B.The antibody response and the antibody reactivity to component antigens of Ehrlichia risticii were studied in horses with induced Potomac horse fever. These horses had no detectable antibodies to E. risticii in their preinoculation (PrI) sera by indirect fluorescent-antibody assay and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). All the horses exhibited typical disease features following experimental infection and responded with specific antibodies, as measured by ELISA and indirect fluorescent-antibody assay. A primary antibody response was detected in 70% of the horses, while a secondary-type ...
Mitchell S, Bull M, Muscatello G, Chapman B, Coleman NV.Antibiotic resistance in bacterial pathogens is a growing problem for both human and veterinary medicine. Mobile genetic elements (MGEs) such as plasmids, transposons, and integrons enable the spread of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) among bacteria, and the overuse of antibiotics drives this process by providing the selection pressure for resistance genes to establish and persist in bacterial populations. Because bacteria, MGEs, and resistance genes can readily spread between different ecological compartments (e.g. soil, plants, animals, humans, wastewater), a "One Health" approach is need...
Villalobos EM, Furman KE, Lara Mdo C, Cunha EM, Finger MA, Busch AP, de Barros Filho IR, Deconto I, Dornbusch PT, Biondo AW.Neospora caninum is a protozoan parasite which affects dogs as definitive hosts and several mammalian species as intermediate hosts mainly causing abortions and central nervous system disorders. The reemerging population of cart horses for carrying recycling material in urban areas of major cities in Brazil may have an impact on disease spreading, and these animals may be used as sentinels for environmental surveillance. Thus, the present study investigated the frequency of Neospora sp. antibodies in cart horses from Curitiba and surrounding areas, Paraná State, Southern Brazil. IgG antibodie...
Hue ES, Fortier CI, Laurent AM, Quesnelle YF, Fortier GD, Legrand LJ, Pronost SL.The protocol describes a quantitative RT-PCR method for the detection and quantification of EHV-2 in equine respiratory fluids according to the NF U47-600 norm. After the development and first validation step, two distinct characterization steps were performed according to the AFNOR norm: (a) characterization of the qRT-PCR assay alone and (b) characterization of the whole analytical method. The validation of the whole analytical method included the portrayal of all steps between the extraction of nucleic acids and the final PCR analysis. Validation of the whole method is very important for vi...
Shuaib YA, Isaa MH, Ezz-Eldin MI, Abdalla MA, Bakhiet AO, Chitimia-Dobler L.Morphological abnormalities in ticks have rarely been reported in nature. The existing knowledge about anomalies in ticks collected in Africa is very sparse. In this paper, we describe abnormalities in Amblyomma, Hyalomma, and Rhipicephalus ticks collected from cattle, sheep, goats, camels, and horses in Kassala and North Kordofan states, Sudan, between January and August 2017. A number of 15 adult ticks displayed one or several local anomalies, such as ectromely, abnormalities of the ventral plates, and body deformities, besides newly described multiple cuticula scars. This study presents th...
Mendoza L, Marin G.Antigens and rabbit-antisera from holotypes of Pythium insidiosum and P. destruens were prepared to elucidate their antigenic relationship. The antigens and rabbit-antisera of P. insidiosum as well as P. destruens used as a reference system showed that both shared three precipitin bands in common. The antigen and rabbit-antisera of P. destruens and P. insidiosum used as a reference system against other strains isolated from humans and animals with pythiosis, also showed three precipitin bands in common. When we used sera taken from horses with proven pythiosis against antigens of P. insidiosum...
Nielsen MK, Scare J, Gravatte HS, Bellaw JL, Prado JC, Reinemeyer CR.Strongylus vulgaris is the most pathogenic nematode parasite of horses. Its extensive migration in the mesenteric blood vessels can lead to life-threatening intestinal infarctions. Recent work has shown that this parasite is still identified among managed horse populations. A serum enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) has been developed for the detection of migrating larvae of S. vulgaris. Previous work has documented an increase in ELISA values following larvicidal treatment with ivermectin and suggested that the target parasite antigen is primarily produced by the later larval stages. T...
Durham AE, Smitht KC, Newton JR, Hillyer MH, Hillyer LL, Smith MR, Marr CM.The study was designed to investigate the prognostic value of liver biopsy during investigation of cases of suspected liver disease in mature horses. Objective: That liver biopsy is the most prognostically useful technique in common usage in the investigation of suspected liver disease. Methods: This study examined the prognostic value of liver biopsy during the investigation of suspected liver disease in 73 mature horses. Histopathological variables comprising fibrosis, irreversible cytopathology, inflammatory infiltration, haemosiderin accumulation and biliary hyperplasia were found to be si...
Ewing PJ, Cowell RL, Tyler RD, MacAllister CG, Meinkoth JH.Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia was diagnosed in 3 foals. In 2 foals (No. 1 and 2), diagnosis was by histologic evaluation of pulmonary tissue. On retrospective evaluation, P carinii cysts were found on sediment smears of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid in 1 foal (No. 1). A different foal (No. 3) was diagnosed as having pneumocytosis by finding P carinii cysts in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, and was treated successfully. Definitive diagnosis of pneumocytosis in animals is usually made at necropsy. However, careful cytologic evaluation in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid sediment can provide a diagnos...
Moran G, Buechner-Maxwell VA, Folch H, Henriquez C, Galecio JS, Perez B, Carrasco C, Barria M.Recurrent airway obstruction (RAO, also known as equine heaves) is an inflammatory condition similar to human asthma caused by exposure of susceptible horses to poorly ventilated stable environments. The disease is characterized by neutrophilic airway inflammation, mucus hypersecretion and reversible bronchoconstriction. This inflammatory process is mediated by several factors, including antibodies, cytokines, resident cells of the airway and inflammatory cellular components that arrive in the respiratory tract. An increasing body of evidence has lent support to the concept that a dysregulatio...
Gaughan EM, DeBowes RM.Many questions concerning heritability arise when a veterinarian is asked to supervise and treat disease of congenital origin. Genetic counseling, ethics, and legality are often confronted in discussions between animal health professionals and laymen in animal industry. Guidelines have been offered as in the 1984 statement of the Judicial Council of the American Veterinary Medical Association: "Performance of surgical procedures in all species for the purpose of concealing genetic defects in animals to be shown, raced, bred, or sold as breeding animals is unethical. However, should the health ...
Boulanger P, Bannister GL, Carrier SP.An agar-gel immunodiffusion test recommended for the diagnosis of equine infectious anemia was evaluated. Our preliminary observations confirmed those of Coggins concerning the mechanism of the test and the results obtained. Furthermore, emphasis was put on the difficulties encountered in the production of spleen antigens with an optimum amount of reactivity. Acetone-ether extraction procedures for the preparation of a liquid antigen extract are described. This type of antigen was reactive in the complement-fixation test in 1:8 or greater dilution and it is proposed to use the complement-fixat...
Gardiner DW, Teifke JP, Podell BK, Kamstock DA.An 18-year-old Arabian stallion was presented for recent onset of stranguria. Physical examination of the distal portion of the glans penis revealed multiple, smooth, glistening, grayish-pink, variably sized, exophytic, nodular masses circumferentially surrounding the external urethral orifice. Partial penile amputation was performed, and the entire specimen was submitted for histological evaluation. Microscopically, the masses consisted of abundant amounts of loosely arranged fibrovascular stroma with low numbers of spindloid to stellate fibrocytes. The overlying epithelium was mildly to mode...
Burgess BA, Morley PS.Infection control is achieved through all efforts used to prevent the introduction and limit the spread of contagious pathogens within a facility or population, with the goal of eliminating sources of potentially pathogenic microorganisms and to disrupt infectious disease transmission. Congregating animals from multiple sources, as occurs at veterinary hospitals, racetracks, equestrian events, and boarding and training facilities, increases the risk for transmission of infectious diseases such as salmonella. There is a recognizable standard of practice for infection control and due effort must...
Jandova V, Klukowska-Rötzler J, Dolf G, Janda J, Roosje P, Marti E, Koch C, Gerber V, Swinburne J.Despite the evidence for a genetic predisposition to develop equine sarcoids (ES), no whole genome scan for ES has been performed to date. The objective of this explorative study was to identify chromosome regions associated with ES. The studied population was comprised of two half-sibling sire families, involving a total of 222 horses. Twenty-six of these horses were affected with ES. All horses had been previously genotyped with 315 microsatellite markers. Quantitative trait locus (QTL) signals were suggested where the F statistic exceeded chromosome-wide significance at P < 0.05. The QTL...
Pennington MR, Curtis TM, Divers TJ, Wagner B, Ness SL, Tennant BC, Van de Walle GR.Adult equine hepatocytes have proven challenging to culture long term in vitro as they rapidly lose their morphology and functionality, thus limiting studies on liver function and response to disease. In this study, we describe for the first time the differentiation of equine mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC) from a variety of sources into functional hepatocyte-like cells (HLC). First, we differentiated equine umbilical cord blood (UCB)-derived MSC into HLC and found that these cells exhibited a distinct polygonal morphology, stored glycogen as visualized by periodic acid Schiff's reagent staini...
Laval K, Van Cleemput J, Poelaert KC, Brown IK, Nauwynck HJ.Equine herpesvirus type 1 (EHV-1) is responsible for respiratory disorders, abortion and myeloencephalopathy (EHM) in horses. Two pathotypes of EHV-1 strains are circulating in the field: neurovirulent (N) and non-neurovirulent (NN). For both strains, CD172a monocytic cells are one of the main carrier cells of EHV-1 during primary infection, allowing the virus to invade the horse's body. Recently, we showed that EHV-1 NN strains showed a restricted and delayed replication in CD172a cells. Here we characterize the in vitro replication kinetics of two EHV-1N strains in CD172a cells and investiga...
