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.
Wagner PC, Grant BD, Reed SM.Cervical vertebral malformations are recognized clinically when they result in spinal cord compression causing neurologic deficits. Confirmation of diagnosis is based on radiographic and myelographic evidence of cord compression. Medical therapy is not usually successful. Several successful surgical treatments are described.
Reef VB.Mitral valvular insufficiency associated with ruptured chordae tendineae was diagnosed in 3 foals with signs of congestive heart failure, which were believed to be secondary to the development of pulmonary hypertension associated with the valvular insufficiency. The septal leaflet of the mitral valve was affected in all 3 foals, and foal 2 also had ruptured chordae tendineae associated with the caudal mitral valve leaflet. Bacterial endocarditis and myocardial necrosis were associated with the ruptured chordae tendineae in foals 3 and 2, respectively. Idiopathic rupture was considered in foal ...
Takai S, Kawazu S, Tsubaki S.Humoral immune response to Rhodococcus equi in experimentally infected foals was studied with the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method. Class-specific antibodies were measured by ELISA in the sera of foals after intratracheal or oral inoculation with R. equi ATCC 6939 or T 48 and in the lung washings of a foal after intratracheal inoculation or of normal horses. After intratracheal or oral inoculation with R. equi, serum antibodies were first detected in immunoglobulin G (IgG) followed by IgM and IgA classes, but significant levels of IgM and IgA developed only in the foal infected...
MacLachlan NJ.The histologic appearance of the ovaries and persistence of corpora lutea vary considerably among domestic animals, particularly between spontaneous and induced ovulators. The seasonally polyestrous mare has a variety of unique characteristics in ovarian structure and general reproductive function. Among the anomalies of ovarian development is the bovine freemartin with gonads containing a mixture of male and female elements. A variety of ovarian cysts occur in domestic animals, and persistent corpora lutea with associated reproductive perturbations occur in several species. Ovarian tumors are...
Martens RJ, Martens JG, Renshaw HW, Hietala SK.The opsonic capacity of serum containing R. equi-specific antibody was compared with antibody-deficient sera using luminol-dependent chemilumenscence (LDCL) and bactericidal assays. These assays incorporated peripheral blood polymorphonuclear neutrophilic leukocytes (PMNL) exposed to R. equi opsonized with neonatal equine pre-colostral serum (control) or serum from foals with R. equi infections (principal). All sera were complement inactivated at 56 degrees C for 30 min. Bacteria were obtained from the lung of a foal with R. equi pneumonia. Neutrophils were obtained from one adult horse for LD...
Prescott JF.Current understanding of the epidemiology of Rhodococcus equi infection on horse farms is reviewed. Infection is widespread in herbivores and their environment, because herbivore manure supplies the simple organic acid substrates on which the organism thrives. There is a progressive development of infection in the soil on horse farms with prolonged use, because: (1) there is a continual supply of nutrients; (2) the organism multiplies progressively as temperatures rise; (3) the bacterium has a robust nature. While this aerobic organism fails to multiply in the largely anaerobic intestine of th...
Skalka B.The occurrence of equi-factor antibodies in sera of mares and their foals was studied on two horse breeding farms, one of which (Farm A) had a positive and the other (farm B) a negative history of R. equi infection of foals. The equi-factor neutralization (EFN) and the reverse Elek-Ouchterlony (REO) precipitation were used as assays. On Farm A, 25 mares positive in both tests (EFN+ REO+) and 25 mares negative in both tests (EFN- REO-) was chosen. On Farm B, a group of 25 EFN- REO+ mares and a group of 25 EFN- REO- mares were studied. The first serum samplings in mares were 1 week ante partum a...
Debey MC, Bailie WE.Horse farms in Kansas were surveyed for the incidence of Rhodococcus equi. Fecal specimens and soil or cobweb samples were collected from each farm and cultured on selective media. One control farm (with no history of R. equi infection), one farm which had an outbreak 3 and 4 years previously and 2 farms which had R. equi-infected foals that season were surveyed. In addition, fecal samples from 21 horses hospitalized in the Kansas State University Veterinary Hospital were cultured. There was no significant difference in the incidence of R. equi in fecal samples from the 2 farms with recent dis...
Hayes TE.The examination of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is often part of the diagnostic work-up of a patient exhibiting signs of disease involving the central nervous system. Awareness of the capabilities and limitations of these laboratory tests is important in assessing the benefit-to-risk ratio of performing such procedures. Collection of CSF is a relatively simple procedure, and together with a thorough history, physical examination, and other diagnostic tests, may be a valuable aid in arriving at a diagnosis or prognosis.
Yager JA, Duder CK, Prescott JF, Zink MC.Polymorphonuclear neutrophil leukocytes (PMNL) from 8 healthy foals (2-14 weeks of age) and 2 foals with bacterial pneumonia were separated from whole blood using a 2 step Percoll gradient. Purified PMNL were tested for bactericidal function against Rhodococcus equi and Staphylococcus aureus in the presence of normal horse serum. The percentage uptake after a 15-min pre-incubation of PMNL and bacteria was also calculated. Ultrastructural examination of the interaction of R. equi and normal foal PMNL was performed after 15 min incubation. Results indicated that foal PMNL effectively phagocytose...
Takai S, Fujimori T, Katsuzaki K, Tsubaki S.Quantitative culture of R. equi in the feces of dams and foals, in the air of the stalls and in the soil of the paddocks was carried out on three horse-breeding farms during the foaling season. The isolation rates of R. equi from the feces of dams from the 3 farms suddenly increased to approximately 80% at the end of March, when the snow in the paddocks finished melting, and remained at that level during April and May. The mean number of R. equi and the isolation rate of R. equi from the feces of dams on the farms were investigated for 5 weeks before and 5 weeks after delivery. During the 10 w...
Clem MF, DeBowes RM, Leipold HW.A mass originating from the dorsal rectal wall of a 4-year-old mare was diagnosed as a leiomyosarcoma. General anesthesia and meticulous surgical dissection were required to effect removal. In spite of incomplete excision, as indicated by histologic sections, the mass has not recurred in the 18 months since removal.
Kay AD, Lavoie JP.A technique was developed for recording urethral pressure profiles (UPP) in mares. Profiles were obtained from 12 clinically normal mares and from 3 mares with urinary incontinence. Variables measured on the profile included intravesicular pressure and maximal urethral closure pressure. The mean maximal urethral closure pressure of the incontinent mares was significantly less (P less than or equal to 0.001) than that of the normal mares. The technique is simple and reliable for objectively evaluating urethral pressures in mares.
Rigg DL, Gatlin SJ, Reinertson EL.An intra-abdominal abscess was diagnosed in a 7-year-old mare by palpation per rectum and from abnormal clinicopathologic findings. Initial treatment with procaine penicillin for 21 days was unsuccessful in halting the deterioration of the physical condition of the mare. Surgical exploration of the abdomen revealed a mass in the wall of the left ventral colon. Drainage was achieved by marsupialization. Serratia marcescens was isolated from the abscess. Recovery appeared complete, and the mare has resumed broodmare capability.
Reef VB, Mann PC, Orsini PG.M-mode, 2-dimensional, and contrast echocardiographic studies were used to detect tricuspid atresia in 2 foals. M-mode echocardiographic findings included a small right ventricle, large left ventricle, large mitral valve excursion, large left atrium (foal 2), dropout of the cranial aspect of the aortic root, and a thick band of echoes in the tricuspid valve region. These findings were confirmed by 2-dimensional echocardiography. In addition, a large right atrium, persistent foramen ovale, ventricular septal defect, and large mitral valve apparatus were imaged. One foal also had a thick right a...
Enileeva NKh.The paper describes the flight periods and dynamics of abundance of horse botflies, life span of females and males, effect of environmental factors on the activity of flies and their behaviour, potential fecundity of different species of botflies, duration of embryonal development, preservation of viability of larvae in egg membranes, localization of different stages of botflies in the host, and methods of their control.
White ME.A complete listing of the clinical signs and diseases of dogs, cats, horses, cattle, sheep, goats and swine in the CONSULTANT database for computer assisted diagnosis is presented, along with the codes used to record this data. This list may be useful to those teaching, researching or writing on the diseases of domestic animals, and is of particular use to those who need such a resource for developing diagnostic coding and computer-assisted information retrieval.
Munson L.A 17-year-old Quarter Horse mare developed rapidly progressive, bilateral, firm enlargements of both mammary glands, ventral abdominal edema, dyspnea, and neurologic signs. The horse was euthanatized, and a carcinoma of the mammary gland was diagnosed at necropsy. Microscopically, normal glandular parenchyma was replaced by neoplastic nodules, and the tumor had metastasized to most visceral organs and throughout the musculoskeletal and central nervous systems. The tumor had a solid pattern, with microglandular differentiation, and numerous syncytial sheets.
Baker D, Kreeger J.An expansile, yellow, soft mass was observed in the free wall of the right ventricle of a 3-year-old, male, Morgan, horse at necropsy. The mass was composed of well differentiated adipocytes in solid sheets or infiltrating between muscle fibers with associated myofiber degeneration. The mass was interpreted to be an infiltrative lipoma of the heart.
Jang SS, Biberstein EL, Hirsh DC.Actinobacillus suis-like organisms have been recognized in equine specimens at the University of California Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital since 1975. The most common source (65%) of the organism was transtracheal washings. The organism was gram-negative, produced hemolysis on blood agar, and gave a positive reaction for oxidase, urease, o-nitrophenyl-beta-D-galactopyranoside, and esculin. Carbohydrate reactions were variable, consisting of 4 main patterns. Actinobacillus suis-like organisms were (90%) sensitive to therapeutic concentrations of amikacin, cephalothin, chloramphenicol, gen...
The Journal of heredityJuly 1, 1987
Volume 78, Issue 4 248-250 doi: 10.1093/oxfordjournals.jhered.a110376
Bowling AT.Blood type analysis of 29 foals in a paternal half-sib family verified linkage of five LGII loci (Es, E, To, Gc, Al). Population and parentage data from other tobiano-spotted horses suggested conservation of a tightly linked (To:GcS:AlB) marker complex.
Chidlow H, Giguère S, Sanchez LC.Limited information exists on the long-term outcome of foals that survive following hospitalisation for disease as a neonate. Significant financial investment is required to raise foals to racing age, therefore improved understanding of factors that affect long-term outcome and future athletic performance is important. Objective: To analyse racing performance in Thoroughbred foals hospitalised as neonates, compared with their maternal siblings and to determine factors associated with failure to race and racing performance. Methods: Retrospective cohort study. Methods: Medical records of Thorou...
Ma J, Zhang Z, Yao Q, Su C, Yin X, Wang X.Rev, an important accessory protein of equine infectious anaemia virus (EIAV), induces the nuclear export of incompletely spliced viral mRNAs. Rev is translated from the tat-rev mRNA through leaky scanning of the tat CUG. In this study, the function of the Kozak sequence at the beginning of the rev ORF was investigated. Deletion or attenuation of the Kozak sequence resulted in expression of an N-terminal 11 aa-truncated Rev in addition to WT Rev. Truncated Rev displayed weaker promotion of Gag expression and processing than WT Rev. Furthermore, EIAV rescued from an infectious molecular clon...
Montelaro RC, West M, Ivey M.Representative glycoproteins including fetuin, protein A, ovalbumin, alpha 1 acid glycoprotein, and the major glycoprotein of equine infectious anemia virus were labelled with 125I by the chloramine-T or Bolton-Hunter procedure and their binding to immobilized Con A or lentil lectin compared to untreated samples of each glycoprotein. Glycoprotein modification was no greater than one substituted residue per protein molecule. Yet the radioiodinated glycoproteins typically displayed only 0-50% of the lectin binding observed with untreated samples. These results indicate that lectin glycoprotein b...
Inzana TJ, Iritani B.A group C latex agglutination reagent, included as the negative control in the PathoDx Strep A latex agglutination test (Diagnostic Products Corp., Los Angeles, Calif), was compared with culture for rapid detection of group C streptococci (Streptococcus equi, S. equisimilis, S. zooepidemicus, and S. dysgalactiae) from swabs of veterinary specimens. The overall sensitivity of the latex test was 78%, and specificity was 97.6%. Only 25% of S. dysgalactiae isolates were detected, thereby accounting for the relatively low sensitivity. Ninety-three percent of the group C streptococci other than S. d...
Perryman LE, Magnuson NS.Significant contributions to understanding the role of lymphocyte subpopulations in the immune response and to the characterization of immunodeficiencies in children have been achieved through study of animal models of immunodeficiency. Additional contributions can be made in two important areas. One is through identification of relevant, naturally-occurring models of adenosine deaminase deficiency and purine nucleoside phosphorylase deficiency. The second, and potentially more important contribution, would be the identification of the metabolic basis for existing immune deficiencies. The nece...
Ahn B, Zhang Y, Osterrieder N, O'Callaghan DJ.The 150 kbp genome of equine herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1) is composed of a unique long (UL) region and a unique short (Us) segment, which is flanked by identical internal and terminal repeat (IR and TR) sequences of 12.7 kbp. We constructed an EHV-1 lacking the entire IR (vL11ΔIR) and showed that the IR is dispensable for EHV-1 replication but that the vL11ΔIR exhibits a smaller plaque size and delayed growth kinetics. Western blot analyses of cells infected with vL11ΔIR showed that the synthesis of viral proteins encoded by the immediate-early, early, and late genes was reduced at immediate-early...
Byrns G, Crump AL, Lalonde G, Bernoco D, Antczak DF.The ELY-1 locus controls the expression of a polymorphic cell surface antigen of equine lymphocytes which was detected using antibodies generated by alloimmunization with peripheral blood lymphocytes. The ELY-1 antigens were not detected on erythrocytes or platelets by absorption experiments. The two alleles, which have been designated ELY-1.1 and ELY-1.2, are expressed codominantly and appear to constitute a closed system at the population level. In family studies, the ELY-1 antigens segregated as products of an autosomal locus not linked to the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) of the h...
Rojas G, Vargas M, Robles A, Gutiérrez JM.Twenty batches of polyvalent antivenom produced at the Instituto Clodomiro Picado were analyzed for turbidity, both before and after freezing-thawing and lyophilization. Eight batches became turbid upon freezing-thawing, and this change correlated with high levels of cholesterol, triglycerides and lipoproteins, especially beta-lipoprotein. Since normal horse serum does not become turbid after freezing-thawing, despite the fact that it has high lipoprotein levels, the possibility was raised that phenol, used as a preservative during serum fractionation, might affect lipoproteins, inducing the a...
Allen GP, Cohen JC, Randall CC, O'Callaghan DJ.The replication of equine herpesvirus type 1 (EHV-1) and type 3 (EHV-3) was unimpeded in three different cell types-equine epithelial cells, equine fibroblasts, and mouse fibroblasts-which had been blocked in their capacity to synthesize host DNA by 2.5 mM hydroxyurea (HU) or 2 mM thymidine (TdR). The rate of DNA synthesis in uninfected or equine herpesvirus-infected cells in the presence of HU or TdR was measured by pulse-labeling cell samples with a labeled DNA precursor at different times after infection. DNA synthesis in uninfected cultures was completely inhibited by both compounds. Howev...
Blue HB, Blue MG, Kenney RM, Merritt TL.Forty uterine fluid samples were obtained from 4 mares classified as resistant to uterine bacterial infection. The uterus of each mare was flushed with 50 ml of saline solution during estrus and diestrus of successive estrous cycles. Bacteria or fungi were isolated from 4 samples, and 7 additional samples were obtained from a mare with active intrauterine infection. Fluid volumes obtained during estrus (means = 40.3 +/- 11 ml) tended to be greater than those recovered during diestrus (means = 36.8 +/- 7.9 ml), but the difference was not significant. Concentrations and yields of protein in reco...
Wright IM.Dorsoproximal-palmarodistal oblique, lateromedial and palmaroproximal-palmarodistal oblique radiographic projections were used with standard techniques to examine 118 horses with clinical signs of navicular disease. All radiological features which have previously been reported as significant changes in the navicular bones of horses with navicular disease were recorded. Comparisons were made between these features in lame limbs and sound limbs in unilaterally lame horses and most lame limbs and least lame limbs in bilateral but asymmetrically lame animals. Their relationship to the degree of la...
Suzuki Y, Takai S, Kubota H, Hasegawa N, Ito S, Yabuuchi Y, Sasaki Y, van Duijkeren E, Kakuda T.Rhodococcus equiis the causative agent of pyogenic pneumonia in foals, and a virulence-associated protein A (VapA) encoded on the pVAPA virulence plasmid is important for its pathogenicity. In this study, we analyzed the virulence of R. equi strain U19, originally isolated in the Netherlands in 1997 and the genetic characteristics of the pVAPA_U19 plasmid. U19 expressed VapA that was regulated by temperature and pH and underwent significant intracellular proliferation in macrophages. The restriction fragment length polymorphism of pVAPA_U19 digested with EcoRI was similar to that of pREAT701 (...
Amory H, Cesarini C, De Maré L, Loublier C, Moula N, Detilleux J, Saulmont M, Garigliany MM, Lecoq L.The objective of this retrospective study was to evaluate the clinical significance of fecal quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) results when taking the cycle threshold values (Ct) into account. The study included 120 qPCR-positive fecal samples obtained from 88 hospitalized horses over a 2-year period. The mean Ct of the qPCR test was evaluated in regard to (1) clinical outcome and (2) systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) status (no SIRS, moderate SIRS, or severe SIRS) of the sampled horses. An ROC analysis was performed to establish the optimal cut-off Ct valu...
Wilkins PA.Rapid evaluation and intervention is a requirement and a characteristic of patient management in neonatal intensive care units, and this applies for equine neonates also. Appropriate interventions are based on solid knowledge of age, maturity, and species-specific differences in reference ranges. Point-of-care (POC) testing devices speedup decision making regarding treatments and interventions. However, there are potential limitations of these devices when applied to age groups and species beyond those they were specifically developed for. This article discusses the age-specific differences in...
Rosypal AC, Lindsay DS, Duncan R, Ahmed SA, Zajac AM, Dubey JP.Equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM) is a neurologic syndrome in horses from the Americas and is usually caused by infection with the apicomplexan parasite, Sarcocystis neurona. Little is known about the role of immunobiological mediators to this parasite. Nitric oxide (NO) is important in resistance to many intracellular parasites. We, therefore, investigated the role of inducible and endothelial NO in resistance to clinical disease caused by S. neurona in mice. Groups of interferon-gamma gene knockout (IFN-gamma-KO) mice, inducible nitric oxide synthase gene knockout (iNOS-KO) mice, endo...
Thomas RJ.An antigen for the gel diffusion test for equine infectious anaemia (EIA) was prepared from the spleen of a horse experimentally infected with the CQ strain of the virus. The antigen produced a single, distinct line of precipitation when tested against a range of known positive serums, and did not react with pre-inoculation and known negative serums. Extracts prepared from uninfected spleens displayed no reaction when similarly tested. Serum from 34 of 451 Queensland horses contained detectable levels of antibody to EIA virus. The positive serums were from horses in widely separated areas of t...
O'Rourke BA, Dennis JA, Healy PJ.Improvements to restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP)-based genotyping assays currently used for detection of mutations responsible for bovine ferrochelatase and myophosphorylase deficiencies, and equine hyperkalemic periodic paralysis (HYPP) are described. Reports of sporadic inhibition of restriction enzyme activity suggest a critical factor in RFLP-based genotyping assays should be assurance that restriction enzymes perform to specification with every sample. The RFLP genotyping assays that use either a mismatched recognition sequence in one or both of the oligonucleotides, or inc...
Onasanya AE, El-Hage C, Diaz-Méndez A, Vaz PK, Legione AR, Browning GF, Devlin JM, Hartley CA.Equid gammaherpesvirus 2 (EHV2) is a gammaherpesvirus with a widespread distribution in horse populations globally. Although its pathogenic significance can be unclear in most cases of infection, EHV2 infection can cause upper respiratory tract disease in foals. Co-infection of different strains of EHV2 in an individual horse is common. Small regions of the EHV2 genome have shown considerable genetic heterogeneity. This could suggest genomic recombination between different strains of EHV2, similar to the extensive recombination networks that have been demonstrated for some alphaherpesviruses. ...
Egenvall A, Nødtvedt A, Roepstorff L, Bonnett B.In a world of limited resources, using existing databases in research is a potentially cost-effective way to increase knowledge, given that correct and meaningful results are gained.Nordic examples of the use of secondary small animal and equine databases include studies based on data from tumour registries, breeding registries, young horse quality contest results, competition data, insurance databases, clinic data, prescription data and hunting ability tests. In spite of this extensive use of secondary databases, integration between databases is less common. The aim of this presentation is to...
Fodor L, Szenci O, Peters M, Varga J, Szemerédi G, Wyszoczky F.A total of seven Bacteroides ureolyticus strains were isolated from the cervix and the clitoral fossa of mares with vaginal discharge. No other bacteria capable of causing metritis or vaginitis were isolated from the samples. The isolated strains resembled Taylorella equigenitalis. Both species are catalase, oxidase and alkaline phosphatase positive, but, in addition to these characteristics, B. ureolyticus strains produced urease and they could not tolerate 10% O2. They also failed to be agglutinated in a hyperimmune serum raised against T. equigenitalis; however, B. ureolyticus and T. equige...
Moffatt RE, Kramer LL, Lerner D, Jones R.Concentrations of dioctyl sodium sulfosuccinate (DSS) ranging from three to five times the recommended dosage produced severe diarrhea, rapid dehydration and death in seven horses and 66 guinea pigs when administered experimentally per os. Clinicopathological findings indicated hemoconcentration in both horses and guinea pigs. There was a leucocytosis in the guinea pigs given the highest dosages. In all cases the principal finding at necropsy was extreme fluid distention of the intestinal tract. There was histopathological evidence of epithelial denudation and vascular stasis. The LD50 in the ...
Sweeney RW, Hansen TO.Six horses with dysphagia (attributable to botulism, glossitis, or guttural pouch mycosis) were given a commercially available liquid diet as the sole source of nutrition. Seven horses with hypophagia caused by severe bacterial pleuropneumonia or peritonitis were given the liquid diet to supplement food consumed voluntarily. The liquid diet was administered through a nasogastric tube 2 or 3 times daily. Body weight did not change significantly, and pertinent laboratory values remained at satisfactory concentrations throughout the feeding period. Serious complications were not encountered. Thre...
Blikslager AT, Wilson DA, Taylor DS, MacFadden KE, Fischer JR, Fales WH.An 11-year-old, 430-kg fox-trotter stallion was referred for evaluation of colic. A right-sided inguinal hernia was diagnosed. At exploratory laparotomy, the ileum was found to be herniated through the right inguinal canal. Compromised small intestine was resected, jejunocecal anastomosis was performed, and the horse was castrated. Three days after surgery, the stallion would not bear weight on the left hind limb. The musculature of the left thigh region became swollen. Aspiration of the left thigh region yielded serosanguineous fluid from which Salmonella typhimurium was isolated. Ultrasonogr...
Emmerich IU.In 2012, two newly developed active pharmaceutical ingredients for horses and food producing animals were released on the German market for veterinary drug products. Those are the parenterally applicable first generation cephalosporin Cefalonium (Cepravin®) and the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug Suxibuzone (Danilon®). Furthermore, one established veterinary active pharmaceutical ingredient is applicable to additional species: The anticoccidial Amprolium (Eimeryl®) has again been authorized for chicken and turkeys. Additionally, two veterinary drugs with a new formulation as well as thr...
Hornyák A, Dénes B, Szeredi L, Dencsö L, Rusvai M.Two monoclonal antibodies against the Bucyrus strain of equine arteritis virus (EAV) were produced, and according to immunoperoxidase reaction following Western blot of electrophoresed EAV structural proteins, they recognized the nucleocapsid (N) protein antigen (14-kDa protein). Besides reacting with the blotted polypeptide, the antibodies of the two clones (designated 1H1 and 4G6) selected from 576 have shown high affinity and specificity to intracellular virus antigen as well. Both antibodies reacted with the representatives of the different subtypes of equine arteritis virus providing a su...
van Maanen C, Vreeswijk J, Moonen P, Brinkhof J, de Boer-Luijtze E, Terpstra C.Ten monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) were produced against equine herpes virus type 1 (EHV1). Two appeared type-specific, while the other eight were directed against epitopes common to both EHV1 and EHV4. Two MAbs directed against the glycoprotein gp2 recognized linear epitopes, as demonstrated by Western blotting. With pools of type-specific MAbs, 282 field isolates were typed in an immunoperoxidase monolayer assay (IPMA). From a total of 254 fetal or neonatal isolates, 244 (96%) were typed as EHV1, whereas 14 out of 15 (93%) respiratory tract isolates were typed as EHV4. Surprisingly, 3 out of 1...
Scott P, Witonsky S, Robertson J, Daft B.Equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM), caused by Sarcocystis neurona infection in the central nervous system (CNS), affects up to 1% of all horses during their lifetimes. Neither the protective immune response nor the immunopathology associated with the disease is well understood. To begin to clarify the pathogenesis of the disease, immunohistochemical staining for B and T lymphocytes was performed on spinal cord sections obtained from 17 horses, all of which were all positive for S. neurona based on immunohistochemical staining. Fifteen of the 17 horses included in the study were killed du...
Lucken R, Daas A, Behr-Gross ME.The European Directorate for the Quality of Medicines (EDQM) has organised an international collaborative study, divided in two phases, aimed at producing and establishing a suitable reference serum for serological potency testing of clostridial vaccines for batch consistency demonstration. In phase 1 a series of pools produced from sera provided by each manufacturer and raised against the broadest range of antigens possible were blended to obtain TN titres which were representative of the range normally elicited by the vaccines under test. Detailed statistical analysis of the data was not pos...
Reimann HA.It is conceivable that a change from the virulent, non-phagocytable S form of Pneumococcus to the avirulent phagocytable R form may take place in pneumococcus disease, but the experiments here reported do not settle the question whether or not this is an important factor in determining the outcome in natural infection. It has been shown experimentally that the degradation from the S form to the R form actually does take place in cultures of Pneumococcus growing in agar subcutaneously embedded in guinea pigs, in agar enclosed in vials subcutaneously embedded in rabbits, and spontaneously in the...
Bauerfeind R, Barth S, Weiss R, Baljer G.Strains of Salmonella isolated from animals in Germany (n = 878) were analysed for the presence of the spvD gene ("Salmonella plasmid virulence gene D") by DNA-DNA hybridization. The spvD gene was only detected in strains of serovars Typhimurium (93.3%), Enteritidis (97.1%), and Dublin (100%) as well as in two rough strains of Salmonella enterica. Salmonella isolates from mammals carried the gene more frequently (cattle 94.0%, horses 92.6%, pigs 73.7%) than those from birds (33.3%) or reptiles (4.5%). Due to its high prevalence in epidemiologically relevant salmonellae, the virulence factor sp...
