Omneity® Pellets
All-In-One Vitamin & Mineral Pellet
Topic:Epidemiology
Epidemiology in horses involves the study of the distribution and determinants of health-related states and events in equine populations. It encompasses the investigation of patterns, causes, and effects of diseases and health conditions within horse populations. This field of study aims to identify risk factors for disease and targets for preventive healthcare. Key components of equine epidemiology include disease surveillance, outbreak investigation, and the study of disease dynamics within herds or regions. Research in this area often focuses on infectious diseases, zoonotic diseases, and the impact of environmental factors on equine health. This page compiles peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore various aspects of epidemiology in horses, including disease prevalence, transmission pathways, and strategies for disease prevention and control.
Prevalence of Brucella abortus antibodies in equines of a tropical region of Mexico. A cross-sectional study was conducted to determinate the seroprevalence rate of equine brucellosis in the state of Tamaulipas, Mexico. Serum samples from 420 equines were analyzed with the Rose Bengal test at cell concentrations of 3% (RBT-3%) and 8% (RBT-8%), and positive results were confirmed with the Rivanol test (RT). Risk factors were determined with the prevalence ratio (PR) and the use of variables generated from a questionnaire administered to the animals' owners. Serum from 1 stallion had positive results with both the RBT-8% and the RT, for a seroprevalence rate of 0.238%. Drinking ...
Five year analysis of Jockey Club horse-related injuries presenting to a trauma centre in Hong Kong. Professional horse riding-related injuries have not been studied before in Hong Kong, although horse racing takes place very regularly in the territory. In addition, the equestrian events of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games will come to Hong Kong. This study analysed the pattern of horse-related injury among patients who presented to a trauma centre in a teaching hospital in Hong Kong. Methods: Information from the trauma centre database was analysed retrospectively. The database includes trauma patients who had sustained potentially severe injuries that warranted initial assessment and resuscit...
Isolation of equine herpesvirus-5 from blood mononuclear cells of a gelding. Horses are commonly infected by herpesviruses, but isolation of equine herpesvirus-5 (EHV-5) has only infrequently been reported. We describe the isolation and characterization of a strain of EHV-5 from the blood mononuclear cells of a healthy adult horse in California. The virus was initially identified by EHV-5 specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and it caused lytic infection of cultured rabbit kidney cells only after repeated serial passage. Virions with characteristic herpesvirus morphology were readily demonstrated in cell culture lysate by transmission electron microscopy. A portio...
Distribution of equine infectious anemia in horses in the north of Minas Gerais State, Brazil. The paper examines the prevalence of equine infectious anemia (EIA) in horse populations in the northern part (comprising 89 cities) of Minas Gerais State, Brazil, from January 2002 to December 2004. Data on 8,981 agar gel immunodiffusion test results from the region were used as input for a statistical and autoregressive analysis model to construct a city-level map of the distribution of EIA prevalence. The following EIA prevalence (P) levels were found: 49 cities with 0 < P < or = 0.5%, 26 with 0.5% < P < or = 1.5%, 10 with 1.5% < P < or = 5%, and 4 with 5% < P < or = 25%.
Hepatitis E virus infection in work horses in Egypt. Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is an important cause of hepatitis among young Egyptian adults with high seroprevalence rates seen in both rural areas of the Nile Delta and in suburban Cairo. Because natural antibodies to HEV have been detected in animals and zoonotic transmission is postulated, we surveyed work horses in Cairo for evidence of HEV exposure and viremia. Sera from 200 Cairo work horses were tested by ELISA for the presence of IgG anti-HEV antibody revealed a seropositivity of 13%. Among 100 samples processed for detection of viral genome by means of nested polymerase chain reaction (N-P...
Seroepidemiological survey of Rhodoccocus equi infection in asymptomatic horses from Bursa, Izmir and Istanbul provinces, Turkey. In order to assess the Rhodococcus equi infection in three provinces of Turkey (Bursa, Izmir and Istanbul), 696 sera from healthy foals and adult horses were tested by indirect ELISA using a R. equi reference strain (ATCC 6939) as antigen. 103 sera (14.80%) with titres >0.646 resulted positive. Seroprevalence was significantly higher (P=0.0053) in male than in female horses of Istanbul province, although higher antibody titres (mean value) were observed in the female group of Bursa and Izmir provinces with differences estimated between provinces (P=0.0002). Seroprevalence was correlated wit...
spa typing of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus isolated from domestic animals and veterinary staff in the UK and Ireland. Region X of the protein A gene (spa) was sequenced from methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) isolates originating from animals, humans and the environment at veterinary hospitals in the UK and Ireland. MRSA transmission between animals and veterinary staff was assessed on the basis of spa typing, PFGE and epidemiological data. Methods: MRSA isolates from dogs (n = 27), horses (n = 9), cats (n = 6), staff (n = 22) and environmental surfaces (n = 3) were analysed by PFGE and spa typing. Known contacts between human and animal MRSA carriers were ascertained from the veterinary hospi...
Horse-, bird-, and human-seeking behavior and seasonal abundance of mosquitoes in a West Nile virus focus of southern France. After 35 yr of disease absence, West Nile virus (family Flaviviridae, genus Flavivirus, WNV) circulation has been regularly detected in the Camargue region (southern France) since 2000. WNV was isolated from Culex modestus Ficalbi, which was considered the main vector in southern France after horse outbreaks in the 1960s. Recent WNV transmissions outside of the Cx. modestus distribution suggested the existence of other vectors. To study potential WNV vectors, horse- and bird-baited traps and human landing collections of mosquitoes were carried out weekly from May to October 2004 at two Camargu...
[The incidence of Dicrocoelium dendriticum in Emmental]. A cross-sectional field study on the prevalence of Dicrocoelium dendriticum was performed in the Emmental. The study included 211 bovines, 170 equines, 20 ovines, 46 caprines and 23 rabbits (from 119 farms). In addition, laboratory routine diagnostic data obtained from 2.840 animals--all originating from the same area of investigation--were assessed in the same way. The infection extent concerning the different animal species were the following: bovines 46%, equines 12%, ovines 30%, caprines 48% and rabbits 9%. Univariate analyses of baseline epidemiological data identified no significant risk...
A study on the seasonal epidemiology of Anoplocephala spp.-infection in horses and the appropriate treatment using a praziquantel gel (Droncit 9% oral gel). In a study on the seasonal dynamics of the gastro-intestinal nematode egg production in horses, one breeding farm also revealed a particularly high prevalence of Anoplocephala spp. infection. Consequently, this farm was chosen for analysing the seasonal pattern of the tapeworm egg excretion over a one year period in order to establish the most favourable periods for an appropriate and successful cestocidal treatment. The seasonal analysis showed a significantly higher (p < 0.05) Anoplocephala spp. egg excretion between July and October, i.e. during the second part of the grazing period. This r...
[Glanders–a comprehensive review]. Since 1990 the number of glanders outbreaks in race, military and pleasure horses in Asia and South America is steadily increasing. Glanders, which is eradicated in Western Europe, Australia and Northern America, is currently considered a re-emerging disease. Consequently, the disease may be introduced into glanders-free regions by subclinical carriers at any time. The causative agent of glanders, Burkholderia (B.) mallei, is highly contagious and leads to chronic disease in horses whereas in donkeys and mules the disease is acute and often fatal. Occurrence of the disease leads to internation...
Mutation of the maturase lipoprotein attenuates the virulence of Streptococcus equi to a greater extent than does loss of general lipoprotein lipidation. Streptococcus equi is the causative agent of strangles, a prevalent and highly contagious disease of horses. Despite the animal suffering and economic burden associated with strangles, little is known about the molecular basis of S. equi virulence. Here we have investigated the contributions of a specific lipoprotein and the general lipoprotein processing pathway to the abilities of S. equi to colonize equine epithelial tissues in vitro and to cause disease in both a mouse model and the natural host in vivo. Colonization of air interface organ cultures after they were inoculated with a mutant ...
The gastro-intestinal parasites community of the Przewalski’s horse, Equus przewalskii Poljakov, 1881, and the domestic horse in the Chernobyl exclusion zone. A diagnostic deworming of 21 Przewalski horses, free-living in the Chernobyl exclusion zone Ukraine, and of six stabled domestic horses, has been conducted eighteen years after the Chernobyl nuclear disaster. This survey yielded 31 species (of 5 families and 3 classes, 28 species of nematodes, 1 species of cestodes, and 2 larvae of botflies). A total 29 and 19 helmith species has been recorded in the Przewalski horse and domestic horse respectively. Only six helmith species were common for the two horse species. Species from the family Strongylidae constituted the dominant helmith group. Four ...
Occupational respiratory health of New Zealand horse trainers. To confirm that working with horses is an occupational respiratory hazard and observed associations are not attributable to confounding. Methods: A postal survey of the respiratory health of 659 horse trainers and a comparison group of 506 vegetable growers was conducted. Data were analysed using logistic regression. Results: Relative to vegetable growers, horse trainers reported higher rates of chronic bronchitis [odds ratio (OR) = 6.8, 95% confidence interval (CI): 2.2-21.4] and organic dust toxic syndrome/farmers' lung (ODTS/FL) (OR = 3.5, 95% CI: 1.8-6.8). Grinding oats, spreading hay, and...
Fracture rate in Thoroughbred racehorses is affected by dam age and parity. This study's aim was to determine the effects of dam age and parity on the rate of fracture in offspring in Thoroughbred racehorses in training for flat racing. It was hypothesised that first foals and those from older mares would have a higher fracture rate than subsequent foals and those from younger mares. A two-year observational cohort study collected data from eight trainers on 335 horses that were monitored since the start of their training as yearlings. Multivariable Poisson regression analyses showed that first foals had a significantly lower fracture rate than subsequent ones (RR=0.3...
Dynamic obstructions of the equine upper respiratory tract. Part 1: observations during high-speed treadmill endoscopy of 600 Thoroughbred racehorses. To review the prevalence of single and complex forms of dynamic airway obstructions within a large group of Thoroughbred horses in training referred for investigation of poor performance. Methods: Video-endoscopic recordings of the upper respiratory tract made during a standardised treadmill exercise test of 600 Thoroughbred racehorses were reviewed and analysed in real time and slow motion to identify dynamic collapse by the tissues bordering onto the pharyngeal and laryngeal airways. Results: Dynamic collapse within the nasopharynx or larynx was confirmed in 471 of the 600 horses. Dorsal dis...
[Epidemiological aspects of human and animal rabies in the urban area of Bamako, Mali]. The district of Bamako is the political and economical capital city of Mali with 1,800,000 inhabitants. The goal of the present retrospective study was to determine the frequency of animal bites, human and animal rabies on the one hand and to determine the frequency and the nature of mad animals on the other hand from January 2000 to December 2003 (4 years). To achieve this goal, we have analysed registers and documents related to rabies in the department of prevention and fight against diseases, the central veterinary laboratory, and also at the lazaret clinic involved in caring for human rab...
Microbial source tracking by DNA sequence analysis of the Escherichia coli malate dehydrogenase gene. Criteria for sub-typing of microbial organisms by DNA sequencing proposed by Olive and Bean were applied to several genes in Escherichia coli to identify targets for the development of microbial source tracking assays. Based on the aforementioned criteria, the icd (isocitrate dehydrogenase), and putP (proline permease) genes were excluded as potential targets due to their high rates of horizontal gene transfer; the rrs (16S rRNA) gene was excluded as a target due to the presence of multiple gene copies, with different sequences in a single genome. Based on the above criteria, the mdh (malate d...
Development of loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) method for diagnosis of equine piroplasmosis. Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) is a novel nucleic acid method whereby DNA is amplified with high specificity, efficiency, and rapidity under isothermal conditions using a set of four specifically designed primers and a DNA polymerase with strand displacement activity. In this study, we used LAMP primer sets designed from EMA-1 and Bc 48 genes for detection of Theileria equi and Babesia caballi infections, respectively. These primer sets specifically amplified DNA of the respective parasites. Both primer sets amplified T. equi and B. caballi up to 10(-6) dilution of 10-fold seria...
Immunohistochemical identification and pathologic findings in natural cases of equine abortion caused by leptospiral infection. The aim of this study was to examine the utility of immunohistochemistry (IHC) in the diagnosis of leptospiral equine abortion and to compare IHC to silver staining and serology of the aborted mares. Ninety-six fetuses from 57 farms were examined using all 3 diagnostic techniques, revealing evidence of leptospiral infection in 3 fetuses (3.1%) from 3 (5.3%) different farms. A new finding in 1 of these confirmed cases of leptospiral abortion was the presence of macroscopic pinpoint grayish-white nodules that had a histologic correlate of hepatic necrosis; other histologic findings were consiste...
[Pasteurella] caballi infection not limited to horses – a closer look at taxon 42 of Bisgaard. To investigate if taxon 42 of Bisgaard isolated from pigs represents genuine [Pasteurella] caballi, which was previously only isolated from horses. Results: A total of 15 field isolates from horses and pigs from five different countries representing three continents were subjected to extended phenotypical characterization. Although minor differences were observed between taxon 42 and [P.] caballi, these differences did not allow phenotypic separation. Ribotyping based on HindIII digestion showed five profiles based on nine band positions. One [P.] caballi strain and two taxon 42 strains shared...
Prevalence of serum neutralising antibody to equine rhinitis A virus (ERAV), equine rhinitis B virus 1 (ERBV1) and ERBV2. The objective of this study was to determine the incidence of serum neutralising (SN) antibody to ERAV, ERBV1 and ERBV2 in a population of horses from birth to 22 years of age. The prevalences of ERAV, ERBV1 and ERBV2 SN antibodies in 381 sera obtained from 291 horses were 37%, 83% and 66%, respectively. ERAV, ERBV1 and ERBV2 maternal antibody was present in foals 12 h postsuckling but by 10-12 months, ERAV SN antibody was not detected in any of the horses, while ERBV1 and ERBV2 SN antibodies were common (83% and 100%, respectively). Sera were obtained from 44 Thoroughbred horses when they wer...
Passive transfer of naturally acquired specific immunity against West Nile Virus to foals in a semi-feral pony herd. Horses naturally exposed to West Nile Virus (WNV) or vaccinated against WNV develop humoral immunity thought to be protective against development of clinical disease in exposed or infected animals. No reports evaluate the efficacy of passive transfer of naturally acquired specific WNV humoral immunity from dam to foal. The purpose of this study was to investigate passive transfer of naturally acquired immunity to WNV to foals born in a herd of semi-feral ponies, not vaccinated against WNV, in an endemic area, with many dams having seroconverted because of natural exposure. Microwell serum neut...
Variations in equid SLC11A1 (NRAMP1) genes and associations with Rhodococcus equi pneumonia in horses. Rhodococcus equi is an important intracellular pathogen of horses, most commonly causing chronic, suppurative bronchopneumonia in foals. Although most foals likely are exposed to environmental R. equi within the 1st few days of life, only some develop R. equi pneumonia, and the basis of differences in susceptibility among foals currently is unknown. In this study, we investigated solute carrier family 11 member 1 (SLC11A1) gene sequences in the 5' untranslated region, exon 1, and a portion of intron 1 for variations in 3 equid species (horse, donkey, zebra) and compared variants within 3 indep...
Associations between the ecology of virulent Rhodococcus equi and the epidemiology of R. equi pneumonia on Australian thoroughbred farms. The ecology of virulent strains of Rhodococcus equi on horse farms is likely to influence the prevalence and severity of R. equi pneumonia in foals. This study examined the association between the ecology of virulent R. equi and the epidemiology of R. equi pneumonia by collecting air and soil samples over two breeding seasons (28 farm-year combinations) on Thoroughbred breeding farms with different reported prevalences of R. equi pneumonia. Colony blotting and DNA hybridization were used to detect and measure concentrations of virulent R. equi. The prevalence of R. equi pneumonia was associate...
Persistence of serum antibodies to Sarcocystis neurona in horses moved from North America to India. The study reported here was undertaken to assess the presence of antibodies to Sarcocystis neurona in the serum of horses of North American origin that had been relocated for 1 year or more to India (ie, outside of the known endemic areas for S. neurona). Objective: The presence or absence of such antibodies should provide information concerning the persistence of such antibodies, or support the presence of chronic infection, or both. Methods: A total of 228 Thoroughbred horses were sampled in India, of which 86 were of North American origin that had been in India between 1 and 13 years, 124 w...
Association between the presence of serum antibodies against Neospora spp. and fetal loss in equines. A study of the association between the presence of serum antibodies against Neospora spp. and fetal loss was performed using serum samples of horses submitted to the laboratory for the detection of antibodies to Equine Herpesvirus-1 and Equine Infectious Anemia Virus. The sera submitted for equine infectious anemia testing were from horses declared healthy and those submitted for the detection of antibodies to Equine Herpesvirus-1 were from mares with late clinical signs of reproductive disorders or males living in close contact with diseased mares. For the detection of Neospora spp. infection...
Temporal clinical exacerbation of summer pasture-associated recurrent airway obstruction and relationship with climate and aeroallergens in horses. To describe the seasonal pattern of clinical exacerbation of summer pasture-associated recurrent airway obstruction (SPA-RAO) in relation to climate and aeroallergens in horses. Methods: 19 horses with SPA-RAO and 10 nonaffected horses. Methods: Daily examinations were performed on all horses while they were kept on pasture for 3 years. Onset and progression of clinical exacerbation based on a clinical score of respiratory effort were evaluated in relation to changes in maximum temperature, minimum temperature, mean temperature, maximum dew-point temperature, minimum dew-point temperature, and...
Contamination of surface run-off water and soil in two horse paddocks. Increased stabling of horses near to cities has led to interest in the environmental effects of paddocks. In this study, the contamination of horse paddocks was examined by determining the nutrient and micro-organism contents in the surface run-off waters and the electrical conductivity, pH and phosphorus, potassium and nitrate contents of top soils. Two open-stable paddocks were studied, one cleaned and the other left uncleaned, with a stocking density of 37.5 animalsha(-1) in both. The feeding and drinking places were the most contaminated areas of both paddocks. In spring, after seven month...
