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.
Simms JG, Rosser WW.A case of Farmer's Lung in a city dweller who rides horses for recreation is reported. A survey of the members of an urban riding club found that 13% of the persons surveyed had antibodies to T. polyspora in their circulation.Comparing the average rainfall in the area of the riding club to average rainfall throughout regions across the country, it is likely that Farmer's Lung is more prevalent than previously thought.More information about the incidence of this preventable respiratory disease in Canada is needed.
Oki Y, Miura K.In the recent years, various red cell auto-antibodies have been determined in someanimal diseases, including autoimmune hemolytic anemia and systemic lupus erythe-matosus in dogs, ") Aleutian disease in minks, 8) and equine infectious anemia."?">In this report, the red cell auto-antibodies were examined for symptomatiCchanges, serological characteristics, and immunopathological roles in 20 horses infectedwith equine infectious anemia virus (Table l).Pathologic cold hemagglutiuain and warm hemagglutinin were identified in theplasma of artificially infected horses. The direct antiglobulin tests ...
Frey R, Lieb A.An outbreak of abortion due to the equine herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1) in the eastern part of Switzerland is reviewed. Seven of eleven pregnant mares aborted within twenty-three days in January 1989. Four weeks later another foal died a few minutes after parturition. Three mares delivered live foals in February, March and April without any complications. The examination of the eight dead foals revealed an EHV-1 Infection. The clinical signs and the pathology are discussed. Severe complications during the early post-parturient time are in contrast to the uncomplicated outcome mentioned by other author...
Brennvall HM, Bjune T, Sverdrup Ø, Ráki M, Abedini S.Zoonoses are important to consider when humans become ill after being in contact with animals. In such cases thorough patient history is crucial, especially when infections have an unclear cause. We present a patient with infection-associated glomerulonephritis, where a horse was the probable source of infection. A young woman was admitted to the district general hospital in Vestfold, Norway, with infection and acute kidney failure. Renal biopsy suggested glomerulonephritis, and nasopharyngeal culture taken at admission detected Streptococcus equi. It emerged that the patient had daily contact...
Bischoff K, Moiseff J.Feed as a cause of poisoning in horses can occur on small or large scales. It is challenging to work up cases of suspected feed contamination, but there are resources available to veterinarians and owners. Feed contamination can be chemical or biological. This article focuses on and provides examples of chemical feed contamination including misformulation, adulteration, and natural contaminants. Additionally, recommendations for feed sampling and diagnostic submission, including legal documentation, are included.
Rastegaev IuM.10 foals were artificially infected for the first time with eggs of Gastrophilus intestinalis, G. veterinus, G. haemorrhoidalis, G. inermis, G. nigricornis. 63 to 67% of the 1st stage larvae die in the first period of life after emergence from the egg, at the moment of invasion into the skin and at the beginning of the migration. In 40 to 45 years after the infection most larvae (73 to 82%), depending on their specific belonging, were found in the stomach, duodenum and rectum.
Sugiyama F, Takahashi Y, Nomura M, Ebisuda Y, Mukai K, Yoshida T.We investigated the risk factors for epistaxis in Japanese flat races over a 20-year period. The veterinary records of horses identified as having epistaxis by endoscopy on the race day, and the official racing records of all flat races from April to September between 2001 and 2020, were reviewed. The racecourses (n = 10), surface type, surface condition, race class, race distance, race year, sex, age, two training centers, ambient temperature, and body weight on race days were assessed using multivariable logistic regression (p < 0.05). Of 475,709 race starts, 616 (1.30 cases per 1000 starts;...
Willink DL, Smeenk LA, van Oijen PW, de Kruif A.In the period 1994-1996 1030 oestruses of Dutch Warmblood mares were evaluated on the incidence of multiple ovulations diagnosed by rectal palpation. Ultrasonography was not used. All follicles > 25 mm were noted. The examination was repeated every 48 hours. The incidence of multiple follicle development was 7.3%. In a group of 50 ultrasonographically diagnosed twin-pregnant mares only 14 (28%) had been detected by rectal palpation as a multiple ovulation. This suggests an incidence of multiple ovulations in Dutch Warmblood mares of 7.3 x 1/28 x 100 = 26%. Restrictions of rectal palpation are ...
Peters JW, de Boer B, Broeze-ten Voorde G, Broeze J, Wiemer P, Sterk T, Spoormakers T.Prevalence of dental disorders in 483 horses and ponies Five equine veterinarians working at three equine referral hospitals examined the oral cavity of 483 horses and ponies prior to surgery, to gain information about the prevalence of common dental disorders in the horse. A thorough examination, using hands/fingers, a full-mouth speculum, a dental mirror and a good light source, is essential to detect such disorders. Many horses examined needed dental attention even though there were no problems with mastication or riding. The most detected abnormalities were sharp enamel points on the bucca...
Weaver MP, Wilant L.A postal survey of the owners of Clydesdale horses in the UK and USA was conducted to obtain information on tarsocrural effusion ('bog spavin') as an indicator of osteochondrosis from 935 horses. Additional information requested included details of how this condition was investigated and treated. The reported tarsocrural effusion incidence was 10 per cent. The majority of respondents believed the condition to be of concern to Clydesdale owners, but only a minority were aware of the implications of tarsocrural effusion, suggesting that owner education would be of benefit.
Goodale EC, White SD, Outerbridge CA, Everett AD, Affolter VK.Hyperaesthetic leucotrichia (HL) rarely affects horses and causes painful lesions on the dorsum that result in leucotrichia. This may be a variant of erythema multiforme (EM), but there are no studies investigating this condition. Objective: Describe the clinical and histological features of HL and compare them to the histological features of EM. Methods: A retrospective review of medical records from 1985 to 2015 identified 15 horses with HL. Thirteen biopsies of HL and five of EM were evaluated and compared. Results: Arabian horses and their crosses (χ(2) (1) = 8.56, P < 0.01) and A...
Hifumi T, Tanaka T, Sato M, Akioka K, Fujimata C, Miyoshi N.Alveolar echinococcosis in slaughtered horses remains a public health issue. This study aimed to develop a Recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) assay targeting the mitochondrial NADH dehydrogenase subunit 5 () gene of for the rapid detection of equine alveolar echinococcosis. Thirty-six hepatic solid nodules obtained from each horse ( = 36) were evaluated based on histopathological examination and -targeted PCR and then submitted to the RPA assay. The results of the developed RPA assay were 94.4% consistent with those of PCR and Cohen's kappa coefficient value was 0.89 statistically,...
Ferguson JA, Reeves WC, Hardy JL.Serologic studies in 24 ponies indicated that prevaccination antibodies to Venezuelan equine encephalomyelitis (VEE) virus (strain TC-83) had no influence on hemagglutination-inhibition (HI) antibody stimulation by western equine encephalomyelitis (WEE) or eastern equine encephalomyelits (EEE)-WEE vaccines. However, studies of the effects of VEE neutralizing antibodies on neutralizing antibody stimulation by the heterologous alphavirus vaccines were inconclusive. The VEE, WEE, and EEE antibody responses were studied in 18 VEE-vaccinated (strain TC-83) animals (13 ponies and 5 horses) at 9 to 1...
Crowell-Davis SL, Houpt KA.A thorough behavioral history is essential for adequate assessment of a given case. In reviewing the chief complaint, a description of what actually happened, rather than the owner's interpretation of what happened, is required. Other behavior problems, environment, rearing history, and training need to be reviewed. Sample question sets for some common problems are given.
French jockeys suffer more severe injuries when they fall off their horses than their British counterparts. While it has been shown that jockeys suffer high rates of fatal and non-fatal injuries, little is known about differences in injury rates between countries. To investigate this, researchers from Australia, France and the UK used prospectively collected data on the rates of fatal and non-fatal injuries in flat and jump jockeys in France and compared them with data from the UK.
Puotunen-Reinert A, Huskamp B.A retrospective study on surgical cases of colic in horses (n = 216) revealed that 42 (19.4%) developed post-surgical diarrhoea. Salmonella spp. were isolated in 6 (16.2%) of the cases (n = 37) exhibiting diarrhoea. In 35.7% of the cases (n = 42) recovery from surgery was disturbed by other complications; 23.8% (10/42) died, 2 of which from primary acute diarrhoea due to salmonellosis. Most of the outbreaks of diarrhoea occurred in winter and spring. From the associated variables examined, the duration of colic signs revealed a significant difference between the cases which developed acute pos...
Don-van't Slot HP, van der Kolk JH.Severe-Combined-Immunodeficiency-Disease (SCID) is discussed with special reference to its pathogenesis, clinical symptoms, pathology, and diagnosis. The disorder has been observed in the USA, Canada, Great Britain, and Australia and is characterized by an autosomal recessive mode of inheritance. The clinical features of the disease seen in Arab foals under 46 days of age are intermittent fever, (adenoviral) pneumonia, and weight loss sometimes associated with diarrhoea. From 1998 on, the SCID gene can be detected in the Netherlands by means of DNA analysis.
McClure JJ, Koch C, Powell M, McClure JR.Associations were sought between ELA A1-A10 and W11 antigens and the presence of laryngeal hemiplegia, arytenoid chondritis, umbilical hernias and cryptorchidism in Thoroughbreds and/or Quarter Horses. No significant associations were detected between laryngeal hemiplegia and any ELA antigen in Thoroughbreds. The association between arytenoid chondritis and A9 was significant with a relative risk (RR) of 15.6 and aetiologic fraction (EF) of 0.80 in Thoroughbreds. There were apparent associations based on RR between A4 and A5 in Quarter Horses with umbilical hernias (RR = 7.5 and 6.1 respective...
Hertsch B.Jumping and military (three days events) horses are exposed, during sports activities, to a particularly high stress especially in the region of the extremities (limbs). The genesis of tendon, joint and bone diseases are traced in accordance to the centers of the load during movement sequence. A special statistics on injuries concerning the German competition horses does not exist yet. Out of the available statistics about the German competition horses it is not obvious that as a result of its use as sports horses a particular high loss occur among these horses.
Ribeiro HS, Larangeira NL, Paiva F.The authors sacrificed fifty-five horses originated from the "Pantanal", lowlands in the State of Mato Grosso in two different periods, droughty period and flooded and they described for the first time the Dictyocaulus arnfieldi in Mato Grosso. Relationship between droughty and flooded periods proved not to occur.
Nation PN.Over sixteen years, 49 horses were diagnosed by Alberta Agriculture Animal Health laboratories as having "alsike clover poisoning". There was a distinct northwestern distribution of cases, the majority coming from the Peace River district. This distribution is opposite to that of the Alberta horse population, but coincides with areas of alsike clover cultivation. Cases could be divided into chronic or nervous clinical presentations, as described by Schofield. Tissues from 45 animals were retrieved and examined microscopically. Significant histological lesions were confined to the liver and con...
van Gorkom LP, van Wessum R, van den Hoven R.A major part of the residing horses and ponies of a riding school in Noord-Holland became affected by a febrile disorder that included anorexia, depression, conjunctivitis, urticaria, edema of the legs and laborious locomotion. All remaining horses fell ill within one week. Based on the clinical symptoms the disorder was diagnosed as vasculitis. With serology the causative agent of the disorder appeared to be equine arteritis virus.
Reinemeyer CR, Rohrbach BW.A weighted, random sample of 130 horse owners in Tennessee was selected from subscribers to an equine newsletter published by the Agricultural Extension Service. Data about the participants' farms, horses, parasite control practices, and sources of information regarding equine parasite control were obtained through a telephone survey. The response rate was 98%. The typical respondent kept 4 horses on 2 pastures totaling 15 acres, and did not rotate pastures as a parasite control measure. The majority (83%) of horse owners indicated that they administered anthelmintics according to a regular sc...
This report summarizes West Nile virus (WNV) surveillance data reported to CDC through ArboNET and verified by states and other jurisdictions as of July 23, 2002. During the reporting week of July 17-23, nine human cases of WNV were reported from two states (Louisiana and Mississippi). During the same period, WNV infections were reported in 202 dead crows, 48 other dead birds, 13 horses, and 69 mosquito pools.
Cinco Del Fabbro M, Dougan R, Jelincic A, Piacentini I.The macroagglutination test, according Mailloux, was investigated for its feasibility in the rapid diagnosis of human and animal leptospirosis. Suspected sera examinated by Mailloux test, were also examinated by Complement Fixation and Microagglutination; the results suggest that: Mailloux macroagglutination is the serological test of choice, for screening of animal and human sera, mostly if it is not needed to know the infecting serovar.
Hiepe T, Nickel S, Siebeke F.The eggs of Strongyloides westeri were found in the faeces of the foals from the 16th day of their life, with a peak in their numbers between the 30th and 40th day of life. Egg release ceased in all foals irrespective of their date of birth in the months July-August. Parallel examinations of the mares were negative. Recommendations for the control of strongyloidosis in foals are given.
Meral Y, Cakiroğlu D, Sancak AA, Cýftcý G, Karabacak A.Levels of serum serotonin and serum lipids--triglyceride, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein, high-density lipoprotein and very low-density lipoprotein, were determined in normal horses and horses diagnosed with aggression on the basis of a questionnaire survey. Blood serotonin levels in aggressive horses were found to be significantly lower than in non-aggressive horses (P < 0.01), but no association was found with respect to blood lipids.
Dwivedi SK, Dey S.Fluoride possesses both essential and toxic potentials. A cross-sectional study recorded the fluoride concentrations in sera of thoroughbred horses 5y of age from 4 localities in India. A total of 628 serum samples of were analyzed for fluoride content using ion selective potentiometry. The mean serum fluoride was estimated as 0.018 +/- 0.002, 0.096 +/- 0.004, 0.16 +/- 0.008 and 0.32 +/- 0.02 ppm in horses from the eastern, central. western and southern parts of the country respectively. Although there were significant difference in fluoride concentration among horses from different zones, all...
Marquardt SA, Wilcox CV, Burns EN, Peterson JA, Finno CJ.Equine neuroaxonal dystrophy/equine degenerative myeloencephalopathy (eNAD/EDM) is a neurologic disease that has been reported in young horses from a wide range of breeds. The disease is inherited and associated with vitamin E deficiency during the first two years of life, resulting in bilateral symmetric ataxia. A missense mutation (chr3:71,917,591 C > T) within adhesion G protein-coupled receptor L3 (ADGRL3) was recently associated with risk for EDM in the Caspian breed. In order to confirm these findings, genotyping of this missense mutation, along with the three other associated single nuc...
