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.
Altan E, Li Y, Sabino-Santos G, Sawaswong V, Barnum S, Pusterla N, Deng X, Delwart E.Metagenomics was used to identify viral sequences in the plasma and CSF (cerobrospinal fluid) of 13 horses with unexplained neurological signs and in the plasma and respiratory swabs of 14 horses with unexplained respiratory signs. Equine hepacivirus and two copiparvoviruses (horse parvovirus-CSF and a novel parvovirus) were detected in plasma from neurological cases. Plasma from horses with respiratory signs contained the same two copiparvoviruses plus equine pegivirus D and respiratory swabs contained equine herpes virus 2 and 5. Based on genetic distances the novel copiparvovirus qualified ...
Spence KL, Cardwell JM, Slater J, Rosanowski SM.The potential for an exotic disease incursion is a significant concern for the United Kingdom (UK) equine industry. Horse owners' perceptions of, and attitudes towards, exotic diseases can influence decisions to adopt disease preparedness strategies. The objectives of this study were to describe horse owners' 1) perceptions of the term 'exotic disease', and 2) attitudes towards their risk of being affected by an exotic disease. In order to address these objectives, qualitative content analysis was undertaken on data collected using two open-ended survey questions. Results: Horse owners (n =...
Blanco-Lobo P, Rodriguez L, Reedy S, Oladunni FS, Nogales A, Murcia PR, Chambers TM, Martinez-Sobrido L.Vaccination remains the most effective approach for preventing and controlling equine influenza virus (EIV) in horses. However, the ongoing evolution of EIV has increased the genetic and antigenic differences between currently available vaccines and circulating strains, resulting in suboptimal vaccine efficacy. As recommended by the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE), the inclusion of representative strains from clade 1 and clade 2 Florida sublineages of EIV in vaccines may maximize the protection against presently circulating viral strains. In this study, we used reverse genetics tech...
Limeira CH, Alves CJ, Azevedo SS, Santos CSAB, Melo MA, Soares RR, Barnabé NNDC, Rodrigues GQ.Leishmaniases are a group of diseases of zoonotic importance caused by over 20 species of protozoa of the genus Leishmania, in which domestic dogs are considered to be the main reservoir for the disease. However, the involvement of other vertebrates as reservoirs for these parasites has also been investigated. Therefore, the objective of the present study was to carry out a systematic review with meta-analysis on occurrences of leishmaniasis in equids. The case reports described animals with cutaneous symptoms of leishmaniasis (papules, nodules, ulcers or crusts) that regressed spontaneously, ...
Sheats MK, Davis KU, Poole JA.Farmers are routinely exposed to organic dusts and aeroallergens that can have adverse respiratory health effects including asthma. Horses are farm-reared large animals with similar exposures and can develop equine asthma syndrome (EAS). This review aims to compare the etiology, pathophysiology, and immunology of asthma in horses compared to farmers and highlights the horse as a potential translational animal model for organic dust-induced asthma in humans. Severe EAS shares many clinical and pathological features with various phenotypes of human asthma including allergic, non-allergic, late o...
Malalana F, Ireland JL, Pinchbeck G, McGowan CM.Uveitis appears to be less prevalent in the UK compared with other parts of the world and studies characterising the disease in the UK are lacking. The objectives of this retrospective study were to describe acute and recurrent cases presenting for management of uveitis in a referral hospital on the North West of England and compare the signalment of horses presenting with uveitis with the equine hospital population during the same period. Methods: Medical records of horses presented to the referral Equine Hospital, University of Liverpool with signs of uveitis between 2008 and 2018 were revie...
Bourély C, Cazeau G, Jarrige N, Jouy E, Haenni M, Lupo A, Madec JY, Leblond A, Gay E.To examine the relevance of co-resistance to amoxicillin and tetracycline as an indicator of multidrug resistance (MDR) in animal health. Methods: isolates collected between 2012 and 2016 by the French surveillance network for antimicrobial resistance in diseased animals (RESAPATH) were analyzed. The proportions of MDR isolates and the proportions of isolates presenting co-resistance to amoxicillin and tetracycline were calculated for seven animal species (cattle, horse, dog, swine, poultry, duck, and turkey). The degree of agreement between these two proportions was estimated by calculating ...
Takahashi Y, Takahashi T.Exertional heat illness (EHI) is recognised in horses, but few reports have investigated its risk factors. Objective: To identify risk factors for EHI in racehorses participating in flat races in Japan. Methods: Descriptive epidemiology and retrospective unmatched case-control study. Methods: Between 2005 and 2016, veterinary records of horses diagnosed with EHI after flat races were reviewed retrospectively and data of the months from April to September were used for a case-control study. For each case, three control horses were randomly selected from starts between April and September. Race ...
Mhadhbi M, Sassi A.Infection of equids by Leishmania (L.) parasites was previously described in both the Old and New World, particularly in Central and South America. Equine cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is caused by the Leishmania species, L. Viannia (V.) braziliensis and L. infantum, previously identified in humans and other parasite hosts living in the same geographic endemic areas. Sporadic autochthonous clinical cases, with no travel history, were documented in several countries including Germany, Portugal, Spain, Texas and Brazil; L. infantum and L. (Mundinia) martiniquensis were the infectious species....
Olguin-Perglione C, Vissani MA, Alamos F, Tordoya MS, Barrandeguy M.Equine influenza is an important cause of respiratory disease of horses worldwide. The equine influenza virus (EIV) undergoes antigenic drift through the accumulation of amino acid substitutions in the viral proteins, which may lead to vaccine breakdown. Objective: To describe the epidemiological findings and the molecular characteristics of the EIV detected during the multifocal outbreak that occurred in Argentina between March and July 2018 and evidence a vaccine breakdown. Methods: Observational, descriptive study. Methods: Virus was detected in nasopharyngeal swabs using real-time reverse ...
Sutton G, Garvey M, Cullinane A, Jourdan M, Fortier C, Moreau P, Foursin M, Gryspeerdt A, Maisonnier V, Marcillaud-Pitel C, Legrand L, Paillot R....Equine herpesvirus 1 (EHV-1) is an Alphaherpesvirus infecting not only horses but also other equid and non-equid mammals. It can cause respiratory distress, stillbirth and neonatal death, abortion, and neurological disease. The different forms of disease induced by EHV-1 infection can have dramatic consequences on the equine industry, and thus the virus represents a great challenge for the equine and scientific community. This report describes the progress of a major EHV-1 outbreak that took place in Normandy in 2009, during which the three forms of disease were observed. A collection of EHV-1...
Bellone RR, Ocampo NR, Hughes SS, Le V, Arthur R, Finno CJ, Penedo MCT.Catastrophic fractures are among the most common cause of fatalities in racehorses. Several factors, including genetics, likely contribute to increased risk for fatal injuries. A variant in the procollagen-lysine, 2-oxoglutarate 5-dioxygenase1 gene (PLOD1 c.2032G>A) was shown to cause Warmblood fragile foal syndrome type 1 (WFFS), a fatal recessive defect of the connective tissue. Screening of multiple horse breeds identified the presence of the WFFS allele in the Thoroughbred. PLOD1 is involved in cross-linking of collagen fibrils and thus could potentially increase the risk of catastrophic b...
Ueno Y, Uemura R, Niwa H, Higuchi T, Sekiguchi S, Sasaki Y, Sueyoshi M.Equine proliferative enteropathy (EPE) caused by Lawsonia intracellularis is characterized by hypoproteinemia. There are currently no reliable reports that provide a reference value for the total serum protein (TP) concentration to clinically diagnose EPE. The objective of this study was to statistically determine the reference value. Feces and sera of 99 foals with EPE-like clinical signs and of 35 healthy foals were obtained. The samples were used for specific-gene detection of L. intracellularis, TP measurement, and specific-antibody detection against L. intracellularis. Based on these resu...
Seghrouchni M, Elkasraoui H, Piro M, Alyakine H, Bouayad H, Chakir J, Tligui N, Elallali K, Azrib R.Tbourida is a traditional Moroccan equestrian sport in which 15 horses gallop 200 m in a line while riders fire into the sky with muskets. The stop is the finale and representative demands of this equestrian event. Such particular sudden stop after a fast gallop requires a hyperextension of the metacarpophalangeal joint. Indeed, it is well known that Tbourida show predisposes horses to different injuries of the hard and soft tissues of the distal forelimbs. Yet, there is a paucity of research that examined such lesions. The aim of the present study was to investigate for the first time the typ...
Wernery U, Rodriguez Caveney M, Wernery R, Raghavan R, Laroucau K, Syriac G, Thomas SM, John J, Joseph M, Jose S, Joseph S, Woo P.Six horses were challenged experimentally with a strain of Burkholderia pseudomallei isolated from a fatal case of the infection in a dromedary camel years earlier in the Emirate of Dubai. Three horses were inoculated subcutaneously and in 3 the bacterium was administered by the oral route. Four of the horses became serologically positive based on reactions to one or more of the OIE described tests for glanders. B. pseudomallei was re-isolated from the 4 serological positive horses. Only one of the subcutaneously infected horses, developed fever for 3 days. The white blood cell values and the ...
Browne C, Medlock JM.Last summer saw an unusually high number of cases of West Nile fever in horses and people in south and south-east Europe, but it is too early to tell if this was a one-off increase or a sign of things to come. Here, , , and discuss the various West Nile fever surveillance and control mechanisms in place in the UK.
Comparini L, Podestà A, Russo C, Cecchi F."The Club Foot" (or "Mismatched Foot") is an acquired or congenital flexural deformity of the distal interphalangeal joint, caused by a shortening of the musculotendinous unit of the deep digital flexor tendon. The aim of this research was to detect the incidence of the disorder in Arabian Pureblood horses, attempting to understand its causes and to analyze a possible role of inbreeding in its expression. In this breed, in fact, the pathology is widespread because in the environment of origin, the rocky desert, a hard and almost goat's hoof is not disabling so the selection against this disord...
Tuorinsky EV, Machtinger ET.House flies can have negative consequences on the welfare of horses and other equids. Fly repellents in the form of on-animal sprays, wipes, or spot-ons are the most commonly used fly control method for horses. Many products are available, but repellent efficacy and duration of effectiveness may influence repellent choice by horse owners. A better understanding of the efficacy of common fly repellent products will help guide repellent selection to reduce fly pressure on horses. To evaluate commercially available repellents, house fly behavioral inhibition after application of three products ma...
Schoster A, Kunz T, Lauper M, Graubner C, Schmitt S, Weese JS.Overgrowth of enteric clostridia in dysbiosis in horses with colic is presumed but scarcely investigated. The objective was to provide prevalence data of Clostridium difficile and Clostridium perfringens in horses with and without gastrointestinal disease in Switzerland, and investigate microbiota differences between C. difficile shedders and non-shedders. Fecal samples were taken from healthy horses (n = 103), horses with colic (n = 98) and horses with diarrhea (n = 151). Colic horses were sampled on three days. Selective enrichment culture and molecular typing for C. difficile an...
Gür S, Gürçay M, Seyrek A.Bovine enteroviruses (BEV) are members of Enterovirus genus of the family Picornaviridae. BEV1 has a broad host spectrum, including humans. The virus usually causes subclinical infection, but fatal/severe cases have also been reported in different animal species. There is quite limited data regarding BEV1 in humans. The purpose of this study is to investigate human infection and to identify possible risk factors for viral exposure. For this purpose, blood serum samples (n=1,526) were collected from a city center and nearby villagers simultaneously from humans and farm animals in Elazig provinc...
Haussler KK, Pool RR, Clayton HM.The objectives of this observational, cross-sectional study were to characterize and establish the prevalence of osseous proliferation of articular surfaces, joint margins and adjacent soft tissue attachments (i.e., joint capsule and deep spinal muscles) in a mixed population of horses of variable ages, sizes, and breeds to better capture the full spectrum of disease affecting the cervical articular processes. Cranial and caudal articular processes of the cervical and first three thoracic vertebrae (C2-T3) from 55 horses without a primary complaint of neck pain were evaluated for the presence ...
Bosco-Lauth AM, Bowen RA.West Nile virus (WNV) (Flaviviridae: Flavivirus) was discovered in Africa more than 80 yr ago and became recognized as an avian pathogen and a cause of neurologic disease in horses largely during periodic incursions into Europe. Introduction of WNV into North America stimulated great anxiety, particularly in the equine industry, but also for pet owners and livestock producers concerned about the effect of WNV on other domestic animals. Numerous subsequent studies of naturally occurring and experimentally induced disease greatly expanded our understanding of the host range and clinical conseque...
Velie BD, Smith PM, Fjordbakk CT, Solé M, Jäderkvist Fegraeus K, Rosengren MK, Røed KH, Ihler CF, Lindgren G, Strand E.Dynamic laryngeal collapse (DLC) associated with poll flexion is the most common disorder of the upper respiratory tract (URT) in the Norwegian-Swedish Coldblooded Trotter (NSCT). The disorder, which has also been diagnosed in other breeds of trotters and gaited horses, appears to be related to anatomic phenotypes and only occurs during poll flexion when the horse is exercised 'on the bit'. Objective: Identify genomic regions associated with DLC in the NSCT by combining a rigorous phenotyping protocol with genomic data from a high-density equine genotyping array. Methods: Prospective case/cont...
To evaluate the etiology of skeletal changes noted in equid vertebrae from a 19- century context near Belgrade, Serbia. A vertebral column consisting of 15 fused thoracic vertebrae (T2-T16), with right ribs fused to T4 and T5 and small remnants of ribs articulating with T4, T5 and T6 on the left side were accidentally recovered during industrial exploitation of sand. The specimen was subjected to morphological analysis and collagen fingerprinting by mass spectrometry for species identification. In order to determine the absolute temporal context, radiocarbon dating was employed. Pathological c...
Norris JK, Slusarewicz P, Nielsen MK.The efficacy of anthelmintic treatments against populations of endoparasites infecting livestock throughout the world is decreasing. To mitigate this, the use of fecal egg counts is recommended to determine both the necessity, and to ensure the appropriate choice, of anthelmintic treatment. Traditionally, and in order to facilitate easier identification and/or enumeration, samples are analysed after separating eggs from other fecal particulates by exposing them to a solution with a density higher than that of the eggs, but lower than the remaining fecal contents. While many parasite egg flotat...
Yazdansetad S, Mosavari N, Tadayon K, Mehregan I.Burkholderia mallei is the leading cause of glanders, a highly transmittable and an OIE-notifiable disease of equidae. Despite the importance of B. mallei, little is known about serodiagnosis of glanders. The present study aimed to develop an immunoblotting assay based on whole-cell proteome of B. mallei to enable accurate serodiagnosis of glanders. Methods: Three farm horses were subcutaneously immunized with a crude suspension (106 cfu/ml) of heat-inactivated B. mallei formulated with incomplete Freund's adjuvant (IFA) to achieve a hyperimmune sera panel. The immunization was done for 1, 14 ...
Bull J, Bas F, Silva-Guzmán M, Wentzel HH, Keim JP, Gandarillas M.The aim of this study was to characterize the routine care, training, feeding, and nutritional management of Chilean corralero horses that participated in the rodeos of the Chilean Rodeo Federation. Forty-nine horse farms between the Metropolitan (33°26'16″ south (S) 70°39'01″ west (W)) and Los Lagos Regions (41°28'18″ S 72°56'12″ W), were visited and a survey was conducted on the management and feeding of the Chilean horse. Of the horses which participated in at least one official rodeo in the 2014-2015 season, 275 horses were included in the study. The survey consisted of five qu...
Massacci FR, Clark A, Ruet A, Lansade L, Costa M, Mach N.Understanding gut microbiota similarities and differences across breeds in horses has the potential to advance approaches aimed at personalized microbial modifications, particularly those involved in improving sport athletic performance. Here, we explore whether faecal microbiota composition based on faecal 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequencing varies across six different sport breeds at two time points 8 months apart within a cohort of 189 healthy horses cared for under similar conditions. Lusitano horses presented the smallest and Hanoverians the greatest bacterial diversity. We found subtle bu...
Hatam-Nahavandi K, Ahmadpour E, Carmena D, Spotin A, Bangoura B, Xiao L.Cryptosporidium spp. are causative agents of gastrointestinal diseases in a wide variety of vertebrate hosts. Mortality resulting from the disease is low in livestock, although severe cryptosporidiosis has been associated with fatality in young animals. Methods: The goal of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to review the prevalence and molecular data on Cryptosporidium infections in selected terrestrial domestic and wild ungulates of the families Bovidae (bison, buffalo, cattle, goat, impala, mouflon sheep, sheep, yak), Cervidae (red deer, roe deer, white-tailed deer), Camelidae (al...
Scholtzek AD, Hanke D, Walther B, Eichhorn I, Stöckle SD, Klein KS, Gehlen H, Lübke-Becker A, Schwarz S, Feßler AT.The detection of borderline oxacillin-resistant (BORSA) represents a challenge to both, veterinary and human laboratories. Between 2015 and 2017, 19 equine with elevated minimal inhibitory concentrations for oxacillin were detected in routine diagnostics. The aim of this study was to characterize these isolates to identify factors possibly associated with the BORSA phenotype. All were subjected to antimicrobial susceptibility testing and whole genome sequencing (WGS). A quantifiable β-lactamase activity assay was performed for a representative subset of 13 isolates. The WGS data analysis o...
Coleman SU, Klei TR, French DD, Chapman MR, Corstvet RE.In 1985, 22 pony foals reared in a helminth-free environment were tested daily for oocysts of Cryptosporidium sp by use of fecal flotation. Oocysts were found in all foals. Oocysts were first observed in feces collected from foals 9 to 28 days after birth. The mean period of oocyst shedding was 10 days and ranged from 2 to 18 days in individual foals. Diarrhea was observed in 14 of 22 (64%) foals and began before the period of oocyst shedding. Fecal samples also were examined for other infective agents. Salmonella poona was isolated from 1 foal that did not have diarrhea, and coronavirus parti...
Schwaber MJ, Navon-Venezia S, Masarwa S, Tirosh-Levy S, Adler A, Chmelnitsky I, Carmeli Y, Klement E, Steinman A.Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection or colonization has become a serious emerging condition in equine hospitals. Following the detection of MRSA in asymptomatic hospitalized horses and in two horses with post-operative wound infections, an investigation was conducted. Twelve of 84 horses (14.3%) and 16 of 139 personnel (11.5%) were MRSA carriers. The profile of the dominant MRSA strain common to horses and staff was multi-drug-resistant, spa-type t535, SCCmec type V, pvl-negative. MLST of a representative isolate yielded sequence type (ST) 5. The risk of MRSA carriage ...
Nielsen CF, Reisen WK, Armijos MV, Maclachlan NJ, Scott TW.Although horse cases frequently are reported during West Nile virus (WNV) outbreaks, few investigations have focused on the epidemiology of this transmission. From April to October 2003 to 2005, mosquito abundance and infection were monitored 3 days per week at an equine research facility at the University of California, Davis. Thirty-two nonvaccinated horses enrolled as controls in a vaccine study were bled monthly, and their serum was tested for evidence of WNV infection by plaque reduction neutralization test (PRNT). In 2004, one positive Culex pipiens pool was associated with a single hors...
Gilbertie JM, Schnabel LV, Stefanovski D, Kelly DJ, Jacob ME, Schaer TP.Bacterial colonization of synovial structures can cause infections that are difficult to treat. Systemic and local antimicrobials and repeated joint lavages are the mainstays of therapy. However, despite aggressive treatments, infection may persist, leading to significant tissue damage or death of the patient. In order to investigate the impact of bacterial culture and antimicrobial resistance on survival to discharge, we reviewed medical records of horses admitted to the University of Pennsylvania's large animal teaching hospital from 2010-2015. Two-hundred and six cases with a definitive dia...
Coleman MC, Belknap JK, Eades SC, Galantino-Homer HL, Hunt RJ, Geor RJ, McCue ME, McIlwraith CW, Moore RM, Peroni JF, Townsend HG, White NA....OBJECTIVE To investigate risk factors for the development of pasture- and endocrinopathy-associated laminitis (PEAL) in horses and ponies in North America. DESIGN Case-control study. ANIMALS 199 horses with incident cases of PEAL and 351 horses from 2 control populations (healthy horses [n = 198] and horses with lameness not caused by laminitis [153]) that were evaluated in North America between January 2012 and December 2015 by veterinarian members of the American Association of Equine Practitioners. PROCEDURES North American members of the American Association of Equine Practitioners were co...
McLean RG, Calisher CH, Parham GL.Blood samples collected in September and November 1980 from 87 horses in southwestern Michigan were examined for virus isolation and for plaque-reduction neutralizing antibody against selected arboviruses. Cache Valley virus was isolated from the blood of a clinically normal horse in St Joseph County in September. The age-specific antibody prevalence for Cache Valley virus indicated enzootic transmission in the study area. The high antibody prevalence and the lack of age-specific antibody prevalence indicated sporadic, but intense, exposure to Jamestown Canyon virus. Low prevalences of antibod...
Ward MP, Brady TH, Couëtil LL, Liljebjelke K, Maurer JJ, Wu CC.An outbreak of salmonellosis in a population of hospitalized horses resulted in the closure of a teaching hospital for a period of 10 weeks. Fecal samples were collected from suspected cases and cultured for Salmonella. Salmonella isolates were characterized using antimicrobial susceptibility testing, pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and phage typing. Thirty-three cases of infection by a multidrug-resistant strain of S. typhimurium were detected. The index case was admitted on 26 August 1999. Fifteen (45%) cases occurred between April and June 2000. PFGE results suggested that this stra...
van der Meide NM, Meulenbroeks C, van Altena C, Schurink A, Ducro BJ, Wagner B, Leibold W, Rohwer J, Jacobs F, van Oldruitenborgh-Oosterbaan MM....Insect bite hypersensitivity (IBH) is an allergic dermatitis in horses caused by the bites of Culicoides species. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the applicability of whole body extracts of C. obsoletus (the main species found feeding on horses in the Netherlands), C. nubeculosus (rarely found in The Netherlands) and C. sonorensis (typical for North America) for diagnosis of IBH in horses in The Netherlands. Blood and serum samples of 10 clinically confirmed IBH affected and 10 healthy control horses were used to evaluate the IgE titers (ELISA) against the Culicoides whole body ex...
Pusterla N, Mapes S, Akana N, Barnett C, MacKenzie C, Gaughan E, Craig B, Chappell D, Vaala W.The objective of the present case-control study was to determine prevalence factors associated with the detection of equine herpesvirus type 1 (EHV-1) by quantitative PCR (qPCR) in horses presented to veterinarians with clinical signs related to an upper respiratory tract infection and/or acute onset of neurological disease from March 2008 to December 2014. Nasal secretions and whole blood from 4228 equids with acute onset of fever, respiratory signs and/or neurological deficits were tested by qPCR for EHV-1. Categorical analyses were performed to determine the association between observations...
Villa L, Gazzonis AL, Álvarez-García G, Diezma-Díaz C, Zanzani SA, Manfredi MT.Among Apicomplexa protozoa infecting equids, Besnoitia spp., Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora spp. represent important issues from a sanitary and zootechnical viewpoint. However, only scarce epidemiological data are available on the spread of the infections in horses and donkeys in Europe. Therefore, a serosurvey was planned to estimate the prevalence of these Sarcocystidae species in Italian equids. Serum samples from 268 horses and 18 donkeys raised in Italy were collected and serologically analyzed to detect anti-Besnoitia spp., anti-T. gondii and anti-Neospora spp. antibodies: an approach ba...
Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) is a zoonotic flaviviral infection that is a growing public health concern in European countries. The aims of this research were to detect and characterize tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) in Ixodes ricinus ticks at presumed natural foci in Serbia, and to determine seroprevalence of TBEV IgG antibodies in humans and animals. A total of 500 I. ricinus ticks were examined for the presence of TBEV by real-time RT-PCR, and conventional nested PCR and sequencing. To determine TBEV seroprevalence, 267 human sera samples were collected, as were 200 sera samples from ...
Samina I, Havenga M, Koudstaal W, Khinich Y, Koldijk M, Malkinson M, Simanov M, Perl S, Gijsbers L, Weverling GJ, Uytdehaag F, Goudsmit J.Studies were performed with an inactivated vaccine against the mosquito-borne flavivirus, West Nile virus (WNV). The mammalian cell line, PER.C6, was selected as the platform for WNV growth since both the neurovirulent strains NY99 and ISR98 that cause epidemics in humans and high mortality in geese, respectively, could be propagated to high titers (10(9) to 10(10)TCID(50)/ml) on these cells. Based on the high DNA homology of the WNV envelope (E) protein and non-structural protein 5 (NS5), and identical neurovirulence in mice and geese, we concluded that NY99 and ISR98 viruses are closely rela...
Konkle DM, Nelson KM, Lunn DP.An outbreak of cryptosporidiosis occurred at a veterinary hospital, involving multiple species, including humans. The index case was an infected dairy calf that presented with diarrhea. Several other cases of cryptosporidial diarrhea subsequently developed during a 1-month period. The key features of this outbreak were the multiple species affected, the increased morbidity in immunocompromised neonates, and the failure of implemented control measures to contain the disease.
Traversa D, Iorio R, Capelli G, Paoletti B, Bartolini R, Otranto D, Giangaspero A.Gastric habronemosis of horses caused by Habronema microstoma and Habronema muscae (Nematoda, Spirurida) is characterized by catarrhal gastritis, diarrhoea, progressive weight loss and ulcers. Despite its importance in the equine industry and in clinical practice, knowledge of the epidemiology of this infection is still incomplete as diagnosis in live animals is challenging. A two-step semi-nested PCR assay using ribosomal DNA (rDNA) markers has recently been used for the molecular diagnosis in vivo of gastric habronemosis based on the detection of H. microstoma and/or H. muscae DNA in equine ...
Stojecki K, Sroka J, Cencek T, Dutkiewicz J.Faecal samples from 297 farm animals were collected from 18 households in distinct sites of the Łęczyńsko-Włodawskie Lake District of eastern Poland. They included samples from 86 cattle (Bos taurus), 84 pigs (Sus scrofa f. domestica), 81 sheep (Ovis aries), 10 horses (Equus caballus), and 36 dogs (Canis lupus familiaris). The samples were examined for the presence of Giardia intestinalis by the Direct Fluorescence Assay (DFA) and semi-nested PCR. All amplicons were sequenced on both strands. By DFA, cysts of Giardia spp. were detected in 66 of 297 faecal samples (22.2%). Positive specimen...
Pusterla N, Mapes S, Wilson WD.The objective of this study was to detect and characterise the biovar of equine herpesvirus type 1 (EHV-1) from submandibular lymph nodes (SMLNs) and trigeminal ganglia from 153 equids undergoing routine postmortem examination for various medical and surgical reasons. A combination of nucleic acid precipitation and preamplification steps was used to increase the analytical sensitivity of the analysis. The presence of latent EHV-1 was determined when tissue samples were PCR-positive for the glycoprotein B (gB) gene and the DNA polymerase (ORF 30) gene of EHV-1 in the absence of detectable late ...
Holyoak GR, Little TV, McCollam WH, Timoney PJ.The relationship between stage of reproductive tract maturity and susceptibility to the experimental establishment of persistent infection with equine arteritis virus (EAV) was investigated in 21 prepubertal and 15 peripubertal colts. Five of six prepubertal colts inoculated intranasally remained infected in the reproductive tract from post-challenge day 28 to 93 and two of six from post-challenge day 120 to 180. No virus was detected in five of these animals killed on post-challenge day 210. Each of two peripubertal colts remained infected in the reproductive tract at post-challenge day 60 an...
Busechian S, Sgorbini M, Orvieto S, Pisello L, Zappulla F, Briganti A, Nocera I, Conte G, Rueca F.Equine gastric ulcer syndrome (EGUS) affects various categories of horses worldwide. This syndrome is now divided into two different diseases, based on the presence of lesions on either the squamous (Equine Squamous Gastric Disease, ESGD) or the glandular (Equine Glandular Gastric Disease, EGGD) mucosa. Diagnosis is based on the evaluation of the presence of gastric lesions with gastroscopic examination. As a gastroscopy can be considered expensive by clients, therapy is started often on the basis of clinical signs only. The aim of this study was to validate a questionnaire to detect the risk ...
Palmer DG, Lyon J, Palmer MA, Forshaw D.To determine the specificity and sensitivity of a commercial copro-antigen ELISA for the detection of Fasciola hepatica infection in cattle and sheep and to assess the suitability of the test for use in horses. Methods: Testing was done on more than 100 negative faecal samples from each of sheep, cattle and horses and on at least 40 positive faecal samples from each species. Positive samples were selected based on a positive sedimentation test for liver fluke eggs. Faecal samples of animals from Western Australia, which is free of liver fluke infection, served as negative controls. Specificity...
Knott LE, Fonseca-Martinez BA, O'Connor AM, Goodrich LR, McIlwraith CW, Colbath AC.To evaluate the use of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), autologous conditioned serum (ACS), platelet-rich plasma (PRP), and autologous protein solution (APS) for the treatment of equine musculoskeletal disease by diplomates of the American College of Veterinary Surgery (ACVS), and American College of Veterinary Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation (ACVSMR). Methods: Cross-sectional study. Methods: Diplomates (n = 423). Methods: An email link was sent to ACVS and ACVMR diplomates. A survey contained 59 questions regarding demographics, as well as indications, frequency, adverse effects, and limit...
Journal of medical entomologyAugust 9, 2006
Volume 43, Issue 4 762-773 doi: 10.1603/0022-2585(2006)43[762:DACOBB]2.0.CO;2
Morshed MG, Scott JD, Fernando K, Geddes G, McNabb A, Mak S, Durden LA.The blacklegged tick, Ixodes scapularis Say (Acari: Ixodidae), has a wide geographical distribution in Ontario, Canada, with a detected range extending at least as far north as the 50th parallel. Our data of 591 adult I. scapularis submissions collected from domestic animals (canines, felines, and equines) and humans during a 10-yr period (1993-2002) discloses a monthly questing activity in Ontario that peaks in May and October. The Lyme disease spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi Johnson, Schmidt, Hyde, Steigerwalt & Brenner was detected in 12.9% of I. scapularis adults collected from domesti...
Boucheikhchoukh M, Mechouk N, Benakhla A, Raoult D, Parola P.The sheep ked, Melophagus ovinus, and the forest fly, Hippobosca equina, are parasitic dipteran insects of veterinary importance. As hematophagous insects, they might be considered as potential vectors of diseases which may be transmissible to humans and animals. The purpose of this study was to present initial primary data about these two species in Algeria. To do so, we conducted a molecular survey to detect the presence of bacterial DNA in flies collected in Algeria. A total of 712 flies including, 683 Melophagus ovinus and 29 Hippobosca equina were collected from two regions in northeaster...
Acton AS, Gaw CE, Chounthirath T, Smith GA.Horse-related injuries can cause severe morbidity and mortality. The objective of this study is to investigate the epidemiological features of horse-related injuries treated in emergency departments (EDs) in the United States. A retrospective analysis of horse-related injuries from 1990 through 2017 was conducted utilizing the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS). Cases were identified using the NEISS code 1239 (Horseback Riding: Activity, Apparel, or Equipment). Analyses performed included calculation of national injury estimates, relative risks (RRs) with 95% confidence int...
Durham AE, Clarke BR, Potier JFN, Hammarstrand R, Malone GL.Pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID) is commonly investigated using plasma ACTH concentrations but problems exist with currently available diagnostic thresholds. Objective: To derive temporally specific diagnostic thresholds for equine plasma ACTH concentration to be used alongside clinical judgement in each individual week of the year and appropriate for the degree of clinical suspicion in any given case. Furthermore, to apply these thresholds to compare the prevalence of high and low ACTH in two subgroups of animals with high and low clinical suspicion of PPID. Methods: A retrospecti...
Hamond C, Martins G, Lawson-Ferreira R, Medeiros MA, Lilenbaum W.The objective of this study was to demonstrate the presence of leptospires in equine urine, as evidence for a potential role of horses in transmission of this organism. Thoroughbred horses (aged 2-5 years, n = 276) from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, were studied. After a severe storm, the premises of the animals remained flooded for 72 h. Blood samples for serology were collected on days 20 and 35 (day of storm = day 0). On day 20, 132 (47·8%) horses were seroreactive (titre ≥200) and, of these, 23 (31·0%) had increased antibody titres on day 35. Furthermore, 34 urine samples (for PCR and cultur...
Petinaki E, Spiliopoulou I.Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) remains one of the most virulent human pathogens and has also recently been recognized as such in the veterinary settings. Companion animals, including dogs, cats, horses, small exotic animals, wildlife animals, and livestock, may constitute a reservoir for MRSA transmission to humans and vice versa. The evolution, emergence, and risk factors for MRSA transmission among colonized or infected animals are reviewed in the present paper, and infection control practices are discussed.
Alvarez IJ, Fort M, Pasucci J, Moreno F, Gimenez H, Näslund K, Hägglund S, Zohari S, Valarcher JF.Influenza D virus (IDV) is considered a new agent involved in bovine respiratory disease (BRD). Based on seroprevalence studies or isolation from clinical samples, this virus has been detected on several continents and in several animal species, including cattle, pigs, camel, horses, and goats. We used an indirect in-house ELISA to detect anti-IDV antibodies in 165 serum samples from bulls on 116 farms in the province of La Pampa, Argentina. Eighty-five of 116 (73%) farms had at least 1 positive animal, and 112 of 165 (68%) of the analyzed samples were positive. There were no significant diffe...
Tsachev I, Gospodinova K, Pepovich R, Takova K, Kundurzhiev T, Zahmanova G, Kaneva K, Baymakova M.In recent years, hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection has been found to be widespread among different animal species worldwide. In Bulgaria, high HEV seropositivity was found among pigs (60.3%), wild boars (40.8%), and East Balkan swine (82.5%). The aim of the present study was to establish the seroprevalence of HEV among dogs, cats, horses, cattle, sheep, and goats in Bulgaria. In total, 720 serum samples from six animal species were randomly collected: dogs-90 samples; cats-90; horses-180; cattle-180; sheep-90; and goats-90. The serum samples were collected from seven districts of the country: ...
Silveira I, Martins TF, Olegário MM, Peterka C, Guedes E, Ferreira F, Labruna MB.A previous study in Paulicéia Municipality, south-eastern Brazil, reported 9.7% of the Amblyomma triste ticks to be infected by Rickettsia parkeri, a bacterial pathogen that causes spotted fever in humans. These A. triste ticks were shown to be associated with marsh areas, where the marsh deer Blastocerus dichotomus is a primary host for this tick species. During 2008-2009, blood serum samples were collected from 140 horses, 41 dogs, 5 opossums (Didelphis albiventris) and 26 humans in farms from Pauliceia Municipality. Ticks were collected from these animals, from vegetation and from addition...
