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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.
Burkholderia mallei: The dynamics of networks and disease transmission. Glanders is a highly infectious zoonotic disease caused by Burkholderia mallei. The transmission of B. mallei occurs mainly by direct contact, and horses are the natural reservoir. Therefore, the identification of infection sources within horse populations and animal movements is critical to enhance disease control. Here, we analysed the dynamics of horse movements from 2014 to 2016 using network analysis in order to understand the flow of animals in two hierarchical levels, municipalities and farms. The municipality-level network was used to investigate both community clustering and the bala...
Molecular characterisation of equid alphaherpesvirus 1 strains isolated from aborted fetuses in Poland. Equid alphaherpesvirus 1 (EHV-1) is one of the main infectious causative agents of abortion in mares and can also be associated with stillbirth, neonatal foal death, rhinopneumonitis in young horses and a neurological disorder called equine herpesvirus myeloencephalopathy (EHM). The neuropathogenicity of the virus was shown to be significantly higher in EHV-1 strains that carry a single nucleotide point (SNP) mutation in the ORF30, which encodes a catalytic subunit of viral DNA polymerase (ORF30 D). Another gene, ORF68 is frequently used for phylogenetic analysis of EHV-1. 27 EHV-1 strains iso...
Cloning and Expression of Immunogenic Regions of EMA-1 Gene of Theileria equi From Infected Horses. Diversity among the pathogenic strains of Theileria equi (T. equi), a major agent of equine piroplasmosis, can affect the appropriate detection of parasite and host immunization. Production of recombinant surface proteins from an infected horse in natural endemic area provides a reliable tool for immunodiagnosis of parasite. Regarding this, the present study was targeted toward the cloning, expression, and purification of the immunogenic regions of equine merozoite antigen 1 (EMA-1 gene), as one of the most important immunodominant surface proteins in T. equi, from naturally infected horses in...
Meta-analysis of risk factors for racehorse catastrophic musculoskeletal injury in flat racing. Studies of racehorse injury or fatality in various countries have identified common, and in some cases conflicting, risk factors. We conducted a systematic search of the relevant literature published from 1990 to 2017. Peer-reviewed articles were included if they reported the incidence of fatal or catastrophic musculoskeletal injury (CMI) in Thoroughbred flat races (n=21) or risk factors for CMI (n=65). Pooled effect sizes were estimated using the random-effects DerSimonian-Laird model. The pooled incidence of CMI was 1.17 (95% confidence interval 0.90, 1.44) per 1000 race starts. Almost 300 f...
Management factors and clinical implications of glandular and squamous gastric disease in horses. To date, risk factors for equine glandular gastric disease (EGGD) have not been described in Thoroughbred racehorses. Objective: To determine management factors associated with EGGD, identify clinical signs in affected horses, and compare these to equine squamous gastric disease (ESGD). Methods: The study was carried out on 109 Thoroughbred racehorses from 8 training yards (3 in the United Kingdom and 5 in Australia). Methods: Gastroscopic examination alongside a questionnaire regarding management, feeding, exercise, and health. Results: Management factors and clinical signs were different for...
Evaluation of dynamic testing for pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction diagnosis in donkeys. Endocrine disorders are common in donkeys. Pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID) is thought to be a frequent disturbance in donkeys due to their longevity. However, information on PPID dynamic testing in donkeys is lacking. Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the previously described guidelines for PPID diagnosis in horses in donkeys with suspicion of PPID. Methods: Prospective experimental study. Methods: Eighty donkeys were evaluated for PPID suspicion based on clinical signs and baseline adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) concentrations. Six mix-breed donkeys (one ...
Isolation and comparison of Arcanobacterium hippocoleae isolates from the genital tract of 15 mares. The present study reports the isolation of A. hippocoleae from genital swabs of 15 apparently healthy mares (at least one had an abortion one month earlier) and describes the genotypic and phenotypic characterisation of these strains. The mares were of eight different breeds with a thoroughbred dominance and came from 11 breeding farms located in the French region of Brittany. 16S rRNA gene sequencing confirmed the species' identification by comparing it with reference strain A. hippocoleae CIP 106850. Some degree of natural divergence within A. hippocoleae was observed by 16S rRNA sequencing ...
Initial antimicrobial treatment of foals with sepsis: Do our choices make a difference? The study objectives were to provide cumulative antimicrobial susceptibility data at the patient level and to evaluate the effect of initial antimicrobial treatment on survival in foals with sepsis. Foals below 30days of age with a diagnosis of sepsis, confirmed by isolation of bacteria from normally sterile sites on the day of hospital admission, were included. Susceptibility testing was performed using the broth microdilution procedure. In total, 213 foals and 306 bacterial isolates were included. The likelihood of survival for foals from which all bacteria were susceptible to the initial an...
Track Surfaces Used for Ridden Workouts and Alternatives to Ridden Exercise for Thoroughbred Horses in Race Training. Little is known about the types of surfaces used during training of Thoroughbred racehorses or methods of exercise used in addition to ridden track-work. Our aims were to (1) describe the types of surfaces used in the training of Thoroughbred racehorses and to (2) identify alternative approaches used to exercise horses in addition to, or in place of, ridden overground track-work. Information regarding surface and alternative exercise methods was collected as part of an in-person survey of training practices of 66 registered Thoroughbred trainers in Victoria, Australia. Sand and synthetic surfa...
Bone marrow lesions of the distal condyles of the third metacarpal bone are common and not always related to lameness in sports and pleasure horses. The metacarpophalangeal joint is a common site of pain in horses. Little information is available about bone marrow lesions in the distal condyles of the third metacarpal bone in sports and pleasure horses. Aims of this prospective, retrospective, observational study were to evaluate the prevalence of bone marrow lesions in the distal condyles of the third metacarpal bone, to describe their anatomic distribution and to correlate lesions with the presence of lameness and the level and type of activity. All sports and pleasure horses undergoing standing low-field MRI of the front fetlock region ...
Comparison of the dynamic networks of four equine boarding and training facilities. Contact networks can be analyzed to assess the potential for disease spread throughout the network. The lack of Canadian facility-level equine contact data makes the characterization of the equine contact structure difficult. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to use empirical contact data to characterize and compare equine network characteristics between equine facilities in Ontario. Contact pattern data from 4 equine facilities were collected using radio-frequency identification tags. The collected data were used to form 7 static contact networks (1 for each study day) for each facilit...
Surveillance of animal diseases through implementation of a Bayesian spatio-temporal model: A simulation example with neurological syndromes in horses and West Nile Virus. A potentially sensitive way to detect disease outbreaks is syndromic surveillance, i.e. monitoring the number of syndromes reported in the population of interest, comparing it to the baseline rate, and drawing conclusions about outbreaks using statistical methods. A decision maker may use the results to take disease control actions or to initiate enhanced epidemiological investigations. In addition to the total count of syndromes there are often additional pieces of information to consider when assessing the probability of an outbreak. This includes clustering of syndromes in space and time as...
A Survey-Based Investigation of Human Factors Associated With Transport Related Injuries in Horses. Injuries resulting from road transport are common in horses and are a potential welfare concern, as well as, a source of economic loss. An online cross sectional survey was used to determine the prevalence of road transport related injuries to horses in New Zealand and the association of human factors including demographics, industry background, training and the horse handling experience of the respondents with transport related injury. The survey generated 1133 valid responses that were analyzed using descriptive statistics, univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis. At least o...
Veterinary Public Health Activities and Management of the Livestock Sector during Earthquakes and Snowstorms in the Abruzzo Region-Italy, January 2017. In 2017 the Abruzzo region, located in central Italy, was struck by a sequence of four moderately powerful seismic events (5.0 magnitude on Richter scale), in addition to heavy snowfall that caused a state of emergency affecting the resident population and farm animals. A total of 282 stables were reported to have collapsed or been damaged and several animals (224 cows, 4025 ewes, 40,725 chickens, 22 horses and 3092 pigs) were killed. The Istituto Zooprofilattico of Abruzzo and Molise "G. Caporale" (IZSAM)-National Reference Center for Veterinary Urban Hygiene and Non-Epidemic Emergencies (IUV...
Spread of the emerging equine-like G3P[8] DS-1-like genetic backbone rotavirus strain in Brazil and identification of potential genetic variants. In 2013, the equine-like G3P[8] DS-1-like rotavirus (RVA) strain emerged worldwide. In 2016, this strain was reported in northern Brazil. The aims of the study were to conduct a retrospective genetic investigation to identify the possible entry of these atypical strains in Brazil and to describe their distribution across a representative area of the country. From 2013 to 2017, a total of 4226 faecal samples were screened for RVA by ELISA, PAGE, RT-PCR and sequencing. G3P[8] represented 20.9 % (167/800) of all RVA-positive samples, further subdivided as equine-like G3P[8], DS-1-like (11.0 %...
Colic in the British military working horse population: a retrospective analysis. Colic is a common and potentially life-threatening condition of horses. Multiple risk factors have been previously identified and it is known that a careful management routine can help reduce colic rates. The British military working horse population represents a unique cohort of horses that are intensively managed with a strict regimen. This retrospective study examined the incidence and mortality rate of colic within this population, as well as the signalment of affected horses, and compared these with the general population. Data for 717 horses over a five-year period (2008-2012) were analy...
Ex vivo radiocontrast description of the caudal epigastric arteries in horses. To determine the location of the deep and superficial caudal epigastric arteries in relation to 3 midline positions and the relationship between the location of these arteries, body circumference, and body condition score. Methods: Descriptive anatomical study. Methods: Nine horses, aged 1-28 years (mean 10.61 ± 8.89 SD). Methods: Body condition score and body circumference were measured prior to euthanasia. Angiographic studies of the deep and superficial caudal epigastric arteries were performed on resected abdominal walls. The distances between the deep and the superficial caudal epiga...
The prevalence of Gasterophilus intestinalis (Diptera: Oestridae) in donkeys (Equus asinus) in Egypt with special reference to larvicidal effects of neem seed oil extract (Azadirachta indica) on third stage larvae. larvae are of veterinary and medical importance caused specific equine intestinal myiasis. (Botfly larvae) had a wide geographical distribution. The present study explores the prevalence rate of 3 stage larvae in Egypt from January- December 2017; besides, in vitro trials to control of this larvae and evaluation of this trial using Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) and histopathology of treated larvae. In the present study, the 3 larval stage of was found in clusters in the epithelium of the investigated stomach and infested with prevalence rate 97.2%. The highest collected numbers of lar...
A multinested PCR for detection of the equine piroplasmids Babesia caballi and Theileria equi. Two haemoparasites, Theileria equi and Babesia caballi, cause equine piroplasmosis (EP), one of the most prevalent tick-borne diseases in horses. The main aim of the present study was to develop and evaluate a multinested PCR (mn-PCR) for simultaneous detection of the equine piroplasmids T. equi and B. caballi, by amplification of five genetic markers (18S rRNA, β-tubulin, cytB, EMA-1 and RAP-1). This novel assay detected a high prevalence of equine piroplasmids in 235 horse blood samples collected in Castilla-León and Extremadura, Spain. The overall prevalence of infection with equine pirop...
Rapid detection of equine infectious anaemia virus nucleic acid by insulated isothermal RT-PCR assay to aid diagnosis under field conditions. Control of equine infectious anaemia (EIA) currently depends on serological diagnosis of infected equids. However, recently infected equids may not produce detectable anti-EIAV antibodies up to 157 days post infection and so present a high transmission risk. Therefore, direct nucleic acid detection methods are urgently needed to improve EIAV surveillance and management programs in counties where the disease is endemic. Objective: To evaluate a field-deployable, reverse transcription-insulated isothermal PCR (RT-iiPCR) assay targeting the conserved 5' untranslated region (5' UTR)/exon 1 of the ...
Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis Analysis of Bacteria in Italian Ticks and First Detection of Streptococcus equi in Rhipicephalus bursa from the Lazio Region. Tick-borne diseases are an increasing problem for the community. Ticks harbor a complex microbial population acquired while feeding on a variety of animals. Profiling the bacterial population by 16S rDNA amplification and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis enables detection of the broad spectrum of bacteria that settles in the ticks. This study identified known and unknown tick-infecting bacteria in samples from Italy. Seven adult ticks from different hosts and origins were analyzed: two ticks from dogs (Lombardia), two ticks from bovines (Lazio), and three ticks from humans (Marche). ...
Equine piroplasmosis status in the UK: an assessment of laboratory diagnostic submissions and techniques. Equine piroplasmosis (EP) has historically been of minor concern to UK equine practitioners, primarily due to a lack of competent tick vectors. However, increased detection of EP tick vector species in the UK has been reported recently. EP screening is not currently required for equine importation, and when combined with recent relaxations in movement regulations, there is an increased risk regarding disease incursion and establishment into the UK. This study evaluated the prevalence of EP by both serology and PCR among 1242 UK equine samples submitted for EP screening between February and Dec...
Detection of Salmonella from animal sources in South Africa between 2007 and 2014. Retrospective laboratory-based surveillance was conducted on Salmonella serotypes isolated from various animal species from 2007 to 2014 at the Agricultural Research Council, Onderstepoort Veterinary Research Institute, South Africa. During the surveillance period, 1229 salmonellae isolations were recorded. Around 108 different serotypes were recovered from nine different food and non-food animal host species. The three most common serotypes were Salmonella entericasubspecies enterica serotype Heidelberg (n = 200), Salmonella enterica subspecies enterica serotype Enteritidis (n = 17...
West Nile virus infection in horses in Saudi Arabia (in 2013-2015). West Nile virus (WNV) is an important emerging zoonotic arbovirus giving rise to clinical syndromes of varying severity in humans and horses. Culex mosquitoes are the main vector. Although WNV has been reported in many countries in the Middle East and Asia, little is known about its prevalence in equine populations in the Arabian Peninsula. We have carried out a serological study on 200 horses to assess WNV infection in the Eastern and Central regions of Saudi Arabia in 2013-2015. Sera were tested for the presence of WNV antibodies in parallel using a commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent ass...
A prospective study on insect bite hypersensitivity in horses exported from Iceland into Switzerland. Insect bite hypersensitivity (IBH) is an IgE-mediated dermatitis caused by bites of Culicoides spp., which occurs frequently in horses imported from Iceland to continental Europe. IBH does not occur in Iceland because Culicoides species that bite horses are not present. However, Simulium vittatum (S. vittatum) are found in Iceland. In Europe, blood basophils from IBH-affected horses release significantly more sulfidoleukotrienes (sLT) than those from healthy controls after in vitro stimulation with Culicoides nubeculosus (C. nubeculosus) and S. vittatum. Aims of the study were: (I) using the s...
Foal-Level Risk Factors Associated With Development of Rhodococcus equi Pneumonia at a Quarter Horse Breeding Farm. The occurrence of Rhodococcus equi at farms varies, with disease occurring endemically at some farms, but only sporadically, or not at all at other farms. Only some foals residing on endemic farms develop clinical signs of disease. Limited evidence is available regarding foal-level risk factors for the development of R. equi pneumonia. The purpose of this study was to identify foal-level risk factors associated with the development of R. equi pneumonia among foals at a large breeding farm in Texas with a recurrent problem of R. equi pneumonia. A retrospective cohort study was conducted usin...
West Nile virus associated with equid encephalitis in Brazil, 2018. Mosquito-borne arboviruses are a major public health concern worldwide and are responsible for emerging and re-emerging diseases. Taken together, the arboviruses have a strong impact on public health and are the most common causes of equine encephalitis. In-depth diagnostic investigation of equine viral encephalitis is of utmost importance for the epidemiological surveillance and control of this disease. Regarding neurological disorders in equids, in April-May 2018, at least 12 cases of equid mortality with acute neurological signs were reported in six farms from Espirito Santo state, Brazil. ...
Epidemiological characterization of incident cases of Rickettsia infection in rural areas of Urabá region, Colombia. Most of the studies related to rickettsial infection in Colombia are cross-sectional because of the challenge in conducting prospective studies on infectious disease that may have a difficult diagnosis. Although cross-sectional studies are essential to detect people exposed to rickettsiae, they are not suited to demonstrate the recent circulation of this pathogen in areas at risk of transmission. To characterize the epidemiology of incident cases of Spotted fever group (SFG) rickettsial infection in humans and equines from rural areas of Urabá region in Colombia where outbreaks of rickettsiae...
Global distribution data for cattle, buffaloes, horses, sheep, goats, pigs, chickens and ducks in 2010. Global data sets on the geographic distribution of livestock are essential for diverse applications in agricultural socio-economics, food security, environmental impact assessment and epidemiology. We present a new version of the Gridded Livestock of the World (GLW 3) database, reflecting the most recently compiled and harmonized subnational livestock distribution data for 2010. GLW 3 provides global population densities of cattle, buffaloes, horses, sheep, goats, pigs, chickens and ducks in each land pixel at a spatial resolution of 0.083333 decimal degrees (approximately 10 km at the equat...
A 9-Year Epidemiologic Study (2007-2015) on Race-Day Jockey Fall and Injury Incidence in Amateur Irish Horse Racing. Point-to-point racing may place jockeys at risk of serious injuries due to the high incidence of falls as previously reported. Despite many advances in health and safety strategies, the incidence of falls and injuries in point-to-point racing has not been reported since 2006. Objective: To provide a longitudinal analysis of the fall and injury incidence in point-to-point horse racing jockeys in Ireland from 2007 to 2015 and compare these findings with the previous literature. Methods: Descriptive epidemiologic study. Methods: All injuries that occurred due to a fall at every official point-to-...
