Equids are members of the family Equidae, which includes modern horses, donkeys, and zebras, as well as extinct species. Equids are characterized by their long limbs, single-toed hooves, and herbivorous diet, which is primarily composed of grasses. Horses, specifically, have been domesticated for thousands of years and have played significant roles in agriculture, transportation, and sport. This page compiles peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore various aspects of equids and horses, including their evolution, physiology, behavior, and interactions with humans. The collected works provide insights into the genetic diversity, adaptive traits, and conservation efforts related to equid species.
Wenker C, Hoby S, Steck BL, Ramsauer AS, Blatter S, Tobler K.Equine sarcoids (ES) were diagnosed in 12 Somali wild asses (SWA) () from 10 different institutions of the SWA European Endangered Species Programme from 1976 to 2019. Samples of surgically excised masses, biopsies, or necropsy samples were submitted for histologic and virologic analysis. In addition, tissue samples from one onager (), one kulan (), and two Hartmann's mountain zebras (HMZ) () were examined. Histology confirmed the diagnosis of ES exhibiting the typical microscopic features. Polymerase chain reaction detected bovine papillomavirus type 1 (BPV1) DNA in eight SWA samples and bovi...
Fornal A, Kowalska K, Zabek T, Piestrzynska-Kajtoch A, Musiał AD, Ropka-Molik K.The aim of the conservation programme is to maintain the population size of endangered livestock breeds of less economic importance at a level that ensures the survival of the breed, the preservation of genetic diversity, and the preservation of as many pedigree lines as possible. The Polish Konik, a native Polish primitive-type horse breed and is one of the breeds included in such a programme in Poland. Presently, there are only 16 (of the 35 maternal lines known in 1962), some of which are endangered. We examined the genetic variability and structure of the Polish Konik maternal lines (176 i...
Lagos J, Rojas M, Rodrigues JB, Tadich T.Mules are essential for pack work in mountainous areas, but there is a lack of research on this species. This study intends to assess the perceptions, attitudes, empathy and pain perception of soldiers about mules, to understand the type of human-mule relationship. For this, a survey was applied with closed-ended questions where the empathy and pain perception tools were included and later analyzed through correlations. Open-ended questions were analyzed through text mining. A total of 73 soldiers were surveyed. They had a wide range of ages and years of experience working with equids. Signifi...
Taylor WTT, Barrón-Ortiz CI.Despite its transformative impact on human history, the early domestication of the horse (Equus caballus) remains exceedingly difficult to trace in the archaeological record. In recent years, a scientific consensus emerged linking the Botai culture of northern Kazakhstan with the first domestication of horses, based on compelling but largely indirect archaeological evidence. A cornerstone of the archaeological case for domestication at Botai is damage to the dentition commonly linked with the use of bridle mouthpieces, or "bit wear." Recent archaeogenetic analyses reveal, however, that horse r...
Nunes JDSDSS, Casseb LMN, Guimarães RJPS, Reis WDM, de Barros BCV, Ferreira MS, Chiang JO, Pinheiro HHC, Vasconcelos PFDC, Cruz ACR.Serum samples from 89 equids were analyzed (75 horses, 9 donkeys, and 5 mules) from the municipality of Viseu, Pará state, Brazil. Samples were collected in November 2014 and August 2015. The antibody prevalence against the following alphaviruses was estimated: Eastern equine encephalitis virus, Western equine encephalitis virus, Mucambo virus, and Mayaro virus. Seroprevalence was determined by the hemagglutination inhibition (HI) technique. Sera that exhibited HI antibodies with heterotypic reactions for the analyzed viruses were subjected to the 90% plaque reduction neutralization test (PRN...
Badenhorst M, de Heus P, Auer A, Tegtmeyer B, Stang A, Dimmel K, Tichy A, Kubacki J, Bachofen C, Steinmann E, Cavalleri JMV.Equine parvovirus-hepatitis (EqPV-H) research is in its infancy. Information regarding prevalence, geographical distribution, genetic diversity, pathogenesis and risk factors enhances understanding of this potentially fatal infection. Objective: Determining the prevalence of EqPV-H in Austrian equids. Investigating factors increasing probability of infection, liver-associated biochemistry parameters, concurrent equine hepacivirus (EqHV) infection and phylogenetic analysis of Austrian EqPV-H variants. Methods: Cross-sectional study. Methods: Sera from 259 horses and 13 donkeys in Austria were a...
Rasche A, Lehmann F, Goldmann N, Nagel M, Moreira-Soto A, Nobach D, de Oliveira Carneiro I, Osterrieder N, Greenwood AD, Steinmann E, Lukashev AN....Preclinical testing of novel therapeutics for chronic hepatitis B (CHB) requires suitable animal models. Equids host homologs of hepatitis C virus (HCV). Because coinfections of hepatitis B virus (HBV) and HCV occur in humans, we screened 2,917 specimens from equids from five continents for HBV. We discovered a distinct HBV species (Equid HBV, EqHBV) in 3.2% of donkeys and zebras by PCR and antibodies against EqHBV in 5.4% of donkeys and zebras. Molecular, histopathological, and biochemical analyses revealed that infection patterns of EqHBV resembled those of HBV in humans, including hepatotro...
Villa L, Gazzonis AL, Diezma-Diaz C, Perlotti C, Zanzani SA, Ferrucci F, Álvarez-García G, Manfredi MT.Besnoitiosis is an emerging parasitic disease of equids. Italy is one of the few European countries where the circulation of Besnoitia spp. antibodies was demonstrated. In this study, a case of clinical besnoitiosis in two donkeys in northern Italy is reported. The two animals were clinically examined. Serum and blood samples were analyzed for the detection of Besnoitia spp. antibodies and for hematology, biochemistry, and enzyme activity, respectively. ITS-1 PCR and sequencing were carried out on DNA extracted from skin biopsies. Clinical examination revealed numerous scleral pearls in eyes o...
Mirror self-recognition (MSR), investigated in primates and recently in non-primate species, is considered a measure of self-awareness. Nowadays, the only reliable test for investigating MSR potential skills consists in the untrained response to a visual body mark detected using a reflective surface. Here, we report the first evidence of MSR at group level in horses, by facing the weaknesses of methodology present in a previous pilot study. Fourteen horses were used in a 4-phases mirror test (covered mirror, open mirror, invisible mark, visible colored mark). After engaging in a series of cont...
Jastrzębska E, Sadowska J, Wnuk-Pawlak E, Różańska-Boczula M, Janczarek I.This study aimed at assessing the behaviour of Konik geldings and mares, kept in a stable and in a free-range system, during behavioural tests regarded as a determinant of the exploration urge. A total of 19 Konik horses kept in individual stables and in a free-range system were included in the study. The experiment was conducted in five phases separated by five-day breaks. A one-stage passive human test was performed during the first phase, a three-stage active human test-2nd phase, a three-stage unknown object test-3rd phase, a two-stage unknown surface test-4th phase, and a one-stage test o...
Yılgör Çırak V, Girişgin AO.Significant numbers of parasites such as protozoa, helminths and arthropods infest equids. Various investigations have been conducted in Turkey to detect these parasites. In this review, all parasites reported in horses, donkeys and mules have been listed. A total of 62, 52 and 21 helminths were recorded in horses, donkeys and mules, respectively. As protozoan parasites, 13 species were detected both in horses and donkeys, and 3 in mules. With regard to arthropods, 40, 23 and 6 species were detected in horses, donkeys and mules, respectively. In the recent years, various molecular diagnostic m...
Somm F, Suárez Sánchez-Andrade J, Martens A, Zedler ST, Klopfenstein MD, Boswell JC, Bladon BM, Lischer CJ, Richardson DW, Auer JA, Fürst AE....To report on technical aspects and outcomes after scapulohumeral arthrodesis (SHA) with a locking compression plate (LCP) in small equids. Methods: Retrospective multicenter case series. Methods: Client-owned Shetland Ponies, Miniature Shetlands, and American Miniature Horses (n = 15). Methods: Inclusion criteria were completed SHA with an LCP to treat scapulohumeral osteoarthritis/subluxation and availability of postoperative radiographs. Contributing surgeons completed a questionnaire to collect data. All radiographs were reviewed for this study. Follow-up information was obtained via re-a...
Elschner MC, Melzer F, Singha H, Muhammad S, Gardner I, Neubauer H.Glanders, caused by Burkholderia (B.) mallei is a notifiable zoonotic disease in equidae. For international trade and movement of equids, certificates of negative serological test results for antibodies against B. mallei are required. To date, the complement fixation test (CFT) is the mandatory test to issue these health certificates. The CFT is difficult to standardize and, due to its poor specificity, often leads to false-positive reactions resulting in trade restrictions with considerable financial consequences. In the present study, the new ID Screen Glanders Double Antigen Multispecies EL...
Narciso MHPM, da Luz MPF, Maia CM, Filho JNPP.Little is known about the dominance and leadership behaviors in the social structure of mules (Equus caballus × Equus asinus). Based on the frequency of threat and aggressive behaviors, we compared the social structure, dominance, and leadership of independent groups of mules and horses (n = 11 per group), and filmed the frequency of these behaviors over a period of four days. In both groups, aggressions were uncommon and, when based on threats, the social structure was linear and consistent with males ranking higher in dominance. When compared to horses, mules exhibited some agonistic so...
Effa K, Rosenbom S, Han J, Dessie T, Beja-Pereira A.Matrilineal genetic diversity and relationship were investigated among eight morphologically identified native Ethiopian horse populations using polymorphisms in 46 mtDNA D-loop sequences (454 base pairs). The horse populations identified were Abyssinian, Bale, Borana, Horro, Kafa, Kundido feral horses, Ogaden and Selale. Mitochondrial DNA D-loop sequences were characterized by 15 variable sites that defined five different haplotypes. All genetic diversity estimates, including Reynolds' linearized genetic distance, genetic differentiation () and nucleotide sequence divergence (), revealed a lo...
Moss AL, Hritz RL, Hector RC, Wotman KL.To investigate the effects of orally administered trazodone on intraocular pressure (IOP), pupil diameter measured in the vertical plane (ie, vertical pupil diameter [VPD]), selected physical examination variables, and sedation level in healthy equids. Methods: 7 horses and 1 pony. Methods: Food was withheld for 12 hours prior to drug administration. After baseline (time 0) sedation scoring, physical examination, and measurement of IOP and VPD, equids received 1 dose (approx 6 mg/kg) of trazodone orally. Examination and measurement procedures were repeated 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 8, 12, and 24 hours aft...
Marín Navas C, Delgado Bermejo JV, McLean AK, León Jurado JM, Torres ARBYR, Navas González FJ.Genetic diversity and population structure were analyzed using the historical and current pedigree information of the Arabian (PRá), Spanish Purebred (PRE), and Hispano-Arabian (Há) horse breeds. Genetic diversity parameters were computed and a canonical discriminant analysis was used to determine the contributions of ancestor breeds to the genetic diversity of the Há horse. Pedigree records were available for 207,100 animals born between 1884 and 2019. Nei's distances and the equivalent subpopulations number indicated the existence of a highly structured, integrated population for the Há ...
Dockalova H, Zeman L, Horky P.Veterinarians can recommend milk thistle for the treatment of equine liver disease and laminitis. Milk thistle seed cakes were fed in the range of normal feed doses in this study. The milk thistle seed cakes were fed (twice a day) to the experimental group of the horses ( = 5) and biochemical blood markers (TP, Albumin, ALT (alanine transaminase), AST (aspartate transaminase), ALP (alkaline phosphatase), GGT (gamma-glutamyltransferase), Bilirubin, Cholesterol, HDL (high-density lipoprotein), LDL (low-density lipoprotein), TAG (triacylglycerol), BHB (beta-hydroxybutyric acid), NEFA (non-esterif...
Cursino AE, Lima MT, Nogueira MF, de Aguiar DM, Franco Luiz APM, Alves PA, Araujo Junior JP, Kroon EG.The aetiological agent of equine infectious anaemia (EIA) is the retrovirus equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV) that infects all members of the Equidae family. The EIA is widely disseminated in the Brazilian territory with a high seroprevalence in the Brazilian Pantanal and is mainly diagnosed using agar gel immunodiffusion (AGID). There are few complete EIAV genome sequences available in GenBank, which had an impact on molecular detection studies. In this study, we conducted molecular detection and sequencing of EIAV proviral DNA from Brazilian horses. We analysed the genomic region from ex...
Bitschi ML, Bagó Z, Rosati M, Reese S, Goehring LS, Matiasek K.Introduction of new imaging modalities for the equine brain have refocused attention on the horse as a natural model for ethological, neuroanatomical, and neuroscientific investigations. As opposed to imaging studies, strategies for equine neurodissection still lack a structured approach, standardization and reproducibility. In contrast to other species, where adapted protocols for sampling have been published, no comparable guideline is currently available for equids. Hence, we developed a species-specific slice protocol for whole brain vs. hemispheric dissection and tested its applicability ...
Ishii H, Shibuya M, Leung GN, Yamashita S, Yamada M, Kushiro A, Kasashima Y, Okada J, Kawasaki K, Kijima-Suda I.The use of GW1516, a peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor δ (PPAR δ) agonist, is strictly prohibited in both horseracing and equestrian competitions. However, little is known about its metabolic fate in horses. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported metabolic study of GW1516 in equine urine. Methods: Urine samples obtained from a thoroughbred after nasoesophageal administration with GW1516 were protein-precipitated and the supernatants were subsequently analyzed by liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization high-resolution mass spectrometry (LC/ESI-HRMS) with a Q-E...
Hu D, Chao Y, Li Y, Peng X, Wang C, Wang Z, Zhang D, Li K.Many studies on human intestinal microbiota indicate that gender difference is one of the key factors influencing microbial community composition. To date, the degree of influence that gender has on equid intestinal microbiota has not been reported. Thus, microbiota was analyzed in feces of seven female Przewalski's horses (FRPHs) and seven male Przewalski's horses (MRPHs) in this study, determining which microbiota characteristics respond to gender biases. The microbial community composition and structure were explored by 16S rRNA sequencing, followed by diversity analysis and difference anal...
Janczarek I, Wiśniewska A, Chruszczewski MH, Tkaczyk E, Górecka-Bruzda A.We tested the hypothesis that social defensive responses to the vocalisation of a predator still exist in horses. The recordings of a grey wolf, an Arabian leopard and a golden jackal were played to 20 Konik polski and Arabian mares. Durations of grazing, standing still, standing alert and the number of steps in walk and trot/canter were measured. In one-minute scans, the distances of the focal horse from the reference horse (DIST-RH) and from the nearest loudspeaker (DIST-LS) were approximated. The vocalisation of a leopard aroused the Arabians more than the Koniks (less grazing, stand-still ...
Fielding CL, Mayer JR, Dechant JE, Epstein KL, Magdesian KG.Trauma from dog attacks has been associated with mortality rates as high as 23% in some species. However, the prognosis and clinical features of this type of injury have not been described in equids. Objective: To describe survival rate, signalment, clinical features, and biochemical results in equids presented for emergency care after presumed dog attacks. We hypothesized there would be differences between survivors and nonsurvivors. Methods: A total of 28 equids presented for presumed dog attacks from 3 referral centers. Methods: A retrospective study was performed using data from 3 hospital...
Zhang R, Zhang J, Dang W, Irwin DM, Wang Z, Zhang S.The intestinal microbial composition and metabolic functions under normal physiological conditions in the donkey are crucial for health and production performance. However, compared with other animal species, limited information is currently available regarding the intestinal microbiota of donkeys. In the present study, we characterized the biogeography and potential functions of the intestinal digesta- and mucosa-associated microbiota of different segments of the intestine (jejunum, ileum, cecum, and colon) in the donkey, focusing on the differences in the microbial communities between the sm...
Jaworski K, Pankiewicz A, Chrószcz A, Poradowski D.The following article concerns the functional use of horse bones in the early Middle Ages (mainly in the period from the mid of the 10th to the 12th/13th century). The authors try to explain how such remains were used and how common it was. It is also discussed whether the special role of the horse in medieval societies somehow restricted its post-mortem usage, or perhaps there was no difference between the skeletal remains of horses and other species in this regard. For this purpose, statistical calculations on the use of the bones of various mammals were made. Only the remains of the species...
Gethmann D.In the early twentieth century, counting and speaking horses, like the famous Clever Hans or the "Horses of Elberfeld," became widely debated subjects in experimental psychology. The idea was to determine whether their learning success was only a fraud, or if it might open up a new chapter in "animal psychology" - or even belong to the realm of parapsychology and telepathy. When their tricks were discovered, the teachers of the animals were marked as charlatans. Both the attempts to detect charlatans and the efforts to avoid this accusation during the talking horse experiments proceeded using ...
Domino M, Romaszewski M, Jasiński T, Maśko M.Infrared thermography (IRT) is a valuable diagnostic tool in equine veterinary medicine; however, little is known about its application to donkeys. This study aims to find patterns in thermal images of donkeys and horses and determine if these patterns share similarities. The study is carried out on 18 donkeys and 16 horses. All equids undergo thermal imaging with an infrared camera and measurement of the skin thickness and hair coat length. On the class maps of each thermal image, fifteen regions of interest (ROIs) are annotated and then combined into 10 groups of ROIs (GORs). The existence o...
Wubuli A, Su Y, Yao X, Meng J, Wang J, Zeng Y, Li L, Ren W.The Kazakh horse, a versatile breed, is renowned for stable genetic performance and strong tolerance to coarse feed. Sex is a key factor influencing skeletal muscle development. However, the mechanisms underlying sex-specific regulation of equine muscle growth remain obscure. This study employed transcriptomic analysis to investigate sex-associated molecular differences in skeletal muscle of Kazakh horses. The experimental cohort comprised four three-year-old Kazakh stallions and four three-year-old Kazakh mares. After slaughter, six groups of muscle samples were collected immediately, includi...
subsp. (SEZ) is a bacterium that primarily affects horses but can also infect other animals and humans. In 2021-2022, two SEZ outbreaks occurred in Abruzzo, Italy: one in humans linked to unpasteurized cheese (37 cases) and another in donkeys (4 deaths). These events led researchers to investigate SEZ in horses, donkeys, and a mule in the regions of Abruzzo and Molise, focusing on antibiotic resistance and genetic traits. A total of 490 nasal and genital swabs were collected from equids and analyzed for SEZ presence, with 61 positive samples. Isolated strains underwent antimicrobial suscepti...
Klass LG, Diekmann I, Andreotti S, Mbedi S, Sparmann S, Schenk T, Anderson HP, Bellaw J, Nielsen MK, Krücken J, von Samson-Himmelstjerna G.Strongyles, especially non-migratory Strongylidae, are the most common equine gut parasites, and typically occur in mixed infections with 10 - 20 species per host. Current knowledge on strongyle species prevalence and within-host tropism is sparse. Herein species composition of mixed strongyle infections of 12 naturally infected untreated young horses, based on strongyle eggs extracted from faeces, cultured third stage larva and luminal worms collected from ventral and dorsal colon was examined. Species were identified using a cytochrome c oxidase I (COI) metabarcoding approach allowing differ...
Ren W, Zhou J, Zhu J, Zhang J, Zhao X, Yao X.The ovary is among the earliest organs to undergo age-related degeneration, limiting the reproductive potential of elite horses and constraining the growth of the equine industry. Follicular development during estrus is a key determinant of fertility, yet the molecular mechanisms underlying its decline, particularly at the level of specific ovarian cell types, remain poorly understood in equids. Here, we constructed a single-cell transcriptomic atlas to investigate ovarian changes in Kazakh horses. Using single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq), we profiled 112,861 cells from follicle-containing...
Castanheira CIGD, Taylor S, Skiöldebrand E, Rubio-Martinez LM, Hackl M, Clegg PD, Peffers MJ.The aim of this study was to identify differentially expressed microRNAs (miRNAs) in serum and synovial fluid (SF) samples of control horses and those with osteoarthritis (OA) to identify potential candidates for biomarkers of disease. Total RNA was extracted from serum and SF samples of control (n = 4) and OA (n = 9) horses and sequenced. Differential expression analysis, pathway analysis and miRNA target prediction were performed. A group of six miRNAs (eca-miR-199a-3p, eca-miR-148a, eca-miR-99b, eca-miR-146a, eca-miR-423-5p and eca-miR-23b) was selected for validation in an independent coho...
El-Geneady MA, Ramadan RM, Mahdy OA, Kamel MS, Salem MA.Hippobosca equina, a common ectoparasite of horses, poses a significant challenge to equine health worldwide. This study provides a molecular characterization of H. equina and examines its impact on host immune responses and oxidative stress. Genetic analysis of samples from various regions revealed notable homogeneity, indicating limited genetic variation among populations. Phylogenetic analysis demonstrated close genetic relationships among sequences from Egypt, France, Kazakhstan and Portugal, while also showing comparable but more distant identities to sequences from China, Denmark, Finlan...
Migliorisi A, Hassel DM, Moore AR, Blair BW, Wilkins PA.To characterize coagulopathies before and after antivenom administration in rattlesnake-envenomated equids. Unassigned: Client-owned envenomated equids treated with antivenom at Colorado State University (2023 to 2024). Rattlesnake bite severity score (RBSS), platelet count, prothrombin time, activated thromboplastin time, D-dimers, antithrombin, and viscoelastic testing variables were assessed before and after antivenom administration. Paired comparisons of hemostatic variables between admission and approximately 24 hours, and correlation analysis with RBSS, were performed. Length of hospital...
Musial F, Weiss T.Bit pressure and rein tension-induced mouth pain in horses have recently become a significant welfare concern, fueling debates within the equestrian community and beyond. Evidence indicates that bits can cause pain-related behaviors and even oral lesions. Although studying pressure-induced pain in animals is challenging, the similarities in the physiology of pain processing (nociception) across mammals suggest that it is reasonable to assume that pain perception in humans and horses is principally comparable. Therefore, we compared human pressure pain detection thresholds (PPDTs) to reported r...
Righetti F, Hentrich K, Flock M, Frosth S, Jacobsson K, Bjerketorp J, Pathak A, Ido N, Henriques-Normark B, Frykberg L, Paillot R, Guss B, Wood T.... subspecies () is the cause of strangles, one of the most prevalent diseases of horses worldwide. The disease is characterised by fever and the formation of abscesses in the lymph nodes of the head and neck, which can restrict the airway. A multicomponent subunit vaccine, Strangvac, has been shown to effectively reduce clinical signs of strangles and to reduce its incidence. The aim of this study was to determine the immune response against the immunoglobulin-cleaving endopeptidase IdeE, a key protective component within the vaccine and the ability of antibodies to neutralize the proteolytic...
Krücken J, Diekmann I, Andreotti S, Bredtmann CM, Mbedi S, Sparmann S, Schmidt JS, de Almeida Borges F, de Freitas MG, Sallé G, Hofer H....Equines are parasitized by complex communities of Strongylidae (Nematoda) comprising multi-species infections. Currently, Cyathostominae are most prevalent, while Strongylus species are only rarely detected. Since eggs and, in most cases, infective larvae cannot be differentiated to species level, except for Strongylus spp., species-specific knowledge of the pathology, epidemiology and ecology of these parasitic nematodes is limited. Reference sequence data for several cyathostomin species are limited or missing. Deep amplicon sequencing of internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS-2) regions of nema...
Weingarten A, Häusler M, Serangeli J, Verheijen I, Reiter E, Radzevičiūtė R, Stoessel A, Krause J, Spyrou MA, Conard NJ, Nieselt K, Posth C.Deep-time palaeogenomics offers rare insights into macroevolutionary events for both extant and extinct species. Aside from a Middle Pleistocene genome from North American permafrost (780-560 ka) and a number of Late Pleistocene specimens, most ancient horse DNA studies have focused on tracing the origins of domestication and subsequent periods. Here we present mitochondrial genomes from two Equus mosbachensis specimens from Schöningen, Germany, a Middle Pleistocene archaeological site complex with direct and repeated evidence of hominin-horse interactions on the shore of a palaeolake. Usin...
Zhou Y, Yao X, Meng J, Wang J, Zeng Y, Li L, Ren W.The Kazakh horse is a highly valuable indigenous Chinese breed known for its use in both milk and meat production. However, the mechanisms underlying color variation in the abdominal adipose tissue of this breed remain poorly understood. In this study, the sequencing of non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) was conducted on abdominal adipose tissue of different colors from Kazakh horses, with the aim of investigating the molecular mechanisms responsible for this variation. A total of 205 differentially expressed long non-coding RNAs (DELncRNAs) including , , and ; 52 differentially expressed microRNAs (DEm...
Oztas T, Akar M, Virkanen J, Beier C, Goericke-Pesch S, Peltoniemi O, Kareskoski M, Björkman S.Heavy metal contamination poses significant environmental and health risks to both humans and animals. This study investigates the concentrations of arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), and lead (Pb) in blood, hair, and semen samples collected from 16 breeding stallions in Western Finland to assess whether concentrations in hair and serum samples represent concentrations in semen. The analysis was conducted using an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) system. Results showed that hair samples exhibited the highest concentrations of heavy metals, particularly Pb and As, while semen show...
Abbasi A, Nouri H, Samadi F.Cryopreservation is a crucial method for the preservation of genetic materials. Nevertheless, this technique can have adverse effects due to cryo-oxidative damage. The primary objective of this study was to investigate the cryo-protective effects of niosomal nanocarriers loaded with artemisinin (NN-Art) on the functional attributes of equine spermatozoa. The parameters examined included sperm motility and kinematics through computer-assisted sperm analysis (CASA), plasma membrane integrity via the hypoosmotic swelling test, viability using the eosin-nigrosin staining technique, morphology with...
Conn KL.Equid alphaherpesvirus 1 (EHV1) is a DNA virus that causes severe disease in equids. Some strains are neurotropic and cause disease in the central nervous system, whereas others are non-neurotropic and can cause negative reproductive outcomes. Mechanisms governing EHV1 pathotype are not understood. However, EHV1 pathotypes have different infection efficiencies and replication kinetics in various cell types. They are also differentially susceptible to epigenetic inhibitors. Aside from this observation little is known about EHV1 chromatin or how its regulation influences infection. To build know...
Jebbawi F, Olomski F, Inversini V, Keller G, Rhiner T, Waldern N, Lam J, Pantelyushin S, Canonica F, Birkmann K, Johansen P, Kündig TM....Skin allergies are among the most frequent types of allergies, where continuous investigation of the pathological immune mechanisms is required for a better understanding and a more effective treatment of the disease. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effect of interleukin (IL)-5 vaccination on allergen-specific IgE antibodies as well as T cell cytokine modulation in skin allergy using a mouse model and a naturally occurring disease in horses. Methods: Ovalbumin (OVA)-sensitized mice, as well as horses affected by equine insect bite hypersensitivity (IBH) were administered an anti-IL-...
Núñez-Montero K, Leal K, Rojas-Villalta D, Castro M, Larronde C, Wagenknecht L, Contreras MJ.Studies on the bacterial composition of seminal samples have primarily focused on species isolated from semen and their effects on fertility and reproductive health. Culture-independent techniques, such as 16S rRNA gene sequencing and shotgun metagenomics, have revolutionized our ability to identify unculturable bacteria, which comprise >90% of the microbiome. These techniques allow for comprehensive analysis of microbial communities in seminal samples, shedding light on their interactions and roles. In this study, we characterized the taxonomic diversity of seminal microbial communities in he...
Janshoff S, Plümers R, Ramsauer AS, Cavalleri J, Vollmer T, Todt D, Brown RJP, Steinmann E, Gömer A.The emergence of new pathogens poses a significant threat to global health, exacerbated by climate change, biodiversity loss, and increased globalization. Ticks, as vectors for various pathogens, contribute to the rising incidence of diseases. Surveillance programs are crucial for identifying and controlling emerging pathogens. This study focuses on the Alongshan virus (ALSV), a segmented flavi-like virus first identified in humans in China in 2017. Despite its ability to infect a wide range of mammals, the natural hosts and transmission pathways of ALSV remain poorly understood. Therefore, we...
Wood A, Shapter FM, Stewart AJ.Auscultation of heart sounds is an important veterinary skill requiring an understanding of anatomy, physiology, pathophysiology and pattern recognition. This cross-sectional study was developed to evaluate a targeted, audio-visual training resource for veterinary students to improve their understanding and auscultation of common heart conditions in horses. Fourth- and fifth-year 2021 and 2022 Bachelor of Veterinary Science students at the University of Queensland (UQ) were provided the learning resource and surveyed via online pre- and post-intervention surveys. Results were quantitatively an...
Marques CDP, da Silva BWS, Nogueira YVS, Bezerra TL, Borges-Silva W, Soares RM, Gondim LFP.Sarcocystis bertrami (synonym: Sarcocystis fayeri) is a coccidian parasite that infects horses and donkeys in several countries. Dogs are known as definitive hosts of the parasite, however, the patent period is not well defined, and S. bertrami shed by dogs has never been confirmed by molecular methods. Here we investigated the shedding of S. bertrami by experimentally infected dogs and examined the excreted parasites by morphological and molecular tools. Three dogs of small breeds (one Yorkshire terrier and two miniature Pinschers) were acquired with ages of 30 and 60 days and were exclusivel...
Hifumi T, Tanaka T, Suzu I, Sato M, Akioka K, Fujimata C, Shinkai R, Maeda T, Kusakisako K, Ikadai H, Miyoshi N.Alveolar echinococcosis is a zoonotic disease caused by a larval-stage infection. Geographical haplotyping targeting the parasite's mitochondrial cytochrome () gene has been reported for isolates from definitive and intermediate hosts (wild canids and rodents); however, there are limited reports on strain typing for the dead-end host, the horse, which could act as a sentinel for E. Accordingly, we investigated the diversity of in isolates obtained from slaughtered Japanese and Canadian horses originating from the Iburi and Hidaka regions in Hokkaido and from Alberta, respectively, with PCR ...
Cabrera G, Cabezas C, Estay-Olea D, Stoore C, Baquedano MS, Paredes R, Hidalgo C.Liver fluke infection, caused by the trematode Fasciola hepatica, is a parasitic zoonotic disease affecting various mammals, including humans, and has significant implications for public, animal, and ecosystem health. This study provides the first genetic characterization of F. hepatica in Chile, focusing on the complete mitochondrial gene cox1. Samples were collected from two different host species: cattle and horses. Our findings revealed that 70 % of detected haplotypes were found in either cattle or horses, which coincides with their geographical origin. Interestingly, the use of full-len...
Furmanski M, Murcia PR.The ecological factors that led to the 1918 influenza pandemic remain unknown. We hypothesize that horses acted as intermediate hosts spreading a prepandemic avian-origin virus before 1918. This is supported by reports describing a large epizootic of unusually severe equine influenza beginning in 1915. Furthermore, the high horse demand during World War I resulted in one of the biggest equine mobilizations in North America between 1914 and 1918. This extensive movement of horses provided abundant opportunities for virus reassortment between prepandemic avian and human influenza viruses. Archiv...
da Gama BC, Martins TF, Labruna MB, Vieira RFDC, de Almeida JC.Studies on ticks of public health concern in equine husbandry are scarce in the Northeastern region of Brazil. This study aimed to investigate the presence of ticks on horses in the State of Alagoas, which is classified as a silent area for human rickettsiosis. Unassigned: Ticks infesting horses were collected using anatomical tweezers or a commercial hook and kept in ethanol-labeled tubes for taxonomic identification. Unassigned: A total of 2,238 ticks were found. Ticks were identified as 2,215 (98.89%, 95% CI: 98.41-99.28) , 19 (0.98%, 95% CI: 0.05-1.38) , and 4 (0.18%; 95% CI: 0.007-0.46) ....
de Sousa ALV, de Sousa DER, de Macêdo IL, de Albuquerque Cerqueira L, da Fonseca YNG, Oliveira AB, das Chagas LVS, Gonçalves GB, Veado HC....This report describes the first documented case of intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) in a horse following Bothrops snakebite envenomation. A 3-year-old mare developed acute kidney injury, systemic hemorrhage, and neurological signs before euthanasia. Postmortem findings confirmed massive ICH with intralesional venom identified by immunohistochemistry. Delayed treatment and insufficient antivenom likely contributed to the outcome. This case highlights the potential for cerebrovascular complications following Bothrops snakebite envenomation in horses, which may present as subtle neurological signs....
Kim K, Xu T, Kannan Villalan A, Chi T, Yu X, Jin M, Wu R, Ni G, Sui S, Wang Z, Wang X.African horse sickness (AHS) is a viral disease transmitted by arthropods that impacts Equidae, specifically horses and related species. Recognized as a notifiable disease by the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), AHS is associated with a high mortality rate of 80%-90% in susceptible hosts and exhibits rapid transmission dynamics. Historical records document numerous instances of mass horse deaths attributed to AHS, with recent occurrences in Thailand and Malaysia in 2020 causing heightened concerns within the local horse industry. The lack of a comprehensive global perspective on th...
Huang C, Wang J, Ruan Z, Wu J, Lin Y, Cao C, Yang J, Weng Q, Jin Y, Chen P, Hua Q.African horse sickness (AHS) is an acute infectious disease of equids caused by the AHS virus (AHSV), which can cause up to 90% mortality in naive horses. Reliable and rapid diagnosis is crucial for the surveillance and control of AHSV. As one of the AHSV detection methods recommended by World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH), the RT-qPCR assay has the drawbacks such as complex operation, expensive instruments, and long detecting time, which limit its application in simple laboratories or outdoors. In this study, a real-time reverse transcription multienzyme isothermal rapid amplification...
Khaing Y, Htun LL, Linn KS, Kyaw WO, Nwae TT, Chel HM, Win SY, Murata S, Nakao R, Nonaka N, Bawm S.The study aimed to determine the prevalence of blood parasites in horses and identify risk factors and molecular detection of piroplasm species (Theileria equi and Babesia caballi) of horses in Myanmar. Blood samples (n = 302) were collected from five regions of Myanmar. Blood smears were screened for presence of piroplasms. Samples positive for piroplasms were subjected to molecular identification using primers specific to the small subunit ribosomal RNA (SSU rRNA) of piroplasms. The overall prevalence of blood parasites (piroplasms, Trypanosoma spp., and microfilaria of Setaria equina) w...
Sadeddine R, Righi S, Saidani K, Benakhla A.Equine piroplasmosis (EP) is a tick-borne disease that affects equids and is caused by the parasites Theileria equi, Theileria haneyi and Babesia caballi. This disease leads to significant economic losses for the global equine industry. The current study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of Piroplasmida infections in equines from El Tarf, located in northeastern Algeria, and investigate the phylogenetic diversity within isolates obtained from infected equines in this study and between those from previous studies. Methods: A total of 120 blood samples were collected from equines in three municip...
van Loon JPAM, Trindade PHE, da Silva GV, Keus J, Huberts C, de Grauw JC, Lanci A.Pain assessment based on facial expressions has been described in foals. Objective: To extend previous pilot findings of the Equine Utrecht University Scale for Facial Assessment of Pain in Foals (EQUUS-FAP FOAL). Methods: Prospective blinded case-control study (known groups analysis). Methods: Video recordings (30-60 s) of n = 100 foals (38 patients and 62 controls) were collected. Videos were randomised and scored by two observers, blinded for the condition of the animals. Inter- and intra-observer agreement was tested by Intra Class Correlation (ICC) analysis. Differences between pati...
