Equine health encompasses the study and management of diseases, disorders, and overall well-being of horses. It involves understanding various physiological systems, preventive care, and treatment strategies to maintain optimal health in equine populations. Common areas of focus include nutrition, infectious diseases, orthopedic conditions, and reproductive health. Research in equine health aims to advance knowledge on diagnostic methods, therapeutic interventions, and management practices that improve horse welfare and performance. This page collects peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the diverse aspects of equine health, offering insights into current findings and advancements in the field.
Mienaltowski MJ, Hernandez S, Nastrini E, Wickens CL, McCue ME, Rosa LP, Norton EM, McCoy AM, Brooks SA.The S1094 United States Department of Agriculture Multistate Research Project is a collaborative effort utilizing equine genetics and genomics to improve horse health and well-being. It also provides educational resources and genetic testing tools to equine industry stakeholders. Objective: A survey assessed the knowledge, priorities, and information sources of U.S. horse owners and enthusiasts regarding equine genetic testing to inform future outreach and research efforts. Methods: An online survey was distributed from March to October 2024, targeting horse owners and enthusiasts across the U...
Bruneel E, Hermange T, Casamatta JM, Pereira A, Pimenta J, Caseiro AR.Immune-mediated keratitis (IMMK) is a chronic inflammatory corneal disease in horses. Long-term topical therapy with cyclosporine is often impractical, highlighting the need for sustained-release alternatives. Objective: To assess clinical response, tolerability, and duration of effect of episcleral silicone matrix cyclosporine implants (ESMC) in horses with presumed IMMK. Methods: Medical records of 12 horses (14 eyes) treated between 2019 and 2023 were retrospectively reviewed. IMMK subtypes were classified as epithelial (n = 3 eyes), anterior stromal (n = 9), or mid-stromal (n =â€...
Ropka-Molik K, Musiał AD, Majtyka A, Bieniek A, Ayad A, Muszyński S, Stefaniuk-Szmukier M.The DMRT3 gene, often referred to as the "gait keeper," plays a key role in controlling alternative gaits in horses, such as tölt and pace. This study aimed to determine the frequency of known and to screen for potential novel polymorphisms within the second exon of the DMRT3 gene. Methods: A total of 244 blood or hair samples were collected from representative individuals of the six horse breeds: gaited (Icelandic Horse, French Trotter), non-gaited (Arabian Horse, Malopolski Horse), and pony breeds (Welsh Pony, Shetland Pony). Methods: The second exon of the DMRT3 gene analyzed using Sanger ...
Campilho R, Saraiva S, Chaves S, Quaresma M, Silva F, Pires I.An 8-month-old Lusitano filly (a young female horse) was referred with a five-day history of abdominal distension, respiratory distress, and hyporexia. Clinical and ultrasonographic examinations revealed ventral edema, anemia, leukocytosis, hypoalbuminemia, and bilateral pleural effusion. The filly subsequently developed progressive clinical deterioration, including persistent hyporexia, scant fecal output, and acute colic with nasogastric reflux, followed by sudden respiratory decompensation, collapse, and death. Post-mortem examination revealed a large, multilobulated abdominal mass involvin...
Belova N, Malle A, Schieder K, Licka TF.For centesis of the equine navicular bursa radiographs confirming needle placement are recommended, this can be a logistical challenge. Therefore, we aimed to identify the usefulness of radiographic measurements for centesis of the navicular bursa. On lateromedial radiographs localization of the centre of the flexor surface of the navicular bone was determined in 26 isolated limbs. Based on these measurements, 21 novice veterinary students performed 130 needle placements using the axial distal palmar technique injecting one of five dyes per cadaver limb. Success was identified on dissection as...
Manso-DÃaz G.Diagnostic imaging is essential for evaluating and managing neurologic disease in horses. Following clinical lesion, neurolocalization imaging modalities are often necessary to further characterize the disease process. However, which technology to use depends on various factors, including the patient's size, clinical signs, and the anatomic region. Current advances in imaging technology, in general, and the adaptation of different modalities for equine patients, in particular, have substantially improved our ability to evaluate the equine central nervous system. This article will summarize the...
Smith MA, Ripley N, Gravatte H, Nielsen MK.With rising anthelmintic resistance in adult cyathostomins, the most pervasive equine parasites, the need to assess larvicidal efficacy has increased, yet available methods remain limited. Encysted larvae are quantified using mucosal digestion, wherein a 5% subsample of intestinal mucosa is processed, and a 2% aliquot is counted for early third stage (EL3) and late third stage/mucosal fourth stage (LL3/L4) larvae. This method is imprecise and post-treatment larval differences are often not observed. The following study aimed to assess standard and modified protocol precision and sensitivity. I...
Nadal-Desbarats L, Dupuy C, Montigny F, Bertevello PS, Douet C, Gesbert A, Reigner F, Goudet G.Saliva is a relevant biofluid for real-time welfare-friendly monitoring of systemic events in animals, because some bioanalytes have a systemic origin and its collection is painless, stress-free and non-invasive. Our aim was to analyze the metabolome of equine saliva during the five days before foaling, with a focus on identifying metabolites whose level significantly changed before parturition, that could be potential salivary biomarkers of the onset of parturition. We compared the saliva and plasma metabolomes to investigate their relationship. Saliva and blood samples were collected from tw...
Sakai DM, Ishikawa Y, Im JSY, Zhang S, Reed RA, Quandt JE, Barletta M, Knych HK.Administering large volumes of bupivacaine in the rectus abdominis sheath (RAS) block in horses could cause local anesthetic toxicity. This study aimed to evaluate the pharmacokinetics of 2 mg/kg bupivacaine in RAS blocks and the associated toxicity risk. Six healthy adult horses were sedated with xylazine and received an ultrasound-guided bilateral 2-point RAS block. Plasma samples were collected at baseline and from 5 min to 24 h after the block and analyzed using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. A noncompartmental analysis was performed to determine the maximum concentr...
Herschel TL, Pelli A, Winter K, Scharner D.Penetrating wounds of the hoof are common and potentially life-threatening injuries in equine veterinary practice. The aim of this study was the systematic data analysis of horses presenting to the clinic with a solar puncture wound.In this retrospective study, patient data from horses presented with a puncture wound to the hoof in the period from September 2008 to August 2024 were collected. The analyzed data covered signalment, intended use, and insurance status. The following were also considered: previous history including the period between injury and presentation to the clinic, affected ...
Vandaele Z, Flyps J, Cuypers C, De Baere S, Devreese M, Schauvliege S.Subanaesthetic doses of ketamine (0.5 mg kg) provide analgesia in several species, but there is limited information on the pharmacokinetics and clinical effects of intramuscularly administered ketamine in horses. This study investigated the pharmacokinetics of ketamine and norketamine, and evaluated clinical effects, ataxia, and vital parameters, following intramuscular and intravenous administration of 0.5 mg kg ketamine in nine healthy horses, using a randomized two-period crossover design with a 1-week washout period. Plasma concentrations were analyzed using Ultra-High Performance ...
Soni S, Eertink LG, Shuisong N, Loynachan A, Barnum SM, Adam EN, Kennedy MA, Wang D, Li F.Rotaviral diarrhea in foals is caused by two dominant G3P[12] and G14P[12] genotypes of equine rotavirus A (ERVA). Protection of foals against ERVA infection and disease is achievable by passive antibody transfer through colostrum from mares receiving inactivated monovalent G3P[12] vaccine. Simian rotavirus SA11 G3P[2] is also included in ERVA vaccines to protect foals. Here, we characterized cross-neutralization and protection among three distinctive rotaviruses carrying the same or different G (defined by VP7) or P (defined by VP4) genotype by using a rabbit and equine monospecific antisera ...
Rodrigues GJ, Monteiro FDO, Teixeira PPM.This case report describes the successful application of video-assisted hysteroscopy to evaluate endometrial recovery in a 6-year-old mare following treatment for complete uterine prolapse secondary to dystocia. Upon presentation, the uterus was manually reduced and supported with a Buhner's suture. A multimodal medical protocol, including broad-spectrum antibiotics, anti-inflammatory drugs and uterine lavage, was initiated. Five days after reduction, an endoscopic evaluation was performed using a dedicated videovaginoscope without uterine insufflation. The procedure provided high-resolution i...
Papas M, Stout TAE, Vernooij JCM, Leemans B, Arnold L, Beitsma MM, Wijnands LI, de Ruijter-Villani M, Colleoni S, Lazzari G, Galli C, Claes A.The success of in vitro embryo production (IVEP) is influenced by donor mare and stallion. Objective: To determine whether donor mare and stallion influence the pregnancy rate after transfer of in vitro produced (IVP) blastocysts and to identify factors influencing the likelihood of obtaining one or more pregnancies from a single IVEP session. Methods: Retrospective clinical study. Methods: The influence of the following variables on pregnancy outcome was assessed in 2292 transfers of IVP blastocysts: speed of in vitro embryo development, embryo grade after thawing, age of the donor mare, blas...
Kapadia CL, Crook RA, Coleman S, Unger G, Douglas RH, Fedorka CE.Altrenogest is commonly used in equine veterinary medicine for the control of estrus, behavioral modifications, and maintenance of pregnancy. Recent studies have found that altrenogest may impact aspects of the immune system, including altering cytokine production in circulation and within the reproductive tract. Therefore, we hypothesize that this alteration may lead to a deviated immune response to vaccination. Sixteen mares were divided into two groups, with ten mares (n = 10) receiving long-acting injectable altrenogest (100 mg/mL; IM) administered every 10 days, and six mares (n =...
Clarysse M, Leps A, Haspeslagh M, Schauvliege S, Martens A, Vlaminck L.To assess long-term outcome, complications, and return to function in horses with maxillofacial fractures. Methods: Retrospective observational study. Methods: A total of 30 horses with skull fractures (2020-2024). Methods: Clinical records were reviewed for signalment, fracture characteristics, imaging, treatment, and hospitalization. Long-term outcome was obtained via structured owner questionnaires addressing healing, complications, cosmetic appearance, and performance. Descriptive statistics were applied. Results: A total of 29 of 30 horses received treatment (25 surgical, 4 conservative);...
Maleas G, Hargitaiova K.To macroscopically characterize and compare the open Metzenbaum (FOM) and ultrasound-guided (FUG) plantar fasciotomy techniques for decompression of the hindlimb proximal suspensory ligament (PSL), and to determine whether either approach induces intraligamentous splitting (ILS). Methods: Cadaveric experimental study. Methods: Paired hindlimbs from 10 adult horses with no history of hindlimb lameness. Methods: Each horse contributed one limb to FOM and the contralateral to FUG. All procedures were performed by a single surgeon, and incision measurements were obtained by a blinded examiner. Ski...
Ursini T, Villagomez A, Dooley M, George LS, Levine D.To describe and demonstrate subjective and objective techniques for assessing the quality and passive range of motion (ROM) of the distal forelimb and hind limb joints of the horse. Special attention will be given to the tarsus, carpus, and fetlock joints, as these sites are most prone to injury and/or pathology and thus most clinically relevant. Unassigned: Adult horses undergoing distal limb joint ROM assessment for clinical diagnostic or treatment monitoring purposes. Unassigned: First, subjective techniques for assessing distal limb joint motion and end-feel as well as general guidelines f...
Hagenbach M, Bierau J, Rott P, Röcken M, Staszyk C.The aim of this study was to display clinically relevant anatomical structures of the carpal region in healthy horses with the help of cone beam computed tomography (CBCT).Twenty-eight forelimbs from 15 adult horses without orthopedic diseases were examined. Following native CBCT examination a mixture of hyperattenuating contrast medium with blue epoxy resin dye was injected in the antebrachiocarpal joint and middle carpal joint and contrast-enhanced CBCT scans were also acquired. Subsequently, the limbs were frozen and sawed in different planes corresponding to selected CBCT planes (dorsal, s...
van Erck-Westergren E, O'Connor S, Stewart BD, Dubois G, Morton J, Hinchcliff KW, Ter Woort F.The frequency, characteristics, and relationship with performance of arrhythmias occurring during high-intensity exercise in Thoroughbred racehorses remain poorly understood. Objective: Describe the frequency, characteristics, and association with subsequent race performance of arrhythmias occurring during intense exercise. Methods: Seventy-one racehorses competing in races sanctioned by the Hong Kong Jockey Club. Methods: Risk-based case-control study. Single-lead ECGs were recorded during high-intensity trials using wearable devices. Ectopic depolarizations identified during warm-up, maximal...
Palunas V, Fussell D, Helgert N, Long AE, Aitken MR, Abraham M.A 2-year-old Irish Sport Horse colt presented with acute, severe and rapidly progressive neurological signs, arriving recumbent to the hospital. Ante-mortem diagnostics did not reveal the cause of the recumbency, and the colt was euthanized after treatment and supportive care did not result in clinical improvement. A cranial cervical extradural mast cell tumour with eosinophilic granulomas and secondary compressive myelopathy with axonal degeneration was diagnosed on post-mortem evaluation. No other masses or clinically relevant findings were present, suggesting a primary neoplasm. Neoplasia a...
Pye E, Marcilla MG, Duncan JC.Regional anaesthesia of the equine anogenital tract is limited to local infiltration, extradural, blind palpation and nerve stimulator-guided techniques which risk iatrogenic damage, recumbency and ataxia. This study aimed to describe and assess the feasibility of transcutaneous ultrasound-guided (USG) pudendal nerve staining in equine cadavers. An initial pilot phase used two fresh equine cadavers and one standing unsedated horse to image the intrapelvic anatomy using ultrasound. One fixed equine cadaver specimen was also dissected to identify the pudendal nerve and refine the dissection appr...
Freccero F, Padalino B, Carstens A, Raidal SL.Point of care ultrasonographic (POCUS) assessment of the equine abdomen is now readily available to the equine practitioner using hand-held ultrasound transducers. Commonly used medications may alter the sonographic appearance or function of the small intestine, caecum or colon. Objective: To demonstrate qualitative and quantitative effects of xylazine sedation on intestinal motility of healthy horses using hand-held, wi-fi ultrasound transducers and validate POCUS methodology by determination of intra- and interobserver agreement. Methods: Double-blind cross-over study of eight healthy horses...
Physical exercise represents a physiological stressor capable of activating the acute-phase response (APR) in horses. However, the relative contribution of exercise intensity duration to acute-phase protein (APP) dynamics remains incompletely defined. This study compared the effects of short, high-intensity gallop exercise (2400 m flat race; = 12) and prolonged, low-intensity endurance exercise (40 km; = 13) on serum amyloid A (SAA), haptoglobin (Hp), and ceruloplasmin (Cp) in Thoroughbred racehorses. Blood samples were collected before exercise and at defined post-exercise time points. Bet...
Souza MG, Mota Melo L, Martinez RE, Teague SR, Beck RL.In vitro fertilization (IVF) in horses has emerged as a valuable assisted reproductive technology, yet the impact of embryo cryopreservation on pregnancy outcomes when utilizing this technique remains unclear. This study reports pregnancy outcomes following transfer of conventional equine IVF embryos, with both fresh and vitrified-warmed embryos. Conventional IVF (cIVF) was used to produce 40 embryos, which were transferred to recipient mares, pregnancy diagnosis was performed at 6 days post-transfer followed by embryonic heartbeat detection between day 25 and 30 of gestation. Observed pregnan...
Mochal-King C, Strunk R, Paul L.Resveratrol is a compound found in multiple plants and there is evidence for its use as a supplement in horses, particularly through protection of chondrocytes. Previous studies on the clinical efficacy of resveratrol supplementation in horses have reported limited benefits. To date, there is no pharmacokinetic data of resveratrol in horses but the bioavailability of resveratrol in other species is poor. In this crossover study, the plasma concentrations of two forms of resveratrol were examined. Each horse received via nasogastric tube, either a single dose of resveratrol phospholipid or a st...
Coles GC, Bauer C, Borgsteede FH, Geerts S, Klei TR, Taylor MA, Waller PJ.Methods have been described to assist in the detection of anthelmintic resistance in strongylid nematodes of ruminants, horses and pigs. Two tests are recommended, an in vivo test, the faecal egg count reduction test for use in infected animals, and an in vitro test, the egg hatch test for detection of benzimidazole resistance in nematodes that hatch shortly after embryonation. Anaerobic storage for submission of faecal samples from the field for use in the in vitro test is of value and the procedure is described. The tests should enable comparable data to be obtained in surveys in all parts o...
Connor RJ, Kawaoka Y, Webster RG, Paulson JC.The receptor specificity of 56 H2 and H3 influenza virus isolates from various animal species has been determined to test the relevance of receptor specificity to the ecology of influenza virus. The results show that the receptor specificity of both H2 and H3 isolates evaluated for sialic acid linkage specificity and inhibition of hemagglutination by horse serum correlates with the species of origin, as postulated earlier for H3 strains based on a limited survey of five human, three avian, and one equine strain. Elucidation of the amino acid sequence of several human H2 receptor variants and a...
Kaplan RM.Reports of drug resistance have been made in every livestock host and to every anthelmintic class. In some regions of world, the extremely high prevalence of multi-drug resistance (MDR) in nematodes of sheep and goats threatens the viability of small-ruminant industries. Resistance in nematodes of horses and cattle has not yet reached the levels seen in small ruminants, but evidence suggests that the problems of resistance, including MDR worms, are also increasing in these hosts. There is an urgent need to develop both novel non-chemical approaches for parasite control and molecular assays cap...
Band GP, van der Molen MW, Logan GD.In the stop-signal paradigm, subjects perform a standard two-choice reaction task in which, occasionally and unpredictably, a stop-signal is presented requiring the inhibition of the response to the choice signal. The stop-signal paradigm has been successfully applied to assess the ability to inhibit under a wide range of experimental conditions and in various populations. The current study presents a set of evidence-based guidelines for using the stop-signal paradigm. The evidence was derived from a series of simulations aimed at (a) examining the effects of experimental design features on in...
Murray K, Selleck P, Hooper P, Hyatt A, Gould A, Gleeson L, Westbury H, Hiley L, Selvey L, Rodwell B.A morbillivirus has been isolated and added to an increasing list of emerging viral diseases. This virus caused an outbreak of fatal respiratory disease in horses and humans. Genetic analyses show it to be only distantly related to the classic morbilliviruses rinderpest, measles, and canine distemper. When seen by electron microscopy, viruses had 10- and 18-nanometer surface projections that gave them a "double-fringed" appearance. The virus induced syncytia that developed in the endothelium of blood vessels, particularly the lungs.
Coles GC, Jackson F, Pomroy WE, Prichard RK, von Samson-Himmelstjerna G, Silvestre A, Taylor MA, Vercruysse J.Before revised World Association for the Advancement of Veterinary Parasitology (WAAVP) guidelines on the detection of anthelmintic resistance can be produced, validation of modified and new methods is required in laboratories in different parts of the world. There is a great need for improved methods of detection of anthelmintic resistance particularly for the detection of macrocyclic lactone resistance and for the detection of resistant nematodes in cattle. Therefore, revised and new methods are provided here for the detection of anthelmintic resistance in nematodes of ruminants, horses and ...
Petersen HH, Nielsen JP, Heegaard PM.The body's early defence in response to trauma, inflammation or infection, the acute phase response, is a complex set of systemic reactions seen shortly after exposure to a triggering event. One of the many components is an acute phase protein response in which increased hepatic synthesis leads to increased serum concentration of positive acute phase proteins. The serum concentration of these acute phase proteins returns to base levels when the triggering factor is no longer present. This paper provides a review of the acute phase proteins haptoglobin, C-reactive protein and serum amyloid A an...
Gelderblom WC, Jaskiewicz K, Marasas WF, Thiel PG, Horak RM, Vleggaar R, Kriek NP.Cultures on corn of Fusarium moniliforme MRC 826 are known to cause leukoencephalomalacia in horses and to be toxic and hepatocarcinogenic in rats. Culture material of this F. moniliforme isolate has also been shown to exhibit cancer-promoting activity in a short-term cancer initiation-promotion bioassay with diethylnitrosamine-initiated rats and the induction of gamma-glutamyl-transpeptidase-positive (GGT+) foci as an endpoint after 4 weeks of promotion. This bioassay was used as a monitoring system to isolate cancer-promoting compounds from cultures of F. moniliforme MRC 826. Culture materia...
Suzuki Y, Ito T, Suzuki T, Holland RE, Chambers TM, Kiso M, Ishida H, Kawaoka Y.The distribution of sialic acid (SA) species varies among animal species, but the biological role of this variation is largely unknown. Influenza viruses differ in their ability to recognize SA-galactose (Gal) linkages, depending on the animal hosts from which they are isolated. For example, human viruses preferentially recognize SA linked to Gal by the alpha2,6(SAalpha2,6Gal) linkage, while equine viruses favor SAalpha2,3Gal. However, whether a difference in relative abundance of specific SA species (N-acetylneuraminic acid [NeuAc] and N-glycolylneuraminic acid [NeuGc]) among different animal...
Stone KC, Mercer RR, Gehr P, Stockstill B, Crapo JD.Allometric studies have shown that lung volume, alveolar surface area, and diffusing capacity increase proportionally with body weight across a broad range of mammalian species. Changes in the number of cells and in average cell size and surface areas with increasing body weight have not been defined. We speculated that cell size is determined more by cell function than by species and body weight. To test this hypothesis, nine species ranging in size from shrew (2 to 3 g) to horse (510 kg) were studied. Random sites from the distal alveolar region of each species were analyzed using morphometr...
Costa MC, Arroyo LG, Allen-Vercoe E, Stämpfli HR, Kim PT, Sturgeon A, Weese JS.The intestinal tract houses one of the richest and most complex microbial populations on the planet, and plays a critical role in health and a wide range of diseases. Limited studies using new sequencing technologies in horses are available. The objective of this study was to characterize the fecal microbiome of healthy horses and to compare the fecal microbiome of healthy horses to that of horses with undifferentiated colitis. A total of 195,748 sequences obtained from 6 healthy horses and 10 horses affected by undifferentiated colitis were analyzed. Firmicutes predominated (68%) among health...
Dalla Costa E, Minero M, Lebelt D, Stucke D, Canali E, Leach MC.The assessment of pain is critical for the welfare of horses, in particular when pain is induced by common management procedures such as castration. Existing pain assessment methods have several limitations, which reduce the applicability in everyday life. Assessment of facial expression changes, as a novel means of pain scoring, may offer numerous advantages and overcome some of these limitations. The objective of this study was to develop and validate a standardised pain scale based on facial expressions in horses (Horse Grimace Scale [HGS]). Results: Forty stallions were assigned to one of ...
den Boon JA, Snijder EJ, Chirnside ED, de Vries AA, Horzinek MC, Spaan WJ.The nucleotide sequence of the genome of equine arteritis virus (EAV) was determined from a set of overlapping cDNA clones and was found to contain eight open reading frames (ORFs). ORFs 2 through 7 are expressed from six 3'-coterminal subgenomic mRNAs, which are transcribed from the 3'-terminal quarter of the viral genome. A number of these ORFs are predicted to encode structural EAV proteins. The organization and expression of the 3' part of the EAV genome are remarkably similar to those of coronaviruses and toroviruses. The 5'-terminal three-quarters of the genome contain the putative EAV p...
Equine rabies is a sporadic but highly fatal zoonotic disease. The disease persists in wildlife populations throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico, and other parts of the world. It remains a threat to all domestic species, including the horse. This article reports recent advances in the molecular virology of the rabies virus and its pathogenesis, and it also reviews the history, clinical signs, diagnostic tests, vaccination protocols, and postexposure management recommendations for the equine species.
Bujacz A.Serum albumin first appeared in early vertebrates and is present in the plasma of all mammals. Its canonical structure supported by a conserved set of disulfide bridges is maintained in all mammalian serum albumins and any changes in sequence are highly correlated with evolution of the species. Previous structural investigations of mammalian serum albumins have only concentrated on human serum albumin (HSA), most likely as a consequence of crystallization and diffraction difficulties. Here, the crystal structures of serum albumins isolated from bovine, equine and leporine blood plasma are repo...
da Silveira JC, Veeramachaneni DN, Winger QA, Carnevale EM, Bouma GJ.Proper cell communication within the ovarian follicle is critical for the growth and maturation of a healthy oocyte that can be fertilized and develop into an embryo. Cell communication within the follicle involves many signaling molecules and is affected by maternal age. Recent studies indicate that cell communication can be mediated through secretion and uptake of small membrane-enclosed vesicles. The goals of this study were to 1) identify cell-secreted vesicles (microvesicles and exosomes) containing miRNAs and proteins within ovarian follicular fluid and 2) determine if miRNA level differ...
Lykkesfeldt J, Svendsen O.Important infectious diseases in farm animals, such as pneumonia and enteritis, are thought to be associated with the so-called oxidative stress, i.e. a chemical phenomenon involving an imbalance in the redox status of the individual animal. The specifics of oxidative stress and how it may result in disease or be prevented are complex questions with no simple answers. However, the considerable literature on the subject suggests that many researchers consider oxidative stress-related mechanisms to be important early events in disease development. A particularly intriguing aspect is that, at lea...
Uilenberg G.The history of the genus Babesia is briefly outlined. The classical differences with the main other genus of non-pigment-forming hemoparasites, Theileria, are the absence of extra-erythrocytic multiplication (schizogony) in Babesia and the cycle in the vector tick, which includes transovarial transmission in Babesia but only transstadial transmission in Theileria. Also, the multiplication in the red cell of Babesia, by budding, most often results in two daughter cells (merozoites), while that of Theileria gives four merozoites, often as a Maltese cross. In particular this means that what is st...
Davis BS, Chang GJ, Cropp B, Roehrig JT, Martin DA, Mitchell CJ, Bowen R, Bunning ML.Introduction of West Nile (WN) virus into the United States in 1999 created major human and animal health concerns. Currently, no human or veterinary vaccine is available to prevent WN viral infection, and mosquito control is the only practical strategy to combat the spread of disease. Starting with a previously designed eukaryotic expression vector, we constructed a recombinant plasmid (pCBWN) that expressed the WN virus prM and E proteins. A single intramuscular injection of pCBWN DNA induced protective immunity, preventing WN virus infection in mice and horses. Recombinant plasmid-transform...
Gilbert M, Nicolas G, Cinardi G, Van Boeckel TP, Vanwambeke SO, Wint GRW, Robinson TP.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...
Prescott JF.Recent isolations of Rhodococcus equi from cavitatory pulmonary disease in patients with AIDS have aroused interest among medical microbiologists in this unusual organism. Earlier isolations from humans had also been in immunosuppressed patients following hemolymphatic tumors or renal transplantation. This organism has been recognized for many years as a cause of a serious pyogranulomatous pneumonia of young foals and is occasionally isolated from granulomatous lesions in several other species, in some cases following immunosuppression. The last decade has seen many advances in understanding o...
Andersson LS, Larhammar M, Memic F, Wootz H, Schwochow D, Rubin CJ, Patra K, Arnason T, Wellbring L, Hjälm G, Imsland F, Petersen JL, McCue ME....Locomotion in mammals relies on a central pattern-generating circuitry of spinal interneurons established during development that coordinates limb movement. These networks produce left-right alternation of limbs as well as coordinated activation of flexor and extensor muscles. Here we show that a premature stop codon in the DMRT3 gene has a major effect on the pattern of locomotion in horses. The mutation is permissive for the ability to perform alternate gaits and has a favourable effect on harness racing performance. Examination of wild-type and Dmrt3-null mice demonstrates that Dmrt3 is exp...
Peripolli E, Munari DP, Silva MVGB, Lima ALF, Irgang R, Baldi F.This review presents a broader approach to the implementation and study of runs of homozygosity (ROH) in animal populations, focusing on identifying and characterizing ROH and their practical implications. ROH are continuous homozygous segments that are common in individuals and populations. The ability of these homozygous segments to give insight into a population's genetic events makes them a useful tool that can provide information about the demographic evolution of a population over time. Furthermore, ROH provide useful information about the genetic relatedness among individuals, helping t...
Balazs EA, Denlinger JL.Viscosupplementation is a new medical concept that has as its therapeutic goal the restoration of rheological homeostasis in pathological structures such as osteoarthritic joints. When the normal viscoelasticity of a solid tissue compartment or the elastoviscosity of a liquid tissue compartment is decreased under pathological conditions, normal function and regenerative processes are impaired. By introducing viscosupplementary devices, the normal rheological state of such compartments is restored or augmented. These devices stay in the tissue compartment for various periods of time, depending ...
Groeneveld LF, Lenstra JA, Eding H, Toro MA, Scherf B, Pilling D, Negrini R, Finlay EK, Jianlin H, Groeneveld E, Weigend S.Domestication of livestock species and a long history of migrations, selection and adaptation have created an enormous variety of breeds. Conservation of these genetic resources relies on demographic characterization, recording of production environments and effective data management. In addition, molecular genetic studies allow a comparison of genetic diversity within and across breeds and a reconstruction of the history of breeds and ancestral populations. This has been summarized for cattle, yak, water buffalo, sheep, goats, camelids, pigs, horses, and chickens. Further progress is expected...
Plowright RK, Foley P, Field HE, Dobson AP, Foley JE, Eby P, Daszak P.Anthropogenic environmental change is often implicated in the emergence of new zoonoses from wildlife; however, there is little mechanistic understanding of these causal links. Here, we examine the transmission dynamics of an emerging zoonotic paramyxovirus, Hendra virus (HeV), in its endemic host, Australian Pteropus bats (fruit bats or flying foxes). HeV is a biosecurity level 4 (BSL-4) pathogen, with a high case-fatality rate in humans and horses. With models parametrized from field and laboratory data, we explore a set of probable contributory mechanisms that explain the spatial and tempor...
