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.
Medica AJ, Gibb Z, Ortiz-Rodriguez JM, Swegen A.Heavy use of antioxidants in equine in vitro fertilisation (IVF) media may suppress the reactive oxygen species (ROS) signals stallion sperm need for capacitation, which depends on high mitochondrial activity and a well-maintained endogenous redox homeostasis. A species-specific approach balancing oxidative protection with controlled ROS signalling could improve fertilisation efficiency and reduce prolonged incubation times.
Cornelisse K, Ionescu AM.Keesjan Cornelisse and Andra-Maria Ionescu discuss the clinical presentation, investigation and diagnostic approach to a case of orthoflavivirus infection in a horse in south-west England.
Leo LK, Bergvall KE.Equine aural plaque caused by equine papilloma viruses is common worldwide and affected horses can show severe clinical signs. Due to its viral aetiology, in some countries affected horses are not allowed to compete. Since lesions persist, showing no spontaneous regression, effective and safe treatment is required. Currently, the only treatment with consistent efficacy is imiquimod. Treatment time is prolonged and adverse effects are common. In humans, papilloma warts are successfully and safely treated with topical nitric-zinc complex solutions inducing a painless caustic effect. Objective: T...
Nascimento C, Braz AL, Barbosa I, Freire G, Nicolau M, Silvestre F, Filho HM, Simões J, Estepa JC, Clayton H, Coelho C.This study aimed to investigate cardiac adaptations and energy expenditure of jumping horses after water treadmill (WT) training. Six trained horses were evaluated before (PRETR) and after (TR) a WT training (20 min, twice/week, water at carpus height) for 10 weeks. Transthoracic echocardiography was performed at PRETR and TR with phased array transducer (1.9-4 MHz) to obtain interventricular septal thickness (IVS), LV internal diameter (LVID), and posterior wall thickness (LVPW) at end-diastole (d) and systole (s) and heart rate (HR). Left ventricule end diastolic volume (Vd) and end syst...
Hiney K, Anderson K, Brady C.Accurate interpretation of affective state (AS) of animals is critical to assessment of their wellbeing. Although horse owners may appreciate the importance of this skill, many lack the ability to interpret AS accurately. Objective: To test if the online course Recognizing Affective States in Equine (RAiSE) improves participants' assessment of AS in horses and increases use of AS in management. Methods: Participants completed pre (PRE), post (POST), and 90 day post (90POST) course surveys to assess accuracy in identifying AS in 20 videos, as well as use of AS in their horse interactions. Pre/p...
Alonso MA, Dos Santos GR, Fonte JS, Marques PC, Pereira DD, Toral FLB, Bordignon V, Junior JB, Squires E, Fernandes CB.This retrospective study evaluated whether different reproductive biotechnologies influence neonatal behaviour parameters in foals. Data from 102 foalings in two commercial breeding farms were analysed, including foals conceived by artificial insemination (AI), conventional embryo transfer (ET) and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). Neonatal parameters recorded were birth weight, time to achieve sternal recumbency, time to stand, time to nurse and time to meconium elimination. Mixed statistical models were applied to assess the influence of reproductive technique, breed, sex and farm. Si...
Rogers CM, Ledbetter EC, Reid AM, Scott EM, Knickelbein KE.Use of photodynamic therapy (PDT) for the treatment of immune-mediated keratitis (IMMK) in horses is becoming common. The safety and morphologic impact on the normal equine cornea have not been investigated, and the mechanism of its efficacy is unknown. Objective: To investigate the morphologic effects and safety of in vivo PDT on healthy equine corneas. Methods: In vivo experiment. Methods: Six university-owned horses underwent unilateral corneal PDT with intrastromal infracyanine green (EmunDo®) and photoactivation with an 810 nm diode laser (500 mW for 2.5 min = 75 Joules). Compl...
de Luna Paiva TD, de Melo Lopes AR, Silva ÁJC, Figueiredo MAF, da Cunha Nogueira SS, Nogueira-Filho SLG.Medical ozone is used in various treatments due to its oxidising properties. Objective: We aimed in this study to evaluate the impact of intrarectal ozone therapy on haematological and biochemical parameters, as well as the pain induced by the procedure in sport horses. Methods: In vivo experiment with 12 Quarter Horses (3 males and 9 females) used as their own controls to assess the effects of ozone therapy. Methods: Blood samples were collected before treatment (Control), 24 h after ozone therapy (24 h post-treatment), and 7 days after the last day of ozone therapy (7 days post-treatment). ...
Tyson KN, Couetil LL, Ivester KM, Murray L, Mukhopadhyay A, Marmolejo JF, Jannasch A.Nebulization of injectable dexamethasone sodium phosphate (DSP; 0.01 mg/kg) to horses with severe equine asthma (SEA) was previously found to be ineffective. Horses with SEA have marked bronchoconstriction that decreases peripheral lung deposition of nebulized drugs. Administration of a bronchodilator immediately before nebulizing dexamethasone may improve efficacy. Objective: Evaluate the therapeutic effects and optimal dose of nebulized DSP after nebulized albuterol in horses with SEA. Methods: Seven horses with SEA from a research herd. Methods: In this masked randomized crossover trial, h...
van den Brom-Spierenburg AJ, Siegers EW, Westermann CM, Vernooij JCM, Sloet van Oldruitenborgh-Oosterbaan MM, Theelen MJP.In hospitalized foals, limited data are available on the utility of sequential measurement of SAA concentrations and the value of these data in a clinical setting. Objective: To determine serum amyloid A (SAA) concentrations in ill neonatal foals at multiple timepoints during hospitalization, and to evaluate a potential association with systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) status, blood culture (BC) result, and survival. Methods: Hospitalized ill foals (n = 90, ≤ 14 days). Methods: In this retrospective study, foals were classified based on SIRS criteria: "SIRS" or "NonSIRS," ...
Fernández-Villa C, Miranda M, Rigueira L, Martinez L, Villanueva B, Freire S, López-Alonso M.Serum mineral concentrations are key indicators of nutritional status, metabolic function and health in horses; however, contemporary reference intervals (RI) derived from large, well-characterised populations remain scarce. Objective: To establish serum RI for macro- and microminerals in clinically healthy horses in Northwestern Spain and to evaluate the influence of sex, age, breed and diet on mineral status. Methods: Blood samples were collected from clinically healthy horses (n = 211), and serum concentrations of essential macrominerals (calcium [Ca]; phosphorous [P]; magnesium [Mg]; sodiu...
Normélia P Morais A, Gastal GDA, Aguiar FLN, Hyde KA, Gastal MO, Lima LF, Ñaupas LVS, Flávia B Silva A, Becerra VAB, Gheno L, Curcio BR....Understanding how to effectively isolate a large number of healthy follicles is essential for increasing success rates in ARTs, such as in vitro culture and cryopreservation. Late secondary (preantral) and early tertiary (antral) follicles isolated from the intermediary portion of equine ovarian tissue sliced at two different thicknesses (0.25 mm vs. 0.50 mm) were characterized according to regional distribution (dorsal, medial, and ventral), morphofunctional features, and epigenetic profiles. After isolation via microdissection, follicles were evaluated for membrane integrity (trypan blue), v...
Czerner AC, Lindner A, Zeyner A, Wensch-Dorendorf M, Gehlen H.Changes in horse management and use mean that a growing number of horses are now kept into older age, while age-specific management practices for these animals remain insufficiently documented. This cross-sectional online survey aimed to describe the housing, feeding, activity, behaviour and care routines of horses aged 20 years and older in Germany, based on 923 questionnaires completed by horse owners about their senior horses. Most horses maintained regular tactile social contact (87.4%, = 805), and over half were still ridden or driven (61.6%, = 566). However, the proportion of horses in...
Loublier C, Taminiau B, Seidel L, Moula N, Tano C, Cesarini C, Costa M, Lecoq L, Daube G, Amory H.Faecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) and probiotics are used in equine practice. Understanding veterinarians' perceptions and practices is crucial for effective implementation. Objective: (1) Evaluate the prevalence, usage patterns and perceived effectiveness of probiotics and FMT among equine veterinarians in France and Belgium. (2) Assess their knowledge, practices and influencing factors across demographics and settings. (3) Explore links between FMT protocols and treatment satisfaction. Methods: Cross-sectional survey. Methods: An online survey collected demographic data and responses o...
Minamijima Y, Kuroda T, Maeda Y, Narita S, Yamashita S, Yamada M.Medetomidine, an α₂-adrenergic agonist, is widely used as a sedative in horses. While its pharmacological effects are established, limited data exist on elimination of its metabolites, 3'-hydroxy medetomidine (HMD) and 3'-carboxy medetomidine (CMD), which are of regulatory interest. HMD is currently targeted in plasma and urine under International Screening Limits (ISLs) established by the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA). In this study, seven Thoroughbreds received 6.3 μg/kg of medetomidine intravenously. Blood and urine were collected for 96 h and analyzed b...
Whitlock F, Grewar J, Newton R.The epidemiology of equine influenza (EI) in the United Kingdom has not been systematically described since the 2019 epidemic. Objective: To summarise UK EI surveillance (2020-2024), quantify outbreak seasonality and assess movement-related sources. Methods: Retrospective observational analysis of national surveillance and horse importation data. Methods: Epidemiological data for laboratory-confirmed EI cases in the United Kingdom were collated. Outbreaks (EI-infected premises) were defined as one or more laboratory-confirmed cases on the same premises within a 4-week period. Monthly outbreak ...
Dörsam K, Nischang V, Büttner K, Fey K, Werz O, Jordan PM.Equine asthma (EA) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the lower respiratory tract in horses, which is mainly triggered by dusty hay. EA is becoming increasingly acknowledged as a valuable animal model for studying human asthma. Research on the pathogenesis of EA has primarily focused on the associated cells and cytokines involved. However, the role of inflammation-related lipid mediators (LM) in the development and progression of equine asthma remains elusive. LMs are categorized into pro-inflammatory arachidonic acid (AA)-derived leukotrienes (LTs) and prostaglandins (PGs), as well as infla...
Lopez Cruz C, Gonzalez LM, McKinney-Aguirre CA, Hepworth-Warren KL, Roessner HA, Burke M, Fogle CA.To describe the methodology used to identify the contributors to a perceived sudden increase in exploratory celiotomy surgical site infections (SSI) and complications at the North Carolina State University Veterinary Teaching Hospital (NCSU VTH) between 2019 and 2020 and evaluate the effect of the designed intervention up to 4 years after its implementation. Methods: Case-control retrospective study over a five-year period. Methods: A total of 448 horses that underwent exploratory celiotomy for the treatment of acute abdominal pain were included. Methods: Medical records of horses that under...
Terlinden A, Jacquet S, Manivong S, Coudry V, Tallaj A, Cullier A, Legendre F, Garcia AA, Moldovan F, Sirois P, Banquy X, Galéra P, Audigié F....Intra-articular drug delivery systems (DDS) are emerging as promising therapies for osteoarthritis (OA), yet their efficacy in spontaneous clinical cases remains largely untested. This uncontrolled, descriptive pilot study was designed to provide a proof of concept for the feasibility, safety, and preliminary clinical effects of intra-articular administration in sport horses with naturally occurring OA. The study involved a peptide-functionalized nanogel composed of chitosan and hyaluronic acid, delivering endothelin type A (BQ-123) and bradykinin B1 (R-954) receptor antagonists, which have pr...
Rakowska A, Biazik A, Sobuś M, Cywińska A.The article aimed to review the current literature analysing the complexity of an exercise-induced acute phase response in athletic horses undergoing intense training and endurance competitions. Since the endurance discipline demands physical fitness, exceptional health and excellent adaptation to an increasing workload, diagnostic methods of assessing the factors mentioned above are highly required. Athletic horses in endurance training undergo numerous metabolic but also immune adaptations, including changes in pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokine levels. The inflammatory reaction...
Barrantes Murillo DF, Camillo G, Souza Serrano B, Almeida Luciano LP, Castilho Bichara GV, Chaves Vás CA, Furlan Gouvêa FH, Brandini Nespoli PE....Facial abnormalities and brain defects in aborted equine fetuses are rarely reported, and the causes that predispose the occurrence of this condition are difficult to identify. This work reports the morphological and tomographic findings of a case of cryptophthalmia, microphthalmia, oronasal malformation, and hydrocephalus in an aborted equine fetus with umbilical cord torsion in the state of Mato Grosso, Brazil, from a primiparous Quarter Horse female, with 7 months of gestational age. The occurrence of miscarriage was associated with compromised maternal-fetal blood flow due to umbilical cor...
Loy J, Sornalingam K, Cawley A, Scrivener C, Keledjian J, Noble GK.Altrenogest is a synthetic progestogen widely used in equine reproductive management. Adverse effects to altrenogest have been reported in people with cutaneous exposure reported as the highest exposure pathway. Despite these reports, there has been no quantitative research to determine the capacity for altrenogest to be absorbed through skin. This study aimed to determine if cutaneous application of oral altrenogest results in systemic absorption in mares and to evaluate the influence of application site. A randomized, two-period, two-treatment crossover study was undertaken in eight mares. M...
Mahalingam-Dhingra A, Bedenice D, South A, Minuto J, Robins TJ, Trautwein V, Larkin M, Wagner B, Mazan MR.Corticosteroids are the main pharmacologic treatment for equine asthma (EA) but may have adverse effects in metabolically unstable horses. Recent pilot studies support the use of nebulized lidocaine as an alternative treatment option. Objective: Nebulized lidocaine will improve EA-associated clinical variables and airway inflammation. Methods: Twenty client-owned horses diagnosed with EA. Methods: Randomized, blinded, in-hospital study comparing 1 mg/kg preservative-free 4% lidocaine (n = 10) nebulized via Flexineb (twice daily for 7 doses) to 0.9% saline control (n = 10). Clinical examin...
Auvinen JRE, Kritchevsky JE, Reinhart JM, Gochenauer AE, Jannasch AS, Han-Hallett Y.Manipulation of forms of rectally administered metronidazole to improve bioavailability in horses has not been reported. Objective: Evaluate the pharmacokinetics of 3 rectal metronidazole preparations compared to nasogastric (NG) administration. Methods: Seven healthy horses. Methods: Phase 1A was a randomized, 3-way crossover, single-dose pharmacokinetic study, and Phases 1B and 2 were non-randomized, single-dose follow-up studies. Metronidazole (20 mg/kg) was administered NG and rectally in water (RW20), as a rectal gel (RG), and in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO). Metronidazole (80 mg/kg) was a...
Viviani P, Ragno VM, Parker S, Montgomery JB.Endocrine disorders in horses, such as pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction and equine metabolic syndrome, rely on hormone testing for diagnosis, but seasonal and regional variabilities highlight the need for locally generated data. Objective: To characterize monthly blood concentrations of ACTH and insulin over 1 year in healthy horses in Saskatchewan. A secondary objective was to assess the association between these outcomes and the following factors: sex, age, breed, pregnancy status, level of exercise, body condition score, and cresty neck score. Methods: Sixty-eight clinically healthy, c...
Bindi F, de Marchi L, Elias-Cortajarena A, Sala G, Vitale V, Spadari A, Rinnovati R, Bonelli F, Sgorbini M.Colic is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in horses, with oxidative stress implicated in its pathophysiology. Objective: Evaluate biomarkers (BIOs) of oxidative stress and antioxidant defense in healthy horses and those with non-strangulating colic (NSC) and strangulating colic (SC) and assess correlations with survival. Methods: Seventy-one adult horses: 10 healthy and 61 colic-affected (42 NSC, 19 SC) admitted to 3 veterinary teaching hospitals. Methods: Prospective, multicenter cohort study. Blood samples were collected at admission (T0) and up to 96 h post-admission. Biomarkers me...
The ability of spermatozoa to withstand cryopreservation differs between stallions. While the underlying mechanisms of these differences are not fully understood, seminal plasma (SP) may play a crucial role in modulating sperm cryotolerance. Seminal plasma contains a heterogeneous population of extracellular vesicles (sEVs), nanometer-sized membrane particles that can transfer biomolecules to sperm modulating their function. This study aimed to isolate and characterize two sized-sEV subsets-small (S-) and large (L-)-from stallion SP, and to evaluate their involvement in sperm freezability. Sem...
Slavik K, Underwood C, Lowndes C, Skelton G, van Eps A.To examine the effects of botulinum toxin inoculation into the deep digital flexor (DDF) muscle on foot biomechanics. Unassigned: 6 healthy horses were injected with botulinum toxin in the DDF of 1 forelimb. The opposite forelimb was untreated. Ground reaction forces (GRF) were measured using a pressure sensor in regions of interest, including the dorsal hoof wall (toe). The location of the center of pressure (COP) was measured relative to the dorsal hoof wall during static standing and at peak stance during walking. Repeat measurements 3, 7, 14, 28, and 42 days after injection were compared t...
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 ...
von Borell E, Langbein J, Després G, Hansen S, Leterrier C, Marchant J, Marchant-Forde R, Minero M, Mohr E, Prunier A, Valance D, Veissier I.Measurement of heart rate variability (HRV) is a non-invasive technique that can be used to investigate the functioning of the autonomic nervous system, especially the balance between sympathetic and vagal activity. It has been proven to be very useful in humans for both research and clinical studies concerned with cardiovascular diseases, diabetic autonomic dysfunction, hypertension and psychiatric and psychological disorders. Over the past decade, HRV has been used increasingly in animal research to analyse changes in sympathovagal balance related to diseases, psychological and environmental...
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...
Furet JP, Firmesse O, Gourmelon M, Bridonneau C, Tap J, Mondot S, Doré J, Corthier G.Pollution of the environment by human and animal faecal pollution affects the safety of shellfish, drinking water and recreational beaches. To pinpoint the origin of contaminations, it is essential to define the differences between human microbiota and that of farm animals. A strategy based on real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) assays was therefore developed and applied to compare the composition of intestinal microbiota of these two groups. Primers were designed to quantify the 16S rRNA gene from dominant and subdominant bacterial groups. TaqMan probes were defined for the qPCR technique used ...
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...
Couëtil LL, Cardwell JM, Gerber V, Lavoie JP, Léguillette R, Richard EA.The purpose of this manuscript is to revise and update the previous consensus statement on inflammatory airway disease (IAD) in horses. Since 2007, a large number of scientific articles have been published on the topic and these new findings have led to a significant evolution of our understanding of IAD.
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...
