Topic:Geographical Differences
Geographical differences in horses encompass variations in equine populations based on their location, affecting physical characteristics, behavior, and health. These differences can arise from factors such as climate, terrain, and human management practices. Horses in different regions may exhibit adaptations in coat thickness, hoof structure, and metabolic rates to suit their environments. Additionally, geographical location can influence the prevalence of diseases and nutritional availability, impacting horse health and management strategies. This page compiles peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the impact of geographical differences on horse physiology, behavior, and health outcomes.
[Phenotypic characterization of equine Dermatophilus congolensis field isolates]. In 1993 and 1994 a highly increased occurrence of equine dermatophilosis was observed, and a study was initiated to determine phenotypic heterogeneity among 120 clinical isolates using biochemistry, antibiotic resistance profiles, membrane protein profiles and Western blotting. The biochemical examinations contained 1% equine serum in medium. Moreover, the API ZYM-test from bioMérieux was used. The biochemical reactions were suited to identify Dermatophilus congolensis but did not allow a differentiation among the various isolates. Antibiotic resistance in one or more isolates was observed ag...
Seroprevalence of Babesia equi among horses in Israel using competitive inhibition ELISA and IFA assays. Sera from 361 horses were tested by indirect immunofluorescence antibody test (IFA) and by competitive inhibition ELISA (cELISA), to detect antibodies to Babesia equi. The concordance between the assays was 95.7%. Application of a cutoff based on a calculated percent inhibition of 20% inhibition was used. Approximately one-third of all the horses tested were found serologically positive to B. equi, with more horses testing positive from northern Israel. Among horses raised with access to pasture there was a significant difference in the percentage of seropositive reactors (76.6% in the north ...
Antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of fungi isolated from horses with ulcerative keratomycosis. To evaluate in vitro susceptibility to topical antifungal medications, as measured by minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50%), of fungal isolates from horses with ulcerative keratomycosis in Florida; to compare results with those of other studies to identify differences in susceptibility patterns among fungi isolated from horses in different geographic regions; and to note indications of fungal resistance to drugs tested in other studies. Methods: Corneal fungal cultures from client-owned horses from Florida with ulcerative keratomycosis (n = 22). Method...
Restriction enzyme analysis of the virulence plasmids of VapA-positive Rhodococcus equi strains isolated from humans and horses. Restriction enzyme digestion patterns of the large virulence plasmids of 8 human and 37 foal isolates of virulence-associated protein (VapA)-positive Rhodococcus equi strains from different sources were compared. Foal isolates came from five continents. Digestion with EcoRI divided these plasmids into three closely related types, and digestion with BamHI divided them into three major types which corresponded to the EcoRI types. The only EcoRI and BamHI type 3 plasmid was from a single foal isolate obtained from Japan. There are thus two major but related virulence plasmids in isolates from foa...
Giardia and Cryptosporidium in Canadian farm animals. Giardia intestinalis and Cryptosporidium spp. are commonly identified intestinal pathogens in humans and animals. In light of the clinical disease, production losses and zoonotic potential of both Giardia and Cryptosporidium infections, a study was undertaken to investigate the prevalence of these parasites in cattle, sheep, pigs and horses in Canadian farms at different geographical locations. A total of 104 cattle, 89 sheep, 236 pigs and 35 horses were sampled from 15 different Canadian geographical locations. Fecal samples were examined after concentration and immunofluorescent staining. Gi...
Seroprevalence of antibodies to Sarcocystis neurona in horses residing in Oregon. To determine seroprevalence of antibodies to Sarcocystis neurona in neurologically normal horses residing in 4 regions of Oregon and to describe the effects of age, gender, breed, and housing on seroprevalence within each region. Methods: Prevalence survey. Methods: Serum samples from 334 horses systematically selected by practicing veterinarians. Methods: Antibodies to S neurona were measured in sera, using a western blot. Information including age, gender, breed, housing, geographic location, and duration of residence was obtained for each horse. Data were analyzed, using descriptive statist...
Seroprevalence of antibodies to Sarcocystis neurona in horses residing in Ohio. To determine the seroprevalence of serum antibodies to Sarcocystis neurona in horses residing in Ohio. Methods: Prevalence survey. Methods: Serum from samples from 1,056 horses. Serum was collected on every 36th sample submitted to the Ohio State Diagnostic Laboratory for testing for equine infectious anemia. Methods: Serum was frozen at -80 C and analyzed for antibodies to S neurona, using a western blot. Information regarding blood sample collection, age, breed, sex, and geographic location was recorded for each horse. Data were analyzed, using multivariable logistic regression. Results: Hor...
Antigenic and genetic evolution of equine H3N8 influenza A viruses. Evolution of equine influenza a H3N8 viruses was examined by antigenic and genetic analysis of a collection isolates from around the world. It was noted that antigenic and genetic variants of equine H3N8 viruses cocirculate, and in particular that variants currently circulating in Europe and the USA are distinguishable from one another both in terms of antigenic reactivity and genetic structure of the HA1 portion of the haemagglutinin (HA) molecule. Whilst the divergent evolution of American and European isolates may be due to geographical isolation of the two gene pools, some mixing is believ...
Transmission patterns of St. Louis encephalitis and eastern equine encephalitis viruses in Florida: 1978-1993. Sentinel chickens were maintained at field sites in 40 Florida counties for varying periods between 1978 and 1993. For each county, the total number of St. Louis encephalitis virus (SLE) or eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) virus seroconversions were divided by the number of chickens exposed to calculate a mean annual seroconversion rate. These rates were used to evaluate the annual and geographical distributions of these viruses within Florida. For SLE, the rates in counties that reported human SLE cases during a widespread epidemic in 1990 were compared with adjusted mean annual seroconversi...
Epidemiologic evidence for clustering of equine motor neuron disease in the United States. To examine the regional variations in the distribution of equine motor neuron disease (EMND) in the United States and the factors that might explain those variations. Methods: Cluster investigation and case-control study. Methods: The study population consisted of 97 horses with histopathologically confirmed EMND and 698 controls with diagnosis of other spinal cord disorders at 21 US veterinary teaching hospitals participating in the Veterinary Medical Data Base. Methods: The total horse population of the United States was divided into 21 regions, and the regional incidence rates of EMND from ...
The transmission and geographical spread of African horse sickness and bluetongue viruses. African horse sickness virus (AHSV) and bluetongue virus (BTV) are dsRNA viruses within the genus Orbivirus. Both are able to cause non-contagious, infectious arthropod-borne diseases in their respective vertebrate hosts. AHSV infects equines and occasionally dogs, whereas BTV replicates in ruminants. The disease caused by AHSV is usually at its most severe in horses, whereas certain breeds of sheep are particularly sensitive to BTV infection. AHSV is endemic in sub-Saharan Africa but periodically makes brief excursions beyond this area. BTV occurs much more widely and can be found in a band a...
The prevalence and epidemiology of Anoplocephala perfoliata infection in Norway. The caecum and the adjacent 30 cm lengths of ileum and large colon of 201 horses from two different regions of Norway (Ostlandet and Trøndelag) were examined for the presence of Anoplocephala perfoliata. In all, 20% of the horses were infested with the cestode (27% in Ostlandet and 7% in Trøndelag). The mean number of worms in infected horses from the two regions was 18 and 6, respectively. Information was obtained on the age, sex, breed, type of pasture and anthelmintic treatment after the grazing season for 183 of the 20 horses. The degree of infestation with A. perfoliata was not influenc...
African horse sickness and the overwintering of Culicoides spp. in the Iberian peninsula. The presence at different latitudes and the seasonal distribution of two known or potential vectors of African horse sickness (AHS) virus--Culicoides imicola and C. obsoletus--were investigated in the Iberian peninsula using light trap collections. Culicoides imicola was present as far north as 41 degrees N but not at 43 degrees N (Asturias, Spain), whereas C. obsoletus was found at all latitudes. In the northern part of the distribution of C. imicola, adults of this species were present for only a few months of the year, but adults were continually present further south. Culicoides obsoletus ...
Jejunal obstruction caused by a Pythium insidiosum granuloma in a mare. An 8-year-old Missouri Fox Trotter mare was examined because of intermittent, low-grade abdominal pain and weight loss for 3 months. Incomplete jejunal obstruction, caused by a granulomatous mass in the wall of the jejunum, was identified during exploratory celiotomy. Pythium insidiosum was identified as the cause of the granuloma. This case suggests that enteric pythiosis may develop in horses that are geographically distant from the Gulf Coast.
Demographics of companion animals in South Africa. A survey conducted in 1992, using a standardised, stratified sample was used to determine companion animal numbers in South Africa as a single geographical entity. The results indicated that there were 3.93 million dogs, 0.97 million cats, 0.98 million birds, 0.22 million other companion animals and 0.1 million horses in South African households. Thirty-seven per cent of households keeping companion animals, kept dogs; cats (13.4%); birds (4.8%); other companion animals (1.1%) and horses (2%). These results may provide information about possible markets in terms of numbers of species kept.
Geographical variation of seropositivity to Ehrlichia risticii (equine monocytic ehrlichiosis) of horses in New York state. A total of 2,579 serum samples from horses in New York state during 1985-1986 were examined for seropositivity to Ehrlichia risticii using the indirect fluorescent antibody technique. Cluster analysis statistical technique was used to group counties according to their estimated EME-disease rate (seropositive proportion of sampled horses). Counties were clustered into 4 groups of different EME-disease rates, representing high (86% seropositive), medium (66% seropositive), medium-low (47% seropositive) and low (6% seropositive) risk regions. The logistic regression statistical technique was used...
Hypersensitivity of horses in British Columbia to extracts of native and exotic species of Culicoides (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae). Six horses from British Columbia severely affected by Culicoides hypersensitivity, a seasonal dermatitis caused by the bites of Culicoides spp., were inoculated intradermally with extracts of six species or forms of Culicoides from British Columbia, United States, and Israel. Two native and four exotic species were thought to cause the disease in their own geographical area. The horses developed large welts within 20 min after injection of any of the six extracts, indicating an immediate (type I) reaction. The skin reactions caused by each extract peaked at or after 24 h, indicating an additio...
[Selenium, an essential and toxic element. Latin American data]. After a brief discussion of some of the aspects of importance, sources, deficiencies and excesses of selenium the great differences of ingestion between different countries are mentioned. Breast fed children from an area in Venezuela ingest 10 times the amount compared with children from Finland. Among sesame seed samples from 20 different countries used as Se indicators, the highest and the lowest values were found in those of Latin-American origin. With very few exceptions the highest and the lowest urinary and serum Se levels reported in the literature came from this region. The performance...
A monoclonal antibody defines a geographically conserved surface protein epitope of Babesia equi merozoites. Babesiosis is a tick-borne hemoparasitic disease affecting horses worldwide. To investigate mechanisms of immunity to this parasite, the antibody response of infected horses to Babesia equi merozoite proteins was evaluated. Immunoprecipitation of B. equi merozoite antigens with sera from infected horses revealed 11 major proteins of 210, 144, 108, 88, 70, 56, 44, 36, 34, 28, and 25 kDa. Monoclonal antibody (MAb) 36/133.97, which binds to live merozoites, immunoprecipitated proteins of 44, 36, 34, and 28 kDa. When immunoprecipitations were performed with in vitro translation products of merozoi...
Epidemiologic study of ocular/adnexal squamous cell carcinoma in horses. Proportional hospital accession ratios for equine ocular/adnexal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) were determined for 14 colleges of veterinary medicine participating in the Veterinary Medical Data Program between January 1978 and December 1986. Comparison of the ratios with their respective geographical, physical data has shown an increased prevalence of SCC with an increase in longitude, altitude, or mean annual solar radiation. In contrast, prevalence of SCC increased with a decrease in latitude. Between January 1978 and December 1988, 147 horses with ocular/adnexal SCC were admitted to the Co...
[The epidemiology of gasterophilosis of horses in Switzerland]. Between March 1988 and December 1989, 198 gastrointestinal tracts from slaughtered horses from different areas of Switzerland have been analysed for the presence and the frequency of Gasterophilus spp. During the same period--always between July and November--200 horses from selected areas of Western Switzerland have been checked for the presence of eggs and their subsequent developmental stages in order to investigate further clinical and biological aspects of this infection. The evaluation has been performed according to origin, age, sex, colour of the horse and seasonal pattern of the cases...
Equine Culicoides hypersensitivity in Florida: biting midges aspirated from horses. Nine species of Culicoides were aspirated from horses in Florida during the second phase of a study of equine Culicoides hypersensitivity (CHS). Approximately 90% of the 2933 midges were Culicoides insignis Lutz, 4% were C.stellifer (Coquillett), 3% were C.niger Root and Hoffman, 2% were C.alachua Jamnback and Wirth and the remaining 1% included C.venustus Hoffman, C.scanloni Wirth and Hubert, C.lahillei Iches (= C.debilipalpis Lutz), C.pusillus Lutz, and C.edeni Wirth and Blanton. Culicoides were sampled on seven farms located throughout Florida. The location and seasonality of lesion develop...
Genetic heterogeneity within Echinococcus granulosus: isolates from different hosts and geographical areas characterized with DNA probes. A segment of the ribosomal RNA gene of Schistosoma mansoni and a DNA fragment specific to Echinococcus granulosus, cloned in plasmids, have been used as DNA probes to assess the extent of genetic variability within E. granulosus and some distinct strains have been identified. The DNA analysis, involving restriction endonuclease digestion and Southern blot hybridization with the probes, did not demonstrate any significant genetic variation within the U.K. horse/dog or sheep/dog strains but confirmed the distinctiveness of the two strains shown in previous studies. The sheep/dog strain was shown...
The lead status of horses from central Europe depending on breed, sex, age and living area. The breed of horses took a significant effect on the Pb content of animals with a normal Pb supply. Warm-blooded horses stored more Pb in skeleton, kidneys, liver and cerebrum than heavy horses. The sex only had the trend of influencing the Pb status. Mares with a normal Pb supply incorporated more Pb than geldings. Age only took a slight effect on the skeleton. Older horses stored more Pb in the metatarsal bone than younger ones. The Pb content of horse meat was not influenced by Pb exposure. Pb was not additionally deposited in the musculature. The Pb offer of the living area took a signific...
The cadmium status of horses from central Europe depending on breed, sex, age and living area. The Cd status of animals is best reflected by kidneys and much worse by liver and hair. Breed (heavy- and warm-blooded horses) only took an insignificant effect on the Cd content of kidneys and liver. On the average, however, warm-blooded horses stored more Cd than heavy ones. Geldings from Cd-exposed living areas accumulated insignificantly more Cd in liver, kidneys and hair than mares. The influence of age on the Cd content of kidneys and liver of Cd-exposed horses was significant. The Cd exposure of a living area was very well reflected by kidneys and liver. On the average, horses from two ...
[Finding Setaria equina in horses]. For the first time findings of Setaria equina (Abildgaard, 1789) in horses are reported from the German Democratic Republic. The nematodes, located in the peritoneum, were discovered in the course of autopsy. Based on a thorough analysis of the international literature, the paper discusses geographical distribution, morphology, cycle and diagnosis of this nematode as well as clinical symptoms mainly caused by the stages of the larvae.
[Endangered domestic animal breeds in German-speaking countries. V. Horses]. Due to motorization the heavy horses, in particular draught horses and carriage horses, were deprived of their "raison d'être". At present therefore, they mostly are found in small livestocks. The past few years they regained some significance through their work in the forests, as an attraction in tourism or somewhere else. In German speaking countries approximately 15 horse breeds must be considered to be threatened in their existence. Breeding history, appearance, use and geographical distribution of 12 of them are discussed in this article.
Allergic dermatitis (sweet itch) of Icelandic horses in Sweden: an epidemiological study. A survey of allergic dermatitis (sweet itch) in Sweden contained information on 441 Icelandic horses. Results of a questionnaire indicated that approximately 15 per cent of the country's Icelandic horses suffered from the disease. The prevalence of allergic dermatitis was significantly higher among horses imported from Iceland (26.2 per cent) compared to that of Swedish-born animals (6.7 per cent). In addition, horses born in Iceland were significantly more severely affected than horses born in Sweden. The risk of allergic dermatitis in Sweden appeared to be more than six times higher for hors...