"Horses" is a broad topic that encompasses various aspects of equine biology, behavior, and management. This category includes studies on the anatomy, physiology, and genetics of horses, as well as their behavior, nutrition, and care. Research in this area may also cover the historical and cultural significance of horses, their roles in agriculture, sport, and therapy, and the challenges associated with their conservation and welfare. The page aggregates peer-reviewed research articles and scholarly studies that explore the multifaceted relationships between humans and horses, examining both scientific and socio-economic perspectives.
Long M, Grimm H, Jenner F, Cavalleri JV, Springer S.Quality of life (QoL) provides a comprehensive concept underpinning veterinary decision-making that encompasses factors beyond physical health. It becomes particularly pertinent when seeking responsible choices for chronically ill or old horses that emphasise their well-being and a good QoL over the extension of life. How different stakeholders use the concept of QoL is highly relevant when considering the complexity of these decisions in real-life situations. Methods: Seven focus group discussions (N = 39) were conducted to gain insights into how stakeholders assess and use equine QoL in ...
Leite RO, Albertino LG, Sperandio LMS, Campos F, Campos R, Borges AS, Oliveira-Filho JP.Exercise-induced pulmonary haemorrhage (EIPH) in athletic horses is characterized by the presence of blood from the lungs in the tracheobronchial tree after intense exercise. Despite the high prevalence of EIPH in horses, the primary aetiology remains unknown. Variants in the genes encoding CD39 and CD39L1 (ENTPD1 and ENTPD2, respectively) were previously reported as potential genetic causes involved in EIPH pathogenesis. However, the role of these variants in haemostatic functions is unknown. Results: To investigate the association between EIPH and missense variants in the ENTPD1 (rs115229627...
Data in briefAugust 3, 2024
Volume 56 110799 doi: 10.1016/j.dib.2024.110799
Gmel AI, Lamas LP, Rosa TV, Stefaniuk-Szmukier M, Klecel W, Martin-Gimenez T, Cruz A, Weishaupt MA, Neuditschko M.Conformation traits are important in the selection and distinction between horse breeds, but tend to be evaluated subjectively within a breed and cannot be compared between them. The horse shape space model, using a combination of 253 landmarks and semi-landmarks, provides objective information on the shape of a horse photographed from the side that can be compared between breeds. In this dataset, we are providing the full set of 253 landmarks for 1241 horses from seven breeds, including an R code file to extract joint angle information and transform the raw data into csv files for further ana...
Martínez-Sáez L, Pala S, Marín-García PJ, Llobat L.Toxoplasmosis is one of the most common parasitic zoonoses and represents a significant health risk for humans, especially for immunodeficient patients. The main transmission route is by oral uptake of oocysts and consumption of undercooked meat of infected animals. Different species have been evaluated as possible reservoirs of the parasite, but few studies have been carried out to examine the role of horses in transmission of the disease. Given the proximity of these animals to humans and the widespread consumption of their meat in many countries, including the Mediterranean basin, it is imp...
Osborne C, Elce YA, Byrant B, Meehan-Howard L.To determine with mechanical nociceptive threshold (MNT) testing whether distal limb skin sensation is affected by intra-articular anesthesia of the tarsometatarsal joint (TMTJ). Unassigned: This was a prospective cohort study. Ten client-owned horses that had intra-articular TMTJ anesthesia were included in the study. The MNT was measured at 6 sites on the distal limb at 3 time points: before anesthesia (T0) and at 10 min (T10) and 30 min (T30) post-injection. Linear mixed-model analyses were done, with the significance level set at P < 0.05. Unassigned: There was an increase in MNT (P = 0.00...
Morais DA, Nunes BC, Barnabé NNC, Anjos DM, Bezerra CS, Costa DF, Santos CSAB, Azevedo SS, Alves CJ.Leptospirosis is an anthropozoonosis of economic and public health importance, caused by bacteria of the genus Leptospira. Horses are deemed important in its transmission chain due to their proximity to humans, and because the species is often asymptomatic, making these animals potential silent reservoirs. In this context, the objectives of this study were to determine the prevalence of seropositive horses for Leptospira spp., and to identify the presence of Leptospira spp. serogroups and antibody titers, the occurrence of areas with higher density of infection cases and demographic characteri...
Giontella A, Silvestrelli M, Cocciolone A, Pieramati C, Sarti FM.Morphological scoring is a common evaluation method for domestic animals. The National Association of Maremmano Breeders (ANAM) has provided a dataset containing the records of 600 horses, four metric measurements (cm) and 24 traits with a continuous evaluation scale, each one with 15 classes. Moreover, a body condition score (BCS) with five classes is included. In this study, factor analysis was conducted to create a small number of informative factors (3) obtained from these traits, and a new BLUP-AM-MT index was established. The New Estimated Breeding Value (NEBV1) of each horse was compute...
Chiara M, Mariaelena C, Alessandro C, Davide B, Lavinia C, Paola MM, Barbara L, Chiara DP, Flagiello F, Pia PM.The advanced-PRF+ (A-PRF+) is a platelet concentrate, showing a higher concentration of growth factors, an increased number of cells and looser structure of the fibrin clot than leukocyte-PRF. A high variability in the size of PRF associated with patients, haematological features and centrifugation protocols was reported. The aims of this study were to evaluate the feasibility of A-PRF+ production in the field and the correlation between haematological parameters, macroscopic and microscopic features in equine A-PRF+. Samples from twenty Standardbred horses (3-7 years) were harvested with gla...
Conduit S, Bowen M, Hallowell G, Pereira R, Rapezzano G, Redpath A.Equine primary iris cysts are usually incidental findings but, if associated with clinical signs, may require intervention. The use of laser (Nd:Yag or diode) has been reported but requires specialised equipment. Transcorneal aspiration has not been previously evaluated in the standing horse. To review outcomes of standing transcorneal aspiration of primary iris cysts (STAPIC) in horses. Horses were identified from electronic patient records from 2018 to 2024 across four collaborating centres. Clinical presentation and outcomes were identified and reported using descriptive statistics. Eightee...
Bachmann M, Schusser GF, Wensch-Dorendorf M, Pisch C, Bochnia M, Santo MM, Netzker H, Woitow G, Thielebein J, Kesting S, Riehl G, Greef JM....Concentrations of starch, mono- and disaccharides, fructans, hemicellulose and cellulose were analysed in feed and gastric digesta of horses in relation to acid insoluble ash as a marker indigestible in the stomach. Twenty-four horses were allocated to pasture 24 h/d (PST; n = 4), hay ad libitum (HAY; n = 8), hay ad lib. and oats at 1 g starch/kg body weight (BWT)/meal (OS1; n = 6) and hay ad lib. and oats at 2 g starch/kg BWT/meal (OS2; n = 5). One horse was excluded from the analysis. The horses were fed the ration a minimum of 34 days. Following euthanasia and dissection, digesta was sample...
Stasiak K, Dunowska M, Rola J.Equine rhinitis A (ERAV) and B (ERBV) viruses are respiratory pathogens with worldwide distribution. The current study aimed to determine the frequency of infection of ERAV and ERBV among horses and foals at Polish national studs, and to determine genetic variability within the viruses obtained. Virus-specific quantitative RT-PCR assays targeting a 5' untranslated region were used to screen nasal swabs collected from 621 horses at 16 national horse studs from throughout Poland, including 553 healthy horses and 68 horses with respiratory disease. A partial DNA polymerase gene was amplified and ...
Giercuszkiewicz-Hecold B, Kulka M, Czopowicz M, Szarska E, Strzelec K, Grzeczka A, Graczyk S, Wiśniewska M, Jędrzejkowska Z, Rumińska A, Marycz K....This study aimed to evaluate the oral supplementation of astaxanthin (ATX) on inflammatory markers in 3-year-old Arabian racehorses. Despite the recognized antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of ATX observed in vitro in rodent models and in human athletes, the effects in equine subjects remain unknown. This study involved a controlled trial with 14 horses receiving either ATX (six horses) or a placebo (eight horses), monitored over four months of race training. Inflammatory cytokines: TNFα, IFNγ, IL-6, IL-10, and prostaglandin E (PGE), were measured monthly to assess the impact of A...
Streng K, Hakze-van der Honing RW, Graham H, van Oort S, de Best PA, Abourashed A, van der Poel WHM.Zoonotic arboviruses (arthropod-borne) of the Orthoflavivirus genus, such as West Nile virus (WNV), Usutu virus (USUV) and Tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV), are emerging in Northwestern Europe and pose a threat to both human and animal health. In the Netherlands, passive symptomatic surveillance (notification of clinical cases) in horses is one of the main pillars for the early detection of WNV. For such passive surveillance to work properly, horse owners and veterinarians need to recognize symptoms and report suspected cases to the authorities. Currently, little is known about the seropre...
Bark C, Reilly P, Weller R, Pfau T.Hoof care providers are pivotal for implementing biomechanical optimizations of the musculoskeletal system in the horse. Regular visits allow for the collection of longitudinal, quantitative information ("normal ranges"). Changes in movement symmetry, e.g., after shoeing, are indicative of alterations in weight-bearing and push-off force production. Ten Warmblood show jumping horses (7-13 years; 7 geldings, 3 mares) underwent forelimb re-shoeing with rolled rocker shoes, one limb at a time ("limb-by-limb"). Movement symmetry was measured with inertial sensors attached to the head, withers, and...
Ripollés-Lobo M, Molina A, Novales M, Ziadi C, Hernández E, Valera M.Osteochondrosis (OC) is a developmental orthopaedic disease of significant concern in numerous sport horse breeds, with significant international relevance. Using digital radiographs, we assessed the occurrence of hock (tarsocrural joint) OC in 3 048 Pura Raza Española (PRE) horses which took part in a morpho-functional test, in three specific locations in the tarsus limbs: the Distal Intermediate Ridge of the Tibia (DIRT), the lateral trochlear ridges of the talus (LTT), and the medial trochlear ridges of the talus (MTT). An incidence rate of 13.3% was found for hock OC in the analysed samp...
Data in briefJuly 22, 2024
Volume 55 110764 doi: 10.1016/j.dib.2024.110764
Gmel AI, Haraldsdóttir EH, Serra-Bragança F, Lamas LP, Rosa TV, Stefaniuk-Szmukier M, Klecel W, Neuditschko M, Weishaupt MA.Horses have been used and bred for centuries for their movements. However, specific breeds are expected to have different movement capabilities. We have measured 425 horses from four different breeds at walk and trot on a straight line using an inertial measurement unit (IMU) system (EquiMoves®). This article describes how the data was collected, filtered and analysed to provide a useable dataset of 28 movement variables. It provides a full protocol for field measurements and requirements for adequate trials for analysis. Intra-class correlation coefficient estimates are also provided to asse...
Winther MF, Johnsson J, Madsen PK, Pihl TH, Paltrinieri S, Cerón JJ, Scavone D, Pardo-Marin L, Jacobsen S.Paraoxonase-1 (PON-1) has been suggested as a marker of inflammation and oxidative stress in horses and could potentially be used for prognostication in horses with colitis. Objective: Assessment of PON-1 in horses with colitis and comparison of two methods. Methods: Serum PON-1 was measured by two methods (paraoxon and p-nitrophenyl acetate) in 161 horses with colitis and 57 controls. Follow-up samples obtained during hospitalization were available from 106 horses with colitis. The two methods were compared. Results: Serum PON-1 was significantly lower in horses with colitis than in healthy h...
Jobst ID, Zsoldos RR, Licka TF.Equine physiotherapy commonly includes basic exercises such as walking backward (BW) and voluntary lifting of single limbs (SLL), but trunk movements during these have not been studied. In order to compare the trunk kinematics during BW and SLL with forward walking (FW), nine horses were measured in FW, BW and during SLL triggered by tactile cue. Kinematics were obtained from skin markers captured by ten high-speed video cameras. Trunk angles were calculated in sagittal and horizontal planes from withers, dorsal to spinous processes of the 16th thoracic vertebra (T16), 2nd and 4th sacral verte...
Ross C, White JM, Hibner-Szaltys M, Stephenson RS, Withers JM, Marcatili M.To describe the surgical technique for removal of hoof wall masses in horses under standing sedation (SS) and local anesthesia (LA), and to report complications and long-term outcome following surgery. Methods: Observational retrospective study. Methods: Client-owned horses (n = 30). Methods: Horses undergoing keratoma removal under SS and LA in a single equine hospital between August 2016 and July 2023 were included in the study. Signalment, affected foot, history of lameness and/or foot abscesses, degree of lameness on admission, imaging findings (radiography and magnetic resonance imagi...
Leguillette R, McCrae P, Massie S, Filho SA, Bayly W, David F.Swimming has been used empirically for rehabilitation and conditioning of horses. However, due to challenges imposed by recording physiological parameters in water, the intensity of free swimming effort is unknown. Objective: Measure the physiological workload associated with untethered swimming in horses. Five fit Arabian endurance horses were assessed while swimming in a 100 m-long indoor pool. Horses were equipped with a modified ergospirometry facemask to measure oxygen consumption (V̇O) and ventilatory parameters (inspired/expired volumes, V, V; peak inspiratory/expiratory flows, PkV, P...
Beldeanu S, Tay MCA, Daniel C, Dosi MCM, Hahn CN, James O, Townsend NB, Liuti T, Schwarz T, Parkinson NJ.Fractures of the paracondylar process of the occipital bone may cause headshaking, neck pain and neurologic deficits. The condition is being recognised more frequently with increasing availability of computed tomography. However, to date only limited information is available as to presentation, treatment, surgical approach and outcome. Objective: To describe the clinical signs, imaging findings, treatment, surgical approach and outcome in three horses diagnosed with paracondylar process fracture. Methods: Retrospective case series. Methods: Clinical records and diagnostic images of affected ca...
Egenvall A, Höglund OV, Hoffman R, Valle PS, Andersen PH, Lönnell C, Byström A, Bonnett BN.In recent years, prices for veterinary care have received considerable attention in mainstream media, yet scientific literature has not delved into actual figures. This study aims to elucidate veterinary care costs for dogs, cats, and horses across five countries [Sweden (SE), Norway (NO), Denmark (DK), United Kingdom (UK), and Ireland (IR, with limited data)] through web searches. Unassigned: Utilising online business directories, we located URLs featuring veterinary care prices in autumn 2022, and repeated tri-monthly five times. Vetpris.se (VP), a price comparison site for SE, NO, and DK, e...
Molini U, Franzo G, de Villiers L, van Zyl L, de Villiers M, Khaiseb S, Busch F, Knauf S, Dietze K, Eiden M.The present study investigated the seropositivity rate of Hepatitis E virus (HEV) in domestic and working animals in Namibia, which included dogs, cats, horses, and donkeys. HEV poses a growing threat as a significant cause of human hepatitis globally and has several genotypes of varying zoonotic potential. As epidemiological data on the seroprevalence of HEV in Namibia is scarce, a serosurvey was conducted on archived serum samples of 374 dogs, 238 cats, 98 horses, and 60 donkeys collected between 2018 and 2022 from different regions, to assess the potential of these animals as sources of HEV...
Huang Z, Ma Q, Zhang C, Cheng R, Hou F, Wu Y, Luo F, Li Y.Post-mortem fetal extrusion, also known as "coffin birth", refers to the phenomenon where a fetus is pushed out of a deceased female due to pressure from decomposing gas in the abdominal cavity. While post-mortem fetal extrusion has been documented in humans at several archaeological sites, there are few reports of it occurring in non-human animals. In this study, we present a case of post-mortem fetal extrusion in equids observed in a chariot-horse pit (CMK2) at the Western Zhou period site of Yaoheyuan in northwestern China, dating to the early first millennium BC. This specific pit, one of ...
Pickles KJ, Marlin DJ, Williams JM, Roberts VLH.Equine trigeminal-mediated (TGM) headshaking (HS) is a neuropathic facial pain syndrome characterised by varying intensity and frequencies of head movements and signs of nasal irritation. An accurate method for quantification and/or characterisation of HS severity is lacking. Objective: To develop and validate an objective measure of TGMHS. Methods: Prospective case control study. Methods: Horses presenting for investigation of HS were recruited alongside those presenting for forelimb lameness (LAME) and pre-purchase examination as well as healthy controls (CONTROL). Head movement data were co...
Kuwano A, Ueno T, Katsurashima Y, Tateno O, Saitoh S.From summer 2018 to summer 2019, several Thoroughbred racehorses held at the Miho Training Centre of the Japan Racing Association inadvertently ingested excessive amounts of sodium selenite, resulting in typical chronic selenium (Se) poisoning - the so-called alkali disease. The typical abnormality was a hoof wall disorder with a circumferentially deep ring and/or transverse hoof wall cracks parallel to the coronet on all feet and appearing after excessive ingestion. One affected Thoroughbred male was unique in that all the hooves had a rough surface with a very fragile hoof wall, but no wall ...
Costa MVD, Rodrigues GD, Lima HIL, Krolow TK, Krüger RF.Tabanidae (Diptera), popularly known as horse flies, is an important vector group. This is the first study to ascertain the abundance and diversity of horse flies in horses at the cerrado biome of the state of Tocantins, Brazil. Collecting took place in typical Cerrado, and sampling occurred in the dry and rainy seasons. The horseflies were collected from horses using an entomological net. A total of 249 individuals were collected and spread over 25 species. The prevalent species were Stypommisa aripuana (25.8%) and Catachlorops rufescens (6.4%), in the dry period, and Fidena lissorhina (22.5%...
Kearney MT, Kamm JL.To describe the treatment of subcutaneous lipomas in the horse. Methods: 3 horses. Methods: The horses were aged 1 to 2 years old, with lipoma of the abdomen, prepuce, and tarsus. Results: Recurrence of an invasive thoracic lipoma occurred in case 1 at the exit site of a passive drain. The recurrence was treated unsuccessfully with injectable cisplatin, and a second revision surgery with the use of an active drain resulted in resolution. In case 2, complete resection of an encapsulated lipoma of the lateral prepuce was successful with no recurrence. In case 3, incomplete resection of a tarsal ...
Menzies-Gow NJ, Knowles EJ.Laminitis is a common and painful condition of the equine foot and approximately 90% of cases are associated with insulin dysregulation (ID) that is a central feature of the common endocrine disorder equine metabolic syndrome (EMS) and occurs in a subset of animals with pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction. Additional features of EMS include obesity, altered circulating concentrations of adipokines (particularly adiponectin and leptin) and hypertriglyceridaemia. Obesity, ID, hypoadiponectinaemia, hyperleptinaemia and an altered plasma lipid profile are also features of human metabolic syndrom...
Pokharel K, Weldenegodguad M, Reilas T, Kantanen J.Finnhorse is Finland's native and national horse breed and it has genetic affinities to northern European and Asian horses. It has historical importance for agriculture, forest work and transport and as a war horse. Finnhorse has four breeding sections in the studbook and is under conservation and characterisation efforts. We sequenced and annotated the genome of a Finnhorse mare from the working horse section using PacBio and Omni-C data. This genome can complement the existing Thoroughbred reference genome (EquCab 3.0) and facilitate genetic studies of horses from northern Eurasia. We assemb...
Gibson SJ, Polak JM, Allen JM, Adrian TE, Kelly JS, Bloom SR.The distribution of neuropeptide Y [NPY]-immunoreactive material was examined in the spinal cord and dorsal root ganglia of rat, guinea-pig, cat, marmoset, and horse. Considerable concentrations of NPY and similar distribution patterns of immunoreactive nerve fibres were found in the spinal cord of all species investigated. The dorsal root ganglia of the cat and the horse contained numerous immunoreactive nerve fibres, but in these species, as in the other three studied [rat, guinea-pig, marmoset], no positively stained cell bodies were found. Neuropeptide Y-immunoreactive nerves were observed...
Qablan MA, Oborník M, Petrželková KJ, Sloboda M, Shudiefat MF, Hořín P, Lukeš J, Modrý D.Microscopic diagnosis of equine piroplasmoses, caused by Theileria equi and Babesia caballi, is hindered by low parasitaemia during the latent phase of the infections. However, this constraint can be overcome by the application of PCR followed by sequencing. Out of 288 animals examined, the piroplasmid DNA was detected in 78 (27·1%). Multiplex PCR indicated that T. equi (18·8%) was more prevalent than B. caballi (7·3%), while mixed infections were conspicuously absent. Sequences of 69 PCR amplicons obtained by the 'catch-all' PCR were in concordance with those amplified by the multiplex str...
Thomas KE, Annest JL, Gilchrist J, Bixby-Hammett DM.To characterise and provide nationally representative estimates of persons with non-fatal horse related injuries treated in American emergency departments. Methods: The National Electronic Injury Surveillance System All Injury Program (NEISS-AIP) is a stratified probability sample comprising 66 hospitals. Data on injuries treated in these emergency departments are collected and reported. NEISS-AIP data on all types (horseback riding and otherwise) of non-fatal horse related injuries from 2001 to 2003 were analysed. Results: An estimated 102,904 persons with non-fatal horse related injuries (35...
Schmidt A, Hödl S, Möstl E, Aurich J, Müller J, Aurich C.Domestic animals are often repeatedly exposed to the same anthropogenic stressors. Based on cortisol secretion and heart rate, it has been demonstrated that transport is stressful for horses, but so far, changes in this stress response with repeated road transport have not been reported. We determined salivary cortisol concentrations, fecal cortisol metabolites, cardiac beat-to-beat (RR) interval, and heart rate variability (HRV) in transport-naive horses (N = 8) transported 4 times over a standardized course of 200 km. Immunoreactive salivary cortisol concentrations always increased in respon...
Schoster A, Weese JS, Guardabassi L.The gastrointestinal microbiota is extremely important for human and animal health. Investigations into the composition of the microbiota and its therapeutic modification have received increasing interest in human and veterinary medicine. Probiotics are a way of modifying the microbiota and have been tested to prevent and treat diseases. Probiotics are proposed to exert their beneficial effects through various pathways. Production of antimicrobial compounds targeting intestinal pathogens, general immune stimulation, and colonization resistance are among these mechanisms. Despite widespread ava...
Goodship AE, Birch HL, Wilson AM.Injury of the collagenous structures comprising tendons and ligaments, either from acute trauma or from repetitive strain lesions, results in protracted periods of disability. The resolution of such injuries often fails to restore the normal morphologic and functional characteristics of the structure and, therefore, either compromises the future performance of the individual or predisposes to an increased risk of recurrent injury.
Giles RC, Donahue JM, Hong CB, Tuttle PA, Petrites-Murphy MB, Poonacha KB, Roberts AW, Tramontin RR, Smith B, Swerczek TW.Pathology case records of 3,514 aborted fetuses, stillborn foals, or foals that died < 24 hours after birth and of 13 placentas from mares whose foals were weak or unthrifty at birth were reviewed to determine the cause of abortion, death, or illness. Fetoplacental infection caused by bacteria (n = 628), equine herpesvirus (143), fungi (61), or placentitis (351), in which an etiologic agent could not be defined, was the most common diagnosis. Complications of birth, including neonatal asphyxia, dystocia, or trauma, were the second most common cause of mortality and were diagnosed in 19% of the...
de la Rosa G, Olvera F, Archundia IG, Lomonte B, Alagón A, Corzo G.Antivenoms are fundamental in the therapy for snakebites. In elapid venoms, there are toxins, e.g. short-chain α-neurotoxins, which are quite abundant, highly toxic, and consequently play a major role in envenomation processes. The core problem is that such α-neurotoxins are weakly immunogenic, and many current elapid antivenoms show low reactivity towards them. We have previously developed a recombinant consensus short-chain α-neurotoxin (ScNtx) based on sequences from the most lethal elapid venoms from America, Africa, Asia, and Oceania. Here we report that an antivenom generated by immu...
Brommer H, Brama PA, Laasanen MS, Helminen HJ, van Weeren PR, Jurvelin JS.The concept of functional adapatation of articular cartilage during maturation has emerged from earlier biochemical research. However, articular cartilage has principally a biomechanical function governed by joint loading. Objective: To verify whether the concept of functional adaptation can be confirmed by direct measurement of biomechanical properties of cartilage. Objective: Fetuses have homogeneous (i.e. site-independent) cartilage with regard to biomechanical properties. During growth and development to maturity, the biomechanical characteristics adapt according to functional (loading) de...
Mensing N, Gasse H, Hambruch N, Haeger JD, Pfarrer C, Staszyk C.The equine periodontium provides tooth support and lifelong tooth eruption on a remarkable scale. These functions require continuous tissue remodeling. It is assumed that multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC) reside in the periodontal ligament (PDL) and play a crucial role in regulating physiological periodontal tissue regeneration. The aim of this study was to isolate and characterize equine periodontal MSC. Tissue samples were obtained from four healthy horses. Primary cell populations were harvested and cultured from the gingiva, from three horizontal levels of the PDL (apical, midtoo...
Perkins GA, Wagner B.The development of equine immunity from the fetus to adulthood is complex. The foal's immune response and the immune mechanisms that they are equipped with, along with changes over the first months of life until the immune system becomes adult-like, are only partially understood. While several innate immune responses seem to be fully functional from birth, the onset of adaptive immune response is delayed. For some adaptive immune parameters, such as immunoglobin (Ig)G1, IgG3, IgG5 and IgA antibodies, the immune response starts before or at birth and matures within 3 months of life. Other antib...
Frischknecht M, Jagannathan V, Plattet P, Neuditschko M, Signer-Hasler H, Bachmann I, Pacholewska A, Drögemüller C, Dietschi E, Flury C, Rieder S....The identification of quantitative trait loci (QTL) such as height and their underlying causative variants is still challenging and often requires large sample sizes. In humans hundreds of loci with small effects control the heritable portion of height variability. In domestic animals, typically only a few loci with comparatively large effects explain a major fraction of the heritability. We investigated height at withers in Shetland ponies and mapped a QTL to ECA 6 by genome-wide association (GWAS) using a small cohort of only 48 animals and the Illumina equine SNP70 BeadChip. Fine-mapping re...
Klaus C, Hörügel U, Hoffmann B, Beer M.During a routine examination of 130 horse sera from 13 herds in Thuringia one TBEV antibody positive serum - with a very high titre - could be detected. The horse had been bought from a holding in Bavaria, and was reported to have clinical signs that may have been caused by a TBEV infection. To identify the source of the suspected TBEV infection, ticks from the surroundings of the barn in Thuringia as well as horse sera and ticks from two herds in Bavaria were examined. In the holding in Bavaria, where the horse was kept before, two out of ten horse sera were found to be TBEV antibody positive...
de Grauw JC, van de Lest CH, Brama PA, Rambags BP, van Weeren PR.Meloxicam is a commonly used nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug in equine practice, but little is known about its in vivo effects on joint inflammation and cartilage turnover. Objective: To study the effects of meloxicam on biomarkers of inflammation, matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) activity, and cartilage biomarkers in joints with experimental synovitis. Methods: In a 2-period cross-over study, synovitis was induced at T = 0 h in the L or R intercarpal joint of 6 horses by intraarticular injection of 0.5 ng lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Horses received once daily meloxicam (0.6 mg/kg bwt per os) ...
Kotilainen T, Huhtinen M, Katila T.The objective of this study was to investigate the inflammatory reaction induced in the equine uterus by insemination with fresh and frozen semen. Eleven groups (6 to 8 mares per group) were studied during 2 breeding seasons. The mares were inseminated using raw semen, frozen semen, extended fresh and frozen semen, concentrated fresh semen, seminal plasma and seminal extenders only. One group was bred naturally. Six hours after insemination, the uteri were flushed with 50 ml of phosphate-buffered saline (PBS). Seventeen out of 104 samples (16%) exhibited slight bacterial growth. Neutrophil con...
Chaucheyras-Durand F, Sacy A, Karges K, Apper E.Horses are large non-ruminant herbivores and rely on microbial fermentation for energy, with more than half of their maintenance energy requirement coming from microbial fermentation occurring in their enlarged caecum and colon. To achieve that, the gastro-intestinal tract (GIT) of horses harbors a broad range of various microorganisms, differing in each GIT segment, which are essential for efficient utilization of feed, especially to use nutrients that are not or little degraded by endogenous enzymes. In addition, like in other animal species, the GIT microbiota is in permanent interplay with...
Pleasant RS, Suagee JK, Thatcher CD, Elvinger F, Geor RJ.Increased blood insulin levels are associated with an increased risk of pasture-associated laminitis in equids. Objective: To determine the relationship between plasma insulin, leptin, and lipid levels, and measures of oxidative stress with adiposity in mature light breed horses. Methods: 300 randomly selected light breed horses, aged 4-20 years. Methods: A random sample of horses (140 mares, 151 geldings, and 9 stallions) was drawn from the VMRCVM Equine Field Service practice client list. Evaluations occurred June 15 - August 15, 2006, with all sampling performed between 0600 and 1200 hours....
Kilmartin JV, Rossi-Bernardi L.1. Three modified horse haemoglobins have been prepared: (i) alpha(c) (2)beta(c) (2), in which both the alpha-amino groups of the alpha- and beta-chains have reacted with cyanate, (ii) alpha(c) (2)beta(2), in which the alpha-amino groups of the alpha-chains have reacted with cyanate, and (iii) alpha(2)beta(c) (2), in which the two alpha-amino groups of the beta-chain have reacted with cyanate. 2. The values of n (the Hill constant) for alpha(c) (2)beta(c) (2), alpha(2)beta(c) (2) and alpha(c) (2)beta(2) were (respectively) 2.5, 2.0 and 2.6, indicating the presence of co-operative interactions ...
Beekman L, Tohver T, Léguillette R.The pathophysiology of inflammatory airway disease (IAD) is unknown, but in some cases involves the accumulation of mast cells, neutrophils, or both in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF). The objective of this study was to characterize cytokine gene expression in the BALF cells of horses with IAD, including a comparison of cytokine gene expression between IAD horses with increased BALF mast cells (IAD-Mast) or neutrophils (IAD-Neutro). Methods: The mRNA expression of IL-4, IFN-γ, IL-17, IL-8, IL-1β, IL-5, IL-6, IL-10, IL-12p35, and eotaxin-2 was studied by quantitative polymerase chain ...
Wagnerová P, Sak B, Květoňová D, Buňatová Z, Civišová H, Maršálek M, Kváč M.Faecal samples were collected from 377 horses on 23 farms with varying management systems in the Czech Republic. Microsporidia were found on 16 farms and the overall prevalence of Enterocytozoon bieneusi and Encephalitozoon cuniculi was 17.3% (66/377) and 6.9% (26/377), respectively. The prevalence of E. cuniculi in horses over 3 years of age was significantly higher (10.0%) compared to younger horses (4.0%). No significant differences in prevalence were observed among stallions, geldings, and mares for both microsporidia. Significantly higher infection rates of E. bieneusi and E. cuniculi wer...
Vandeweerd JM, Coisnon C, Clegg P, Cambier C, Pierson A, Hontoir F, Saegerman C, Gustin P, Buczinski S.Various treatments of osteoarthritis (OA) have been described, including use of nutraceuticals. Objective: To review systematically the literature about the effects of nutraceuticals on clinical signs of pain or abnormal locomotion in horses, dogs, and cats, and to discuss methodological aspects of trials and systematic reviews. Methods: A systematic search of controlled trials evaluating the impact of nutraceuticals on OA in horses, dogs, and cats was performed, using Medline, CAB Abstracts, and Google Scholar. Scientific evidence was evaluated by means of criteria proposed by the Food and Dr...
Deeg CA, Hauck SM, Amann B, Pompetzki D, Altmann F, Raith A, Schmalzl T, Stangassinger M, Ueffing M.Equine recurrent uveitis (ERU) is an autoimmune disease that occurs with a high prevalence (10%) in horses. ERU represents the only reliable spontaneous model for human autoimmune uveitis. We already identified and characterized novel autoantigens (malate dehydrogenase, recoverin, CRALBP) by analyzing the autoantibody-binding pattern of horses affected by spontaneous recurrent uveitis (ERU) to the retinal proteome. CRALBP also seems to be relevant to human autoimmune uveitis. Proteomic screening of vitreous and retinal samples from ERU diseased cases in comparison to healthy controls has led t...
Worster AA, Nixon AJ, Brower-Toland BD, Williams J.To determine the morphologic and phenotypic effects of transforming growth factor beta1 (TGFbeta1) on cultured equine mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) and articular chondrocytes. Methods: Bone marrow aspirates and articular cartilage samples from a 2-year-old and two 8-month-old horses. Methods: After initial isolation and culture, MSC and chondrocytes were cultured in Ham's F-12 medium supplemented with TGF-beta1 at a concentration of 0, 1, 5, or 10 ng/ml. Medium was exchanged on day 2, and cells were harvested on day 4. Medium was assayed for proteoglycan (PG) content. Total RNA was isolated fro...
Starke SD, Willems E, May SA, Pfau T.Trotting a horse in circles is a standard and important part of the subjective equine lameness examination, yet objective data on this form of locomotion are sparse. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of trotting in a circle on head and trunk movement symmetry. Vertical movements of the head, withers, os sacrum and left and right tuber coxae were measured using inertial sensors as 12 sound horses were trotted on a hard surface in a straight line and in a circle on both reins. Seven asymmetry measures and hip hike were calculated for each horse for at least nine strides of comp...
Raudsepp T, Lee EJ, Kata SR, Brinkmeyer C, Mickelson JR, Skow LC, Womack JE, Chowdhary BP.Development of a dense map of the horse genome is key to efforts aimed at identifying genes controlling health, reproduction, and performance. We herein report a high-resolution gene map of the horse (Equus caballus) X chromosome (ECAX) generated by developing and typing 116 gene-specific and 12 short tandem repeat markers on the 5,000-rad horse x hamster whole-genome radiation hybrid panel and mapping 29 gene loci by fluorescence in situ hybridization. The human X chromosome sequence was used as a template to select genes at 1-Mb intervals to develop equine orthologs. Coupled with our previou...
Gustafson AL, Tallmadge RL, Ramlachan N, Miller D, Bird H, Antczak DF, Raudsepp T, Chowdhary BP, Skow LC.A physical map of ordered bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) clones was constructed to determine the genetic organization of the horse major histocompatibility complex. Human, cattle, pig, mouse, and rat MHC gene sequences were compared to identify highly conserved regions which served as source templates for the design of overgo primers. Thirty-five overgo probes were designed from 24 genes and used for hybridization screening of the equine USDA CHORI 241 BAC library. Two hundred thirty-eight BAC clones were assembled into two contigs spanning the horse MHC region. The first contig contain...
Welch HM, Bridges CG, Lyon AM, Griffiths L, Edington N.The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and co-cultivation were used to identify the lymphoreticular system as the site of latency of equid herpesvirus I (EHV-1). Primers for PCR were designed from aligned nucleotide sequences of the glycoprotein gB genes to amplify the same region of both the EHV-1 and EHV-4 genomes. Subsequent restriction digests using specific enzymes distinguished the amplified fragments of the EHV-1 genome from those of the EHV-4 genome. Ten weeks following an experimental infection of five ponies with EHV-1, latent virus was detected by PCR and recovered by co-cultivation, p...
Mach N, Ruet A, Clark A, Bars-Cortina D, Ramayo-Caldas Y, Crisci E, Pennarun S, Dhorne-Pollet S, Foury A, Moisan MP, Lansade L.We simultaneously measured the fecal microbiota and multiple environmental and host-related variables in a cohort of 185 healthy horses reared in similar conditions during a period of eight months. The pattern of rare bacteria varied from host to host and was largely different between two time points. Among a suite of variables examined, equitation factors were highly associated with the gut microbiota variability, evoking a relationship between gut microbiota and high levels of physical and mental stressors. Behavioral indicators that pointed toward a compromised welfare state (e.g. stereotyp...
Christensen M, Jacobsen S, Ichiyanagi T, Kjelgaard-Hansen M.Major acute phase proteins (APPs) have proven diagnostically useful in dogs, cats and horses with routine use facilitated by commercially available automated heterologous assays. An automated assay applicable across all three species would highly facilitate further dissemination of routine use, and the aim of this study was to validate an automated latex agglutination turbidimetric immunoassay based on monoclonal anti-human serum amyloid A (SAA) antibodies for measurement of canine, feline and equine SAA. Serum samples from 60 dogs, 40 cats and 40 horses were included. Intra- and inter-assay i...
Matthijnssens J, Miño S, Papp H, Potgieter C, Novo L, Heylen E, Zeller M, Garaicoechea L, Badaracco A, Lengyel G, Kisfali P, Cullinane A, Collins PJ....In this study, the complete genome sequences of seven equine group A rotavirus (RVA) strains (RVA/Horse-tc/GBR/L338/1991/G13P[18], RVA/Horse-wt/IRL/03V04954/2003/G3P[12] and RVA/Horse-wt/IRL/04V2024/2004/G14P[12] from Europe; RVA/Horse-wt/ARG/E30/1993/G3P[12], RVA/Horse-wt/ARG/E403/2006/G14P[12] and RVA/Horse-wt/ARG/E4040/2008/G14P[12] from Argentina; and RVA/Horse-wt/ZAF/EqRV-SA1/2006/G14P[12] from South Africa) were determined. Multiple novel genotypes were identified and genotype numbers were assigned by the Rotavirus Classification Working Group: R9 (VP1), C9 (VP2), N9 (NSP2), T12 (NSP3), ...
