"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.
Andersson LS, Wilbe M, Viluma A, Cothran G, Ekesten B, Ewart S, Lindgren G.Equine Multiple Congenital Ocular Anomalies (MCOA) syndrome is a heritable eye disorder mainly affecting silver colored horses. Clinically, the disease manifests in two distinct classes depending on the horse genotype. Horses homozygous for the mutant allele present with a wide range of ocular defects, such as iris stromal hypoplasia, abnormal pectinate ligaments, megaloglobus, iridociliary cysts and cataracts. The phenotype of heterozygous horses is less severe and predominantly includes iridociliary cysts, which occasionally extend into the temporal retina. In order to determine the genetic ...
Ricco S, Renzi S, Del Bue M, Conti V, Merli E, Ramoni R, Lucarelli E, Gnudi G, Ferrari M, Grolli S.Overstrain tendonitis are common pathologies in the sport horses. Therapeutic approaches to tendon healing do not always result in a satisfactory anatomical and functional repair, and healed tendon is often characterized by functional impairment and high risk of reinjury. Recently, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and platelet rich plasma (PRP) have been proposed as novel therapeutic treatments to improve the tendon repair process. MSCs are multipotent, easy to culture and being originated from adult donors do not pose ethical issues. To date, autologous MSCs have been investigated mainly in the ...
Martig S, Lee PV, Anderson GA, Whitton RC.In racehorses, fatigue related subchondral bone injury leads to overt fracture or articular surface collapse and subsequent articular cartilage degeneration. We hypothesised that the fatigue behaviour of equine subchondral bone in compression follows a power law function similar to that observed in cortical and trabecular bone. We determined the fatigue life of equine metacarpal subchondral bone in-vitro and investigated the factors influencing initial bone stiffness. Subchondral bone specimens were loaded cyclically in compression [54MPa (n=6), 66MPa (n=6), 78MPa (n=5), and 90MPa (n=6)] until...
San Miguel SF, Carleton Parker L, Adedokun OA, Burgess WD, Cipriani Davis KS, Blossom TD, Schneider JL, Mennonno AM, Ruhl JD, Veatch JH, Wackerly AJ....Workforce development strategies to educate, inform, and diversify the veterinary profession of the future must begin with children in elementary school. This article provides a description of the Fat Dogs and Coughing Horses program, which takes a multifaceted approach toward informing young students, beginning in first grade, about the interesting work and career opportunities available in the field of veterinary medicine. The program, a collaboration among Purdue University and Indiana public schools, is supported by a Science Education Partnership Award from the Office of Research Infrastr...
Goehring LS, Soboll Hussey G, Gomez Diez M, Benedict K, Maxwell LK, Morley PS, Sloet van Oldruitenborgh-Oosterbaan MM, Lunn DP.Central nervous system blood vessel thrombosis is a part of the pathogenesis of equid herpesvirus-associated myeloencephalopathy (EHM). D-dimers (DD) are stable breakdown products of cross-linked fibrin, and increased DD-plasma concentrations could reflect the degree of systemic coagulation during EHV-1 infection. Objective: We hypothesized that blood DD concentrations will be increased during periods of EHV-1 fever and viremia, reflecting an activated coagulation cascade with fibrinolysis. Methods: Twenty-eight equids were infected with EHV-1 in 3 experimental infection studies. Three (uninfe...
Leroux AA, Detilleux J, Sandersen CF, Borde L, Houben RM, Al Haidar A, Art T, Amory H.Risk factors for cardiac diseases in horses have not been explored in a large population of animals. Objective: To describe risk factors for various cardiac diseases in a hospital-based population of horses. Methods: Files of 3,434 horses admitted at the Internal Medicine Department of the Liege Equine Teaching Hospital between 1994 and 2011 were reviewed and of those, 284 were categorized as having moderate-to-severe cardiac disease. Methods: Observational study. After calculating prevalence for each cardiac disease, we tested whether breed (chi-square test) or sex, age, body weight (BW), and...
Klaus CS, Hertsch BW, Höppner S, Lischer CJ.To describe complications and long-term outcome after surgical correction of severe overbite in 7 horses using corrective osteotomy and a Type I external fixator. Methods: Case series. Methods: Horses (n = 7). Methods: Seven horses with severe mandibular brachygnathia were treated by corrective osteotomy and a Type I external fixator. Data on surgical technique, complications, long-term outcome and owner satisfaction were recorded. Results: Severe mandibular brachygnathia was corrected successfully in all horses. Short term follow-up revealed a relatively high morbidity due to several comp...
Derochette S, Franck T, Mouithys-Mickalad A, Ceusters J, Deby-Dupont G, Lejeune JP, Neven P, Serteyn D.In neutrophils (PMNs), superoxide anion (O2*-), the first reactive oxygen species (ROS) produced to kill pathogenic agents, is generated by NADPH oxidase, an enzymatic complex formed by the translocation of cytosolic subunits to the membrane flavocytochrome b558. In horses, excessive activation of PMNs is often associated with deadly pathologies and the modulation of their ROS production by acting on NADPH oxidase is a prime target to manage inflammation. We developed a cell-free assay to measure the activity of equine NADPH oxidase assembled in vitro, in order to test the effects of natural o...
Aleman M, Williams DC, Brosnan RJ, Nieto JE, Pickles KJ, Berger J, Lecouteur RA, Holliday TA, Madigan JE.Idiopathic headshaking (HSK) in horses is a distressing disorder in which the etiology and pathophysiology are unknown. Objective: Differences in sensory function of the trigeminal nerve exist between healthy and affected horses. Methods: Six healthy mature geldings and 6 mature geldings with idiopathic HSK. Methods: Prospective study. Sensory nerve action and somatosensory evoked potentials studies were performed. The stimulus site comprised the gingival mucosa dorsal to the maxillary canine. A pair of recording electrodes was placed along the sensory pathway of the trigeminal complex at the ...
Théon AP, Pusterla N, Magdesian KG, Wittenburg L, Marmulak T, Wilson WD.The efficacy and biosafety of a previously established tolerable dosage of doxorubicin have not been established in horses. Objective: To provide preliminary evidence of the efficacy of doxorubicin in tumor-bearing horses, explore drug pharmacokinetics profile, and estimate period of risk of exposure to drug residues. Methods: Twelve horses with 37 tumors. Methods: Treatment protocol included 6 treatments at 3-week intervals. Eight horses were uniformly treated at a dosage of 70 mg/m(2) and 4 horses received 4 of 6 treatment cycles at 70 mg/m(2) . Clinical signs, tumor responses, and toxicoses...
Marenzoni ML, Bietta A, Lepri E, Casagrande Proietti P, Cordioli P, Canelli E, Stefanetti V, Coletti M, Timoney PJ, Passamonti F.Herpesviral infections frequently occur in horses. The objective of this study was to investigate the possible association of equine herpesviruses (EHV-1, EHV-2, EHV-3, EHV-4, EHV-5) with other causes of abortion, neonatal mortality or placental disorder. Sixty-seven abortions, 22 stillbirths, 14 cases of neonatal foal mortality and 3 cases of placental disease were investigated for infectious and non-infectious causes. Type-specific nested PCR assays and virus isolation were performed to detect EHV infections. A cause of fetal loss or placental disease was reached in 68 out 116 (58.7%) cases....
Larsson J, Pilborg PH, Johansen M, Christophersen MT, Holte A, Roepstorff L, Olsen LH, Harrison AP.Few studies have investigated the physiological parameters of endurance horses in Scandinavia. Hence, this two race study has focused on the effects of endurance racing in terms of equine clinicopathological blood parameters, heart score, and fluid use. Race A involved 15 horses (120 km). Two pre- and one post-race blood samples were taken, body condition score was assessed in triplicate pre-race, and an ECG was used to determine heart score. Race B involved 16 horses (65-120 km). One pre- and two post-race blood samples were taken. For both races, horse data as well as fluid intake estima...
Awinda PO, Mealey RH, Williams LB, Conrad PA, Packham AE, Reif KE, Grause JF, Pelzel-McCluskey AM, Chung C, Bastos RG, Kappmeyer LS, Howe DK, Ness SL....Tick-borne pathogens that cause persistent infection are of major concern to the livestock industry because of transmission risk from persistently infected animals and the potential economic losses they pose. The recent reemergence of Theileria equi in the United States prompted a widespread national survey resulting in identification of limited distribution of equine piroplasmosis (EP) in the U.S. horse population. This program identified Babesia caballi-seropositive horses using rhoptry-associated protein 1 (RAP-1)-competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (cELISA), despite B. caballi be...
Ceusters JD, Mouithys-Mickalad AA, Franck TJ, Deby-Dupont GP, Derochette S, Serteyn DA.Horses are outstanding athletes, performing in many different disciplines involving different kinds of efforts and metabolic responses. Depending on exercise intensity, their skeletal muscle oxygenation decreases, and the reperfusion at cessation of the exercise can cause excessive production of free radicals. This study on cultured primary equine myoblasts investigated the effect of different kinds of anoxia/reoxygenation (A/R) on routine respiration, mitochondrial complex I specific activity and free radicals production. Our data revealed that short cycles of A/R caused a decrease of all the...
Pigott JH, Ishihara A, Wellman ML, Russell DS, Bertone AL.Mesenchymal stem cells have demonstrated immunomodulatory capabilities as well as modest efficacy in animal models of joint injury, warranting further study as a potential treatment of joint disease. The goal of the study was to investigate the blood and synovial immune and histologic response to intra-articular injection of autologous, allogeneic, and xenogeneic bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) in horses. The study group consisted of 6 five-year-old Thoroughbred mares that had been injected previously with 15 million, genetically modified autologous, allogeneic, or xenogeneic ...
Hyldahl Laursen S, Andersen PH, Kjelgaard-Hansen M, Wiinberg B.There is a paucity of information about the analytical performance of thromboelastography (TEG) in horses, specifically concerning components of variation among different analytical methods. Such data may be obtained by nested analysis of repetitive standardized sampling of healthy individuals. Objective: The objectives were (1) to assess the relative susceptibility to sources of preanalytical variation in a highly standardized setting, (2) to directly compare and evaluate the observed analytical variation, and (3) to assess the applicability of population-based reference intervals. Methods: B...
Prow NA, Tan CS, Wang W, Hobson-Peters J, Kidd L, Barton A, Wright J, Hall RA, Bielefeldt-Ohmann H.In 2011 an unprecedented epidemic of equine encephalitis occurred in south-eastern (SE) Australia following heavy rainfall and severe flooding in the preceding 2-4 months. Less than 6% of the documented cases occurred in Queensland, prompting the question of pre-existing immunity in Queensland horses. A small-scale serological survey was conducted on horses residing in one of the severely flood-affected areas of SE-Queensland. Using a flavivirus-specific blocking-ELISA we found that 63% (39/62) of horses older than 3 years were positive for flavivirus antibodies, and of these 18% (7/38) had ne...
Qualls HJ, Holbrook TC, Gilliam LL, Njaa BL, Panciera RJ, Pope CN, Payton ME.The efficacy of orally administered therapeutics for the treatment of cantharidin intoxication has not been evaluated in controlled studies. Objective: To develop a model of acute cantharidin intoxication in laboratory rats and to evaluate in this model the relative efficacy of 3 gastrointestinal therapies used to treat equine cantharidin toxicosis. Methods: Sixty-four male Sprague-Dawley rats. Methods: A blinded, randomized, controlled study was performed on rats surgically implanted with telemetry transmitters for evaluating heart rate, locomotor activity, and body temperature. Orogastric ad...
Cehak A, Schröder B, Feige K, Breves G.Published data on the physiology of nutrient transport across the equine intestine are limited, and the existence and relevance of peptide transporters are still unknown in the horse. In the present study, the equine intestinal peptide transport was investigated by Ussing chamber experiments using the radioisotope tracer technique and by uptake studies into brush border membrane vesicles (BBMV). Jejunal mucosae of 16 healthy adult horses were used. Tissue samples were mounted in Ussing chambers, and electrophysiological parameters as well as unidirectional flux rates of the radiolabelled dipep...
Lamb MM, Barrett JG, White NA, Werre SR.Desmopathy of the distal interphalangeal joint collateral ligament is a common cause of lameness in the horse and carries a variable prognosis for soundness. Intralesional treatment has been proposed for improving outcome; however, limited reports describe methods for injecting this ligament. The purpose of this study was to compare accuracy of low-field magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) vs. radiography for injecting the collateral ligament of the distal interphalangeal joint. Equine cadaver digit pairs (n = 10) were divided by random assignment to injection of the ligament by either technique....
Pfau T, Starke SD, Tröster S, Roepstorff L.Pelvic movement is altered in hind limb lame horses. A simple method using one inertial measurement unit (IMU) attached to the sacrum, which objectively measures 'hip hike', will help detecting hind limb lameness in large scale studies. In this study, IMUs over the sacrum and the left and right tuber coxae (TC) quantified vertical movement symmetry (MS) in 10 clinically lame horses. A simple geometrical model was used to estimate TC movement from the sacrum IMU. The differences between measured and estimated MS values (mean±SD) and MS changes during different exercise conditions (straight, ci...
Vieira RF, Vieira TS, Nascimento Ddo A, Martins TF, Krawczak FS, Labruna MB, Chandrashekar R, Marcondes M, Biondo AW, Vidotto O.The aims of this study were to determine the seroprevalence of Ehrlichia spp. and risk factors for exposure in a restricted population of dogs, horses, and humans highly exposed to tick bites in a Brazilian rural settlement using a commercial ELISA rapid test and two indirect immunofluorescent assays (IFA) with E. canis and E. chaffeensis crude antigens. Serum samples from 132 dogs, 16 horses and 100 humans were used. Fifty-six out of 132 (42.4%) dogs were seropositive for E. canis. Dogs > one year were more likely to be seropositive for E. canis than dogs ≤ one year (p = 0.0051). Ten/16 (62...
Lustgarten M, Redding WR, Labens R, Morgan M, Davis W, Seiler GS.Tendon and ligament injuries are common causes of impaired performance in equine athletes. Gray-scale ultrasonography is the current standard method for diagnosing and monitoring these injuries, however this modality only provides morphologic information. Elastography is an ultrasound technique that allows detection and measurement of tissue strain, and may provide valuable mechanical information about equine tendon and ligament injuries. The purpose of this study was to determine the feasibility, reproducibility, and repeatability of elastography; and to describe elastographic characteristics...
Wong D, Hepworth K, Yaeger M, Miles K, Wilgenbusch C.An 8-year-old Thoroughbred mare presented for decreased appetite, ataxia, and weakness. Abdominal ultrasound revealed a large volume of anechoic fluid along with multiple masses involving the spleen, liver, and diaphragm. Pleural fluid was identified via ultrasonography and thoracic radiography. Thoracic radiographs also identified pulmonary interstitial nodules, an undulant dorsal diaphragmatic margin and enlargement of tracheobronchial lymph nodes. Clinical signs of weakness and mild seizures were concurrent with hypoglycemic episodes. The final diagnosis was cholangiocarcinoma with extensiv...
Caffara M, Piva S, Pallaver F, Iacono E, Galuppi R.Fourteen Cryptosporidium isolates from hospitalized foals were genotyped and subtyped using PCR-RFLP analysis of the 18S rDNA. Cryptosporidium parvum and Cryptosporidium horse genotype were detected in 3 and 11 stool specimens, respectively. Sequences of the gp60 gene of Cryptosporidium horse genotype allowed identification of the subtype family VIaA15G4, defining a novel microsatellite pattern within horse subtype VIa. Cryptosporidium horse genotype has only been described occasionally worldwide and this is the first time it has been identified in foals from Italy.
Silva JR, Medeiros LC, Reis VP, Chavez JH, Munhoz TD, Borges GP, Soares OA, Campos CH, Machado RZ, Baldani CD, Silva ML, Faria JL, Silva EE....Since the emergence of West Nile virus (WNV) in North America in 1999, there have been several reports of WNV activity in Central and South American countries. To detect WNV in Brazil, we performed a serological survey of horses from different regions of Brazil using recombinant peptides from domain III of WNV. Positive samples were validated with the neutralisation test. Our results showed that of 79 ELISA-positive horses, nine expressed WNV-specific neutralising antibodies. Eight of the infected horses were from the state of Mato Grosso do Sul and one was from the state of Paraíba. Our resu...
Liburt NR, McKeever KH, Malinowski K, Smarsh DN, Geor RJ.This study tested the hypotheses that age-induced alteration in cortisol, ACTH, and glucose concentrations are due to differences in the response of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and that exercise training would attenuate these differences. Six old (22.0±0.7 yr; mean±SE) and 6 young (7.3±0.6 yr) unfit Standardbred mares ran 3 graded exercise tests (GXT): before (GXT1), after 8 wk of training (GXT2), and at study end at 15 wk (GXT3). Mares trained 3 d/wk at 60% maximum heart rate. Each mare underwent 5 endocrine stimulation tests pre- and posttraining: 1) control (CON), 2) adrenoco...
Hemberg E, Einarsson S, Jones B, Mikko S.The objective of this study was to investigate the presence and origin of polymorphonuclear leucocytes (PMNLs) in the amniotic fluid of mares giving birth to healthy foals. Material from 25 mares was included. Amniotic fluid was collected during parturition before breakage of the amniotic vesicle. Manual microscopic cytologic evaluation was made on cytospin preparations after staining. PMNLs were found in all amniotic samples examined. The genomic DNA was extracted from 12 of the amniotic fluid samples and was genotyped. The results indicate that the PMNLs originate from the foetus.
Salas Y, Márquez A, Canelón J, Perazzo Y, Colmenárez V, López JA.Pythium insidiosum is a pathogenic oomycete known since 1890 that causes pythiosis in mammals. In this report, seven P. insidiosum isolates were recovered from Venezuelan horses and were characterized. The strains were recovered from biopsied tissues and kunkers collected from granulomatous masses located on the hind limb and from a nodular lesion in the left upper eyelid, which decrease the ability of the horses to be used for working purposes. The methods used to identify P. insidiosum isolates were based on the production of sporangia and zoospores, histopathology and PCR assay. To further ...
Ehnen SJ, Divers TJ, Gillette D, Reef VB.Eight adult horses with obstructive nephrolithiasis and/or ureterolithiasis were examined between 1981 and 1987. One horse had bilateral ureteral obstruction at hospital admission; the others had unilateral ureteral obstruction. All horses had similar bilateral renal pathologic findings that were compatible with chronic intermittent or complete obstruction. Horses were referred for evaluation of weight loss, poor performance, and/or decreased appetite. Clinical findings, laboratory results, and/or postmortem findings in all horses supported the diagnosis of chronic renal failure. Age of the 8 ...
Chambers TM, Reedy SE.Serologic tests for equine influenza virus (EIV) antibodies are used for many purposes, including retrospective diagnosis, subtyping of virus isolates, antigenic comparison of different virus strains, and measurement of immune responses to EIV vaccines. The hemagglutination-inhibition (HI), single radial hemolysis (SRH), and serum micro-neutralization tests are the most widely used for these purposes and are described here. The presence of inhibitors of hemagglutination in equine serum complicates interpretation of HI assay results, and there are alternative protocols (receptor-destroying enzy...
Henry Barton M.The recent introduction of more affordable and portable ultrasound equipment makes it possible to perform transabdominal ultrasonography on equine patients in the field. Clipping the hair is not always necessary: intraabdominal structures can be quickly evaluated by soaking hair with isopropyl alcohol and using a 3.0- to 3.5-MHz curvilinear transducer. The ultrasonographer must be acquainted with the location and architecture of normal intraabdominal structures and simultaneously mindful of the depth of the viewing field, the tissue interface densities, the orientation of the transducer relati...
Daels PF, Stabenfeldt GH, Hughes JP, Odensvik K, Kindahl H.The role of prostaglandin F2 alpha (PGF2 alpha) in embryonic loss following induced endotoxemia was studied in mares that were 21 to 44 days pregnant. Thirteen pregnant mares were treated with a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, flunixin meglumine, to inhibit the synthesis of PGF2 alpha caused by Salmonella typhimurium endotoxin given IV. Flunixin meglumine was administered either before injection of the endotoxin (group 1, -10 min; n = 7), or after endotoxin injection into the mares (group 2, 1 hour, n = 3; group 3, 2 hours, n = 3); 12 pregnant mares (group 4) were given only S typhimurium...
Breuhaus BA.This study was performed to compare thyroid function of premature foals to term foals. Objective: Premature foals are more markedly hypothyroxinemic than expected for their severity of illness alone. Methods: Twenty clinically normal term foals; 28 sick, hospitalized term foals; 24 sick, hospitalized premature foals. Methods: Thyroid hormones (TH) and thyrotropin (TSH) were measured, both at rest and in response to thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH), in the 3 groups of foals. Clinical and clinicopathologic data were recorded. Results: Normal foals had high TH at birth, which decreased over th...
Partlow J, David F, Hunt LM, Relave F, Blond L, Pinilla M, Lavoie JP.Small volume pneumothorax can be challenging to diagnose in horses. The current standard method for diagnosis is standing thoracic radiography. We hypothesized that thoracic ultrasonography would be more sensitive. Objectives of this prospective, experimental study were to describe a thoracic ultrasound method for detection of small volume pneumothorax in horses and to compare results of radiography and ultrasound in a sample of horses with induced small volume pneumothorax. Six mature healthy horses were recruited for this study. For each horse, five 50 ml air boluses were sequentially introd...
Rogers LJ.The specialized functions of each hemisphere of the vertebrate brain are summarized together with the current evidence of lateralized behavior in farm and companion animals, as shown by the eye or ear used to attend and respond to stimuli. Forelimb preference is another manifestation of hemispheric lateralization, as shown by differences in behavior between left- and right-handed primates, left- and right-pawed dogs and cats, and left- and right-limb-preferring horses. Left-limb preference reflects right hemisphere use and is associated with negative cognitive bias. Positive cognitive bias is ...
Karimi A, Mosavari N.Burkholderia mallei, the etiologic agent of the disease known as glanders. Clinical and bacteriological diagnosis of glanders is difficult in the early stages of the disease. Currently, mallein (allergic hypersensitivity test) is used for the diagnosis of glanders. The mallein test requires an experienced laboratory person and lasts 48 h. Therefore, in order to quickly diagnose the disease, especially in areas (such as the borders of the country) that cannot be kept animals, new methods should be used to identify the disease. The Rose Bengal is a serological diagnostic test and has been recom...
Morales GA, Wells EA, Angel D.Discovery of two ill horses and three dogs naturally infected with Trypanosoma evansi near an experimental station in the Eastern Plains of Colombia led to a search for reservoir hosts of the parasite. Infection was detected in 8/33 healthy capybaras (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris), none of the remaining 14 horses, and none of 32 Zebu cattle (Bos indicus), 18 paca (Cuniculus paca) and 20 spiny rats (Proechimys sp.). Contrary to common opinion, the results indicated a carrier state in the capybara. Diagnosis was based on morphology, behaviour in albino rats, and pathogenicity and host range in dome...
Herd RP, Donham JC.Forty horses having microfilariae of Onchocerca cervicalis in association with dermatitis, alopecia, and pruritus on the ventral midline were given a single IM injection of 0.2 mg of ivermectin/kg of body weight (June to August 1981). Microfilarial counts in the 40 horses ranged from 18 to 42,446 microfilariae/skin snip on the day of treatment, and histopathologic examination of these skin sections indicated a chronic eosinophilic dermatitis. Numerous microfilariae were in the dermis, but there was no consistent relationship between the presence of microfilariae and the severity of the inflamm...
Ben David A, Barnea A, Torgeman A, Diamant E, Dor E, Schwartz A, Rosen O, Caspi N, Saraf M, Lerer E, Adar Y, Lupo E, Toister E, Zichel R.Botulism is a paralytic disease caused by botulinum neurotoxins (BoNTs). Equine antitoxin is currently the standard therapy for botulism in human. The preparation of equine antitoxin relies on the immunization of horses with botulinum toxoid, which suffers from low yield and safety limitations. The Hc fragment of BoNTs was suggested to be a potent antibotulinum subunit vaccine. The current study presents a comparative evaluation of equine-based toxoid-derived antitoxin (TDA) and subunit-derived antitoxin (SDA). The potency of recombinant Hc/A, Hc/B, and Hc/E in mice was similar to that of toxo...
Ennezat PV, Darchis J, Lamblin N, Tricot O, Elkohen M, Aumégeat V, Equine O, Dujardin X, Saadouni H, Le Tourneau T, de Groote P, Bauters C.Although mitral regurgitation (MR) has been associated with an increased risk of death and heart failure after myocardial infarction (MI), the relationship between post-MI MR and left ventricular (LV) remodeling has not been entirely clarified. In addition, the optimal timing for assessing MR after MI remains unknown. Methods: Post-MI MR was assessed by Doppler echocardiography at hospital discharge (baseline) and after 3 months in 261 patients with an inaugural anterior MI. We studied LV remodeling during a 1-year period and clinical follow-up after 3 years, according to MR severity at baseli...
Barrett JG, MacDonald ES.Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are powerful immunomodulatory cells that act via multiple mechanisms to coordinate, inhibit, and control the cells of the immune system. MSCs act as rescuers for various damaged or degenerated cells of the body via (1) cytokines, growth factors, and signaling molecules; (2) extracellular vesicle (exosome) signaling; and (3) direct donation of mitochondria. Several studies evaluating the efficacy of MSCs have used MSCs grown using xenogeneic media, which may reduce or eliminate efficacy. Although more research is needed to optimize the anti-inflammatory potential o...
Pazzola M, Pira E, Sedda G, Vacca GM, Cocco R, Sechi S, Bonelli P, Nicolussi P.Several concerns have been raised over the health of animals used in equestrian games that have their origins in historical or religious events and are currently held in many countries. This study investigated physiological stress response and health status of horses participating in the Sartiglia, a historical horse tournament held in the city of Oristano, Italy, which is principally based on the attempts of masked horsemen at a gallop to run a sword through a hole in a suspended silver star. Blood samples were collected from 21 horses the day before the tournament (D0), during the tournament...
Schuster RK, Sivakumar S, Kinne J, Babiker H, Traversa D, Buzzell GR.Nematode larvae found in histological cuts of lung tissue of a horse from a farm in Al Dhaid (UAE) were determined to belong to the Habronematidae family. The clinical examination of the other 18 horses present in the farm revealed summer sores (cutaneous habronemosis) in two stallions. Nematode larvae were found in 147 (=26.2%) out of 561 male but only in 64 (=8.7%) out of 739 female Musca domestica caught at the farm in November and December 2008. Conversely, all 15 Stomoxys calcitrans specimens caught in the farm resulted negative for nematode larvae. The housefly population caught in the b...
Many colic horses are compromised due to the disease state and from hours of starvation and sometimes long trailer rides. This could influence their muscle energy reserves and affect the horses' ability to recover. The principal aim was to follow metabolic parameter before, during, and up to 7 days after anaesthesia in healthy horses and in horses undergoing abdominal surgery due to colic. Methods: 20 healthy horses given anaesthesia alone and 20 colic horses subjected to emergency abdominal surgery were anaesthetised for a mean of 228 minutes and 183 minutes respectively. Blood for analysis o...
Doucet MY, Vrins AA, Ford-Hutchinson AW.A histamine inhalation challenge (HIC) procedure was developed to assess hyperreactive states in horses. Following clinical evaluation, percutaneous lung biopsies were performed on nine light breed mares aged 6 to 15 years. Five horses, with normal small airways, were classified as group A and four subjects with small airway disease (SAD) lesions formed group B. Pulmonary mechanics parameters were monitored following an aerosol of 0.9% saline and every 5 min for up to 30 min after HIC with 0.5% w/v of histamine diphosphate, administered through a face mask for 2.5 min. Tidal volume (VT) and ai...
Wu J, Cui Y, Yu F, Muhatai G, Tao D, Zhao A, Ning C, Qi M.Piroplasmosis is a disease that negatively affects equine health worldwide. Hence, 324 blood samples were collected from grazing horses in ten sites in Xinjiang and testing them for the presence of Theileria equi and Babesia caballi by PCR of the EMA-1 gene and BC48 gene, respectively. Of the 324 blood samples, 161 (49.7%) were positive for equine piroplasms. The prevalence of T. equi was 38.9% (126/324), while that of B. caballi was 30.2% (98/324). The T. equi and B. caballi co-infection rate was 19.4% (63/324). From the 126 EMA-1 gene sequences and 98 BC48 gene sequences we obtained, 21 and ...
Dutta SK.An adenovirus was isolated from a foal with respiratory tract disease. The virus produced cytopathic effects (CPE) in equine embryo kidney (EEK) cell culture, contained deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), was resistant to chloroform and pH 3, and was moderately resistant to heat. The virus caused hemagglutination of human (type O) erythrocytes. Viral density was 1.34 g/cm,3 and diameter was 75 nm. An adenovirus-associated virus (AAV) isolated from the infected cell culture was 22 nm in diameter. These viruses are classified as equine adenovirus and equine AAV.
Bocklisch H, Ludwig C, Lange S.Between 1982 and 1989 59 equine fetuses were investigated for chlamydiae using animal experiments and embryonated eggs. Chlamydiae were isolated from 16 fetuses (27.1%) originating from 8 studs. The macroscopical lesions of the fetal organs were characterized by extensive haemorrhages. The histological picture shows severe lesions of the blood vessels of different organs. In 6 studs in which chlamydiae had been isolated, blood sera of clinically healthy and pregnant mares were investigated for antibodies during 1989 and 1990. Antibody titres between 1:10++ and 1:40 were detected by using compl...
Collins MT, Cho SN, Reif JS.We examined more than 2,800 human and animal sera for antibodies to four serogroups of Legionella pneumophila by using the microagglutination test. Antibody titers of greater than or equal to 1:64 were considered positive. The occurrence of positive equine sera (31.4%) was significantly higher than the occurrence of positive sera in cattle (5.1%), swine (2.9%), sheep (1.9%), dogs (1.9%), goats (0.5%), wildlife (0%), and humans (0.4%). The highest titer measured in horses was 1:512. The occurrence of positive sera in horses was related directly to age. In horses less than or equal to 1, 2 to 3,...
Malecki TM, Jillson GP, Thilsted JP, Elrod J, Torrez-Martinez N, Hjelle B.To determine whether animals had serologic evidence of infection with Sin Nombre virus (SNV). Methods: Prospective serosurvey. Methods: Serum samples were obtained from 145 cats, 85 dogs, 120 horses, and 24 cattle between April 1993 and August 1994 and 54 coyotes between December 1994 and February 1995. Methods: Serum samples were analyzed by western immunoblot assays for reaction with SNV nucleocapsid antigen. Samples with reactivity to SNV nucleocapsid proteins were used to probe multiple-antigen blots containing recombinant fusion proteins derived from prototypic hantaviruses. Lung tissue o...
Haag KT, Magalhães-Padilha DM, Fonseca GR, Wischral A, Gastal MO, King SS, Jones KL, Figueiredo JR, Gastal EL.The aims of this study in mares were to: (1) compare preantral follicle parameters between in vitro Biopsy Pick-Up (BPU) and scalpel blade collection methods and between histological and mechanical isolation processing (experiment 1); (2) histologically evaluate preantral follicles (experiment 2); and (3) compare histological analysis with a previously established mechanical isolation technique using a tissue chopper (experiment 3) for ovarian cortical fragments obtained in vivo using a BPU instrument. In experiment 1, preantral follicles were analyzed (N = 220; 90% primordial and 10% primary)...
Magne D, Guicheux J, Weiss P, Pilet P, Daculsi G.Peritubular dentin (PTD) is a relatively dense mineralized tissue surrounding tooth dentin tubules, whose composition and mode of formation are still unclear. Fourier transform infrared microspectroscopic studies of the organic and mineral components of the highly developed horse PTD indicate that the peritubular matrix is less abundant than the intertubular matrix but is also mainly composed of collagen, which is more hydrated. These data suggest that most of the crystals are located outside the collagen fibrils and probably not associated with protein components. The crystals in PTD have nea...
Sosa León LA, Davie AJ, Hodgson DR, Rose RJ.Effects of different tonicities, glucose concentrations and temperatures of an oral rehydration solution (ORS) on its uptake and elimination in resting horses were studied. Fluid and electrolyte deficits similar to those occurring during prolonged exercise were induced by the administration of 1 mg/kg bwt of frusemide i.m., 3 h prior to the ORS. Fluid was administered via nasogastric tube at a volume equivalent to 4% bodyweight, which approximated diuretic induced losses. The uptake of fluid was evaluated by changes in haematocrit (PCV) and plasma total protein concentration (TP). Changes in e...
Rota A, Sabatini C, Przybył A, Ciaramelli A, Panzani D, Camillo F.To increase sperm motility, several molecules have been tested in mammals. Methylxanthines have shown effects on sperm motility, capacitation, and on in vitro fertilization processes. The aim of the study was to evaluate if the post-thaw addition of caffeine and/or pentoxifylline changes motility parameters of cryopreserved stallion and donkey spermatozoa. Straws derived from 14 horses and 7 donkeys were thawed and diluted in a milk-based extender to obtain the following final concentrations: CTR (control, no additives), CAF 5 (5 mM caffeine), CAF 10 (10 mM caffeine), PTX 5 (5 mM pentoxify...
Burrows R, Denyer M.The antigenic relationships between the haemagglutinins of five A/equine-1 viruses and between six A/equine-2 viruses were examined using post-infection ferret and immunized pony sera. Similar results were obtained with sera from both species for the A/equine-1 viruses and these confirmed minor antigenic differences between the prototype A/Prague 1/56 virus and viruses isolated in England in 1973 and 1977. Considerable antigenic differences were found between five of the A/equine-2 viruses, using ferret sera, but these differences were less evident using pony sera. The response of ponies to th...
Bailey E, Reid RC, Skow LC, Mathiason K, Lear TL, McGuire TC.Equine combined immunodeficiency disease (CID) is caused by homozygosity for an autosomal recessive gene. To identify linked markers for the disease, we studied a family segregating for the equine CID gene. A stallion and 19 of his CID-affected offspring were tested for marker segregation at 23 microsatellite DNA loci. His CID-affected offspring inherited only one of his two alleles at the HTG8 and HTG4 loci, namely HTG8-186 and HTG4-124, respectively. Lod scores for linkage to the CID gene using a theta of 0.01 were 5.34 for HTG8 and 2.37 for HTG4. The apparent genotypes also suggested linkag...
