The immune response in horses involves a complex network of cells, tissues, and molecules that work together to protect the animal from pathogens and other harmful agents. This process includes both innate and adaptive immune mechanisms. Innate immunity provides the first line of defense and involves components such as physical barriers, phagocytic cells, and the complement system. Adaptive immunity, on the other hand, is characterized by the activation of lymphocytes and the production of antibodies, which provide a targeted response to specific antigens. Key components of the equine immune system include T cells, B cells, and various cytokines that facilitate communication between immune cells. This page compiles peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the mechanisms, regulation, and implications of immune responses in equine health.
Ferguson JA, Reeves WC, Hardy JL.Serologic studies in 24 ponies indicated that prevaccination antibodies to Venezuelan equine encephalomyelitis (VEE) virus (strain TC-83) had no influence on hemagglutination-inhibition (HI) antibody stimulation by western equine encephalomyelitis (WEE) or eastern equine encephalomyelits (EEE)-WEE vaccines. However, studies of the effects of VEE neutralizing antibodies on neutralizing antibody stimulation by the heterologous alphavirus vaccines were inconclusive. The VEE, WEE, and EEE antibody responses were studied in 18 VEE-vaccinated (strain TC-83) animals (13 ponies and 5 horses) at 9 to 1...
Castles JJ, Gershwin ME, Saito W, Ardans A, Osburn B.Previous studies of human congenital immunodeficiency states and in vitro observations of lymphocyte response to mitogens have implicated two purine salvage pathway enzymes, andenosine deaminase (ADA) and nucleoside phosphorylase (NP), as critical in the normal maturation and/or function of the immune system. Based on this information, ADA and NP activities were examined in a variety of congenital and acquired animal models of dysimmunity. The animals studied herein included: congenitally athymic (nude) mice; congenitally asplenic mice; congenitally athymic-asplenic mice; motheaten mice; New Z...
Ardans AA, Trommershausen-Smith A, Osburn BI, Mayhew IG, Trees C, Park MI, Sawyer M, Stabenfeldt GH.Immunotherapy was attempted in 2 Arabian foals with combined immunodeficiency. One foal was given a transplant of bone marrow from a selected full sibling, and 1 foal was given a fetal thymus transplant. Both foals died. Genetic evidence was obtained for survival of the transplanted tissues in both cases; however, a graft versus host reaction developed in the foal given the fetal thymus transplant.
Wilks CR.The immune response in horses following experimental infection with equine herpesvirus type 1 (EHV-1) was assessed by measuring cytotoxicity for EHV-1-infected target cells. A technique was developed, using [125I]5-iodo-2'-deoxyuridine ([125I]IUDR)-labeled equine fetal kidney cells infected with EHV-1 as the target cells. It was shown that peripheral blood leukocytes from a recovered horse were capable of lysing target cells, as measured by the loss of radio-active label. Following the experimental infection of specific-pathogen-free ponies with EHV-1, cytotoxicity was obtained with fresh auto...
Benmansour A, Benelmouffok A, Bouguermouh A.During an epizootic of equine acute respiratory disease in Algeria, a strain of equine influenza virus was isolated. Sera examination by hemagglutinin inhibition test and complement fixation test confirmed the etiology of the disease. The first and second outbreak of the disease remained localised. The third outbreak spread within few months to all parts of the country. Horses vaccinated with a commercial equine influenza vaccine remained healthy.
Verberne LR, Mirck MH.A comparative study of the literature of the past ten years showed that vaccination of horses and ponies against influenza is best done using adjuvant-containing vaccines. Comparable results may probably be obtained by twice inoculating an aquenous vaccine. There are no drawbacks to the use of aluminium-hydroxide as an adjuvant when mineral oil is used as an adjuvant, the first and second vaccinations do not present any problems.
Carroll EJ, Lasmanis J, Schalm OW.A method is described for production of an equine anti-bovine leukocyte serum (EABLS). Leukocytes were harvested from the milk of cow's udders which had been irritated with endotoxin. The washed leukocytes as antigens were administered to 2 horses in a series of subcutaneous and intravenous injections. There was a variably progressive increase in total serum proteins and a decrease in albumin/blobulin ratios, but the most pronounced change was an increase in beta2-globulins. Accompanying these changes was an increase in the number of precipitin lines as shown by Ouchterlony analysis. Four old ...
Goto H.The efficacy of Japanese encephalitis vaccine in horses has been described from the effect of mass vaccination on the local prevalence of the disease in horses in each district of Hokkaido, Japan.
Estola T, Neuvonen E.In 1974, a very extensive influenza/A/equi 2 epidemic broke out in the Finnish horse population. To study the efficacy of influenza vaccinations a questionnaire was sent after the epidemic to all Finnish veterinarians. The answer material was selected to contain only stables which had had clinically typical cases. The material consisted 234 unvaccinated and 629 vaccinated horses. In the latter group 466 horses were vaccinated adequately. The results of the study showed that of the unvaccinated horses 212 (91%) and of the adequately vaccinated horses only 42 (9.4%) contracted clinically typical...
Barrowman PR.This paper is a record of observations on the transmission and clinical signs of dourine in naturally infected cases of known duration, and of temporal and quantitative aspects of the immune response in blood and cerebro-spinal fluid. Included in the record are observations on the presence of Trypanosoma equiperdum parasites in these body fluids and methods for their detection. There is evidence that the occurrence of nervous symptoms and lesions in infected horses is associated with the presence of Trypanosoma equiperdum parasites in cerebro-spinal fluid. The suitability of cerebro-spinal flu...
Wilks CR, Coggins L.Twenty-two ponies were examined for serum-neutralizing (SN) antibody to equine herpesvirus type 1 and for in vitro lymphocyte transformation in the presence of viral antigen. Six ponies had undetectable levels of neutralizing antibody (titer less than 1:2) and had lymphocytes which did not respond in culture with viral antigen (stimulation index less than 2.0). Four ponies which had SN antibody to equine herpesvirus type 1 did not manifest lymphocyte transformation in vitro. The 12 remaining seropositive ponies had lymphocyte transformation with viral antigen in vitro (stimulation indexes from...
Menassé I.After a brief reference to the importance of the non-parenteral route of vaccination of domestic animals in general, the author deals, for each animal species separately, with the most important vaccines utilised by this method of administration. On the basis of bibliographical data, he describes the history of this use, discusses the results of the application in the field and draws the relative conclusions.
Kono Y, Hirasawa K, Fukunaga Y, Taniguchi T.Horses which had passed a few months to a few years asymptomatically after the last recurrence of equine infectious anemia (EIA) showed a typical febrile response after treatment with the immunosuppressive agent, dexamethasone (DM) or cyclophosphamide (CY). In horses showing a febrile response, EIA virus which had not been neutralized by neutralizing antibody previously produced was propagated. In DM-treated horses it disappeared from the blood soon after pyretolysis and antibody against the virus was produced promptly. In contrast, detectable viremia persisted in CY-treated horses for 10 to 8...
McGuire TC, Banks KL, Evans DR, Poppie MJ.Agammaglobulinemia was diagnosed in a 1-year-old Thoroughbred horse on the basis of the following observations: (1) absence of serum immunoglobulins M, A, and G(T); (2) small amounts of serum immunoglobulin G (16 mg/100 ml); (3) absence of specific antibody in the serum of the horse following immunization and challenge exposure to 2 antigens; (4) absence of plasma cells, primary follicles, and germinal centers in a lymph node removed after antigenic stimulation; (5) absence of "natural" serum antibodies to rabbit-erythrocytes which were easily detectable in age-matched control horse serums; an...
Woolcock JB.Using the long chain test, and in some cases the bactericidal test, to measure antibody, the development of the immune response in horses to Str. equi has been followed. Long chain indices in excess of 5.0, accompanied by strong bactericidal capacity, were recorded in serums after the full 3-dose immunisation course with a commercial vaccine. The full course elicited the most satisfactory antibody titres declined within the 12 month post-vaccination period, thus providing support for the recommendation that yearly booster doses should be administered. The immune response in horses during 2 str...
Vanderwagen LC, Pearson JL, Franti CE, Tamm EL, Riemann HP, Behymer DE.As a result of the continuing threat of Venezuelan equine encephalomyelitis (VEE), a study was made to determine if revaccination against VEE (TC-83 vaccine) was feasible and if revaccination could be incorporated into other routine vaccination practices. Of the horses given annual vaccination with bivalent western equine encephalomyelitis (WEE) and eastern equine encephalomyelitis (EEE) vaccine, 57% retained detectable serum-neutralizing (SN) antiboyd titers for VEE 18 months after the initial VEE vaccination was given. Of horses with no record of WEE-EEE vacinnation, 100% retained detectable...
Burrows R, Goodridge D.The EHV-1 viruses of fetal origin grew better and had a wider tissue culture host range than those isolated from horses with respiratory diseases. Comparisons of a fetal isolate (F/304) and a respiratory disease isolate (R/NM-3) in partly immune horses showed that the F/304 virus infected horses more readily, grew better in the nasopharynx, was more likely to cause abortion, and was excreted to a greater extent into the environment.
Allen WR.The influence of fetal genotype upon gonadotrophin (PMSG) and progestagen production in mares and donkeys during the first half of pregnancy was examined. The production of PMSG was greatly reduced in mares carrying mule conceptuses and greatly increased in donkeys carrying hinny conceptuses. Fetal genotype had no obvious influence upon progestagen production in mares, but donkeys carrying hinny conceptuses showed extremely high peripheral plasma progestagen concentrations when serum PMSG levels were elevated. Fetal genotype profoundly influences the intensity and rate of success of the matern...
Targowski SP.Serum specimens from 12 sick and 20 normal horses were examined for levels of different classes of immunoglobulin (Ig) by a single radial immunodiffusion. The level of IgA in the sera of sick horses was about 50% lower than in the sera of normal horses. By contrast, the level of serum IgG was higher in sick than in normal horses. Phytohemagglutinin (PHA) responsiveness of blood lymphocytes showed transient suppression during the stage of severe diarrhea. The regaining of PHA responsiveness of lymphocytes was observed simultaneously with the recovery process. However, the responsiveness of lymp...
Radvila P.The effect of heterologous and homologous antitoxin is the same if an equal amount of antitoxin is present in the organism. In man there are no circulating antibodies in the blood after the first injection of the toxoid because there is no natural immunity against the tetanus antigen. After the second injection, man develops the same immunity as animals. Large antitoxin doses protect people for a longer period than small doses. Normally 3,000 I. U. of the heterologous antitoxin protects people for 2 to 3 weeks. In man and sheep 2 ml of the adsorbed vaccine produces an earlier and longer-lastin...
Dutta SK, Shipley WD.Foals (farms 1 and 2) and mares (farms 1 and 3) vaccinated with a commercially available rhinopneumonitis vaccine were tested for the level of antibodies and for protection against the natural infection. The serum-neutralization (SN) antibody titers against equine herpesvirus type 1 were 1:8 or less in the majority of foals and 1:16 or higher in about 10%. The level of the nasal secretory antibody in the foals (farm 2) was less than 1:4. The vaccinated foals did not show any apparent respiratory tract infection for about 6 months and then an epizootic of respiratory tract disease appeared on f...
Duncan JL, Dargie JD.The migratory route of infective Strongylus vulgaris larvae was determined: penetration of small and large intestine into the lumina of submucosal arteries, migration up the arterial tree, reaching the cranial mesenteric site by three weeks, where the larvae develop to the mature 4th stage. After 3-4 months they exsheath and the young adults migrate down the arteries towards the intestines, to the limit of arterial narrowing, from where they rupture from nodules into the lumen of the intestine. The prepatent period is about 6 months. The clinical syndrome was similar to, but less severe than t...
Targowski SP.Treatment of ponies with a single dose of prednisolone markedly reduced the number of blood lymphocytes. A decrease of the number of eosinophils was also observed. In contrast, the number of neutrophils significantly increased. These profound changes were temporary and returned to the pretreatment level within 48 h. The number of monocytes did not show any of the significant changes post-prednisolone treatment. The reactivity of the blood lymphocytes of these ponies, in vitro, to stimulation with phytohemagglutinin (PHA) or streptokinase-strepto-dornase (SK-SD) was measured by incorporation of...
Cerveira-Pinto M, Wójtowicz A, Pires MA, Kordowitzki P, Skarzynski D, Ferreira-Dias G, Szóstek-Mioduchowska A, Amaral A.Increased synthesis and deposition of collagen (COL) in the extracellular matrix (ECM) of equine endometrium contributes to endometrosis. Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are transmembrane receptors involved in the innate immune response, recognized for their role in antigen recognition and previously associated with equine endometritis. The TLRs not only recognize pathogen-associated molecular patterns but also regulate inflammations, fibrosis and cancer. The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between TLR expression at different stages of Kenney and Doig's (K-D) grading and COL1 exp...
Kader T, Lin JR, Hug C, Coy S, Chen YA, de Bruijn I, Shih N, Jung E, Pelletier RJ, Leon ML, Mingo G, Omran DK, Lee JS, Yapp C, Satravada BA, Kundra R....High-Grade Serous Ovarian Cancer (HGSOC) originates from fallopian tube (FT) precursors. However, the molecular changes that occur as precancerous lesions progress to HGSOC are not well understood. To address this, we integrated high-plex imaging and spatial transcriptomics to analyze human tissue samples at different stages of HGSOC development, including p53 signatures, serous tubal intraepithelial carcinomas (STIC), and invasive HGSOC. Our findings reveal immune modulating mechanisms within precursor epithelium, characterized by chromosomal instability, persistent interferon (IFN) signaling...
Chaintoutis SC, Diakakis N, Polizopoulou ZS, Dovas CI.Serum protein electrophoresis (SPE) is widely used to evaluate protein changes associated with several pathologies, aiming to assist clinical diagnosis. This study aimed to determine, for the first time, SPE profile changes in WNV-naturally infected horses. Sixty horses with different clinical and infection status (encephalitis, asymptomatic infection, and immunologically naïve) were included. Total protein concentrations were determined via an automated biuret method and SPE was performed using a cellulose acetate membrane-based automated system. Statistical analysis revealed significantly h...
Lanci A, Ellero N, Castagnetti C, Perina F, Dondi F, Mariella J.Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) concentrations have been reported in healthy foals and proposed as a biomarker of sepsis in foals born from mares with experimentally induced placentitis. This study aimed to describe the diagnostic and prognostic value of plasma AFP in foals spontaneously affected by different diseases. The study included all foals less than 72 h old that were diagnosed with either: (1) prematurity (PRE), when born prior to 320 days of gestation with immature physical characteristics; (2) sepsis (SEP), in the presence of both positive blood culture and SIRS or (3) neonatal encephalopat...
Kwak YB, Seo SA, Kim M, Yoon J.Ethyl pyruvate (EP) has emerged as a promising compound with potential therapeutic benefits attributed to its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. This study aimed to understand the effects of EP on plasma metabolites and immune cells in horses, utilizing advanced liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS)-based metabolomics, quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), and blood chemistry analyses. Our comprehensive analysis detected 2,366 ions, and 126 metabolites were accurately identified. Remarkably, EP administration induced significant changes in 28 metabolites at 1 h a...
Migdał A, Migdał Ł, Oczkowicz M, Tombarkiewicz B, Okólski A.Colostrum contains substances such as hormones, enzymes, polyamides, nucleic acid derivatives, and amino acid derivatives and also includes immunomodulating substances, proline-rich polypeptides, immunoglobulins (Ig) as well as bacteriostatic compounds. The aim of the study was to evaluate the impact of colostral Ig on the level of expression of selected Toll-like receptor genes (TLR3, TLR4, and TLR7). The experiments were conducted on 25 Polish Pony foals. Blood samples were collected according to the following scheme: before first suckling, at the 1st, 3rd, 5th, 10th, 20th, and 30th, day of ...
Toft K, Honoré ML, Ripley NE, Nielsen MK, Fromm B, Mardahl M, Nielsen LN, Nejsum P, Thamsborg SM, Cirera S, Pihl TH.The equine bloodworm, Strongylus vulgaris, is a highly pathogenic parasite causing potentially fatal vascular and intestinal damage. Parasites express and release microRNAs (miRNAs) for internal regulation and to modulate host immunity. The complete set of miRNAs expressed by S. vulgaris (the S. vulgaris miRNAome) remains unannotated and the aim of this study was to annotate the miRNAome of L4 and L5 stages of S. vulgaris, and to examine differences in miRNA abundance between larval stages and sexes. Furthermore, we aimed to determine if miRNAs were detectable in excretory/secretory products (...
Sidwell AE, Duz M, Khan A, Bodnàr R, Hole SL.The translocation of gingival commensals resulting in measurable systemic inflammation has been described in humans and non-equine veterinary species with dental disorders, particularly periodontal disease. Routine odontoplasty does not result in increased serum amyloid A (SAA) concentration in horses, but a measurable increase in SAA concentration in horses undergoing dental extractions could suggest that local inflammation resulting from more severe dental disease has potential for wider, systemic consequences that warrants further study. To determine whether SAA increases in horses undergoi...
Resende AM, Miranda BA, Silva LB, Oliveira AB, Castro MB, Macêdo IL, Dallago BSL, Barud HS, Borges MAC, Ribeiro CA, Dias DS, Campebell RC.Background/Objectives: Skin injuries are common in the equine clinical practice, requiring effective treatment to support natural healing. Bacuri butter is gaining attention for its potential in wound healing and its anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and antioxidant properties. Natural polymers such as onion (Allium cepa) bioplastics have been investigated for their potential as occlusive dressings and for tissue regeneration. Methods: This study evaluated the healing process of experimentally induced skin wounds on horses treated with bacuri butter, washed onion film, and unwashed onion film....
Botía M, Martín-Cuervo M, Martínez-Subiela S, Cerón JJ, Ayala I, Hansen S, Muñoz-Prieto A.Equine Gastric Ulcer Syndrome (EGUS) is a widespread disease with a very high prevalence and importance in horses. It includes two conditions: Equine squamous gastric disease (ESGD), linked to acid disturbances, and Equine Glandular Gastric Disease (EGGD), associated with inflammation and immune system issues. In saliva, increased levels of immunological markers have been observed in this disease, indicating immune system involvement. In addition, changes in biomarkers of oxidative stress have been described. In horses, IgG and IgA are proteins that appear in saliva and serum and are considere...
Brunner S, Fürst AE, Jackson MA.Dermal melanoma is a common neoplastic disease in horses, which occurs particularly in gray horses. There are various local and systemic therapeutic approaches to treat this skin tumor. Vaccination with human tyrosinase, ONCEPT ® vaccine, is a newer type of systemic melanoma therapy. In this study, the effectiveness of this ONCEPT ® vaccine was retrospectively examined in eight treated horses. In half of the horses (4) a positive change in tumor growth in the sense of retardation, stagnation and, in one of these horses, even reduction in the size of the melanomas was observed. Of the rem...
Mazzei M, Sorvillo B, Sgorbini M, Bindi F, Perelli A, Laus F.(1) Background: Respiratory problems may be associated with pathogens among which viruses may play an important role in causing or promoting clinical signs. However, traditional diagnostic methods for equine infectious diseases, such as PCR, are limited to known pathogens and often miss rare or novel viruses. Metagenomic next-generation sequencing is a transformative method that allows the sequencing of all genomes present in a sample. Recent studies have used next-generation sequences to identify viral sequences in horses with unexplained respiratory symptoms, revealing potential links betwee...
Mazzei M, Sorvillo B, Sgorbini M, Bindi F, Perelli A, Laus F.(1) Background: Respiratory problems may be associated with pathogens among which viruses may play an important role in causing or promoting clinical signs. However, traditional diagnostic methods for equine infectious diseases, such as PCR, are limited to known pathogens and often miss rare or novel viruses. Metagenomic next-generation sequencing is a transformative method that allows the sequencing of all genomes present in a sample. Recent studies have used next-generation sequences to identify viral sequences in horses with unexplained respiratory symptoms, revealing potential links betwee...
Cohen ND, Hughes EV, Bayne C, Morris ERA, Bray JM, Landrock KK, Gonzales DM, Baker RM, Klein RL, Liu W, Legere RM, Wehmeyer SG, Bordin AI....Evaluate the immunogenicity of a vaccine targeting the S protein (Ssee) of Streptococcus equi subsp equi and determine antibody activity against Ssee in horses with strangles. Methods: The study was designed as a prospective experiment using 20 university-owned Quarter Horses and a cross-sectional serosurvey of 78 privately owned horses with strangles. Horses were immunized IM with 0 (n = 4), 200 (n = 8), or 400 (n = 8) μg of recombinant Ssee at weeks 0, 4, and 12. Serum and nasal secretions were collected at weeks 0, 4, 6, 12, 16, and 28 and tested by ELISA for immunoglobulin (Ig)-G against ...
Cohen ND, Hughes EV, Bayne C, Morris ERA, Bray JM, Landrock KK, Gonzales DM, Baker RM, Klein RL, Liu W, Legere RM, Wehmeyer SG, Bordin AI....Evaluate the immunogenicity of a vaccine targeting the S protein (Ssee) of Streptococcus equi subsp equi and determine antibody activity against Ssee in horses with strangles. Methods: The study was designed as a prospective experiment using 20 university-owned Quarter Horses and a cross-sectional serosurvey of 78 privately owned horses with strangles. Horses were immunized IM with 0 (n = 4), 200 (n = 8), or 400 (n = 8) μg of recombinant Ssee at weeks 0, 4, and 12. Serum and nasal secretions were collected at weeks 0, 4, 6, 12, 16, and 28 and tested by ELISA for immunoglobulin (Ig)-G against ...
Jensen A, Clarke EJ, Nugent Z, Paice E, Gringel I, Yamamoto K, Rocchigiani G, Peffers AJ, Cooper L, Peffers MJ.Equine dental diseases significantly impact a horse's overall health, performance and quality of life. They can result in secondary infections and digestive disturbances, potentially leading to colic. A recently described disease affecting the incisors of horses is equine odontoclastic tooth resorption and hypercementosis (EOTRH). Understanding EOTRH is crucial for early diagnosis, effective management and prevention of its severe consequences. Objective: To determine proteomic differences in incisor cementum in horses with and without clinical EOTRH. Methods: Comparative and observational cli...
Cardeti G, Manna G, Cersini A, Nardini R, Rosati S, Reina R, Cittadini M, Sittinieri S, Altigeri A, Marcario GA, Scicluna MT.The mechanisms of the innate immunity control of equine infectious anemia virus in horses are not yet widely described. Equine monocytes isolated from the peripheral blood of three Equine infectious anemia (EIA) seronegative horses were differentiated in vitro into macrophages that gave rise to mixed cell populations morphologically referable to M1 and M2 phenotypes. The addition of two equine recombinant cytokines and two EIA virus reference strains, Miami and Wyoming, induced a more specific cell differentiation, and as for other species, IFNγ and IL4 stimulation polarized horse macrophages...
Chow L, Kawahisa-Piquini G, Bass L, Hendrickson D, Patel A, Rockow M, Dow S, Pezzanite LM.Osteoarthritis (OA) is increasingly thought to be a multifactorial disease in which sustained gut inflammation serves as a continued source of inflammatory mediators driving degenerative processes at distant sites such as joints. The objective of this study was to use the equine model of naturally occurring obesity associated OA to compare the fecal microbiome in OA and health and correlate those findings to differential gene expression synovial fluid (SF) cells, circulating leukocytes and cytokine levels (plasma, SF) towards improved understanding of the interplay between microbiome and immun...
Shinn LT, Wagner CB, Desai R, Marini BL.Horse antithymocyte globulin carries a black box warning for life-threatening anaphylactic reactions, and prescribing information recommends test doses to identify patients at highest risk of this adverse effect. The predictive value of such test doses is not well validated, and practicality of use is unclear. Methods: This was a planned secondary analysis of a multicenter, retrospective cohort study in adults with severe aplastic anemia being managed with horse antithymocyte globulin as part of their treatment regimen. Qualitative and quantitative descriptions of test doses and infusion react...
Stejskalova K, Vychodilova L, Janova E, Oppelt J, Horin P.Toll-like receptors (TLRs) play important roles in innate immunity and developmental processes. Due to their nature as molecular pattern recognition receptors, their genetic diversity may reflect the effects of various pathogen pressures. Here, the extent of variability in the TLR1-6-10 gene cluster in three geographically and historically distinct breeds of horses was analysed. A genetically diverse group of representatives of 14 other horse breeds provided additional information on the variability of this gene cluster in the domestic horse. Altogether, 25 SNPs were identified in the TLR6-1-1...
Story MR, King M, Nout-Lomas YS, Barrett MF, Kawcak C, Frisbie D, McIlwraith CW, Haussler KK.To develop and define a model of acute neck pain in an equine cervical articular process joint (APJ) using recombinant equine IL-1β (reIL-1β). Unassigned: 12 horses in this experimental study received a randomly assigned, unilateral intra-articular injection of 50 ng (n = 6) or 100 ng (n = 6) of reIL-1β and saline (contralateral side as control) into the C5-to-C6 APJ. Blinded ultrasonographic, clinical, and biomechanical parameters were evaluated between 4 hours and 14 days. Unassigned: There was a significant increase in APJ effusion on ultrasonographic examination that peaked at 24 hours ...
Perera TRW, de Ruijter-Villani M, Gibb Z, Nixon B, Sheridan A, Stout TAE, Swegen A, Skerrett-Byrne DA.Embryo-maternal signaling during the establishment of pregnancy in horses remains one of the biggest mysteries in large animal physiology. Early pregnancy loss represents a major source of economic loss to the breeding industry. This study aimed to investigate the systemic changes associated with early pregnancy by mapping the proteome of blood plasma at 14 days in pregnant and non-pregnant mares. Methods: Plasma proteomes were analysed in commercially bred pregnant (n = 17) and non-pregnant (n = 17) Thoroughbred mares at 14 days after ovulation, using high-resolution mass spectrometry. D...
Durward-Akhurst SA, Valberg SJ.Several inflammatory myopathies have an infectious or immune-mediated basis in the horse. Myosin heavy chain myopathy is caused by a codominant missense variant in MYH1 and has 3 clinical presentations: immune-mediated myositis, calciphylaxis, and nonexertional rhabdomyolysis in Quarter Horse-related breeds. An infarctive form of purpura hemorrhagica affects numerous breeds, presenting with focal firm, painful muscle swelling, and subsequent infarction of multiple tissues. While Streptococcus equi equi is often the inciting cause, anaplasmosis, sarcocystis, piroplasmosis, viruses, and vaccines...
Barshick MR, Ely KM, Mogge KC, Chance LM, Johnson SE.Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) is a sulfur-containing molecule with reported anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities. Exercise causes the formation of free radicals and stimulates inflammatory gene expression in leukocytes and skeletal muscle. The hypothesis that dietary supplementation with MSM alters the exercise-mediated inflammatory and oxidant response was assessed in unfit adult thoroughbred geldings. Ten geldings (6.7 ± 1.6 yr) were assigned to a diet supplemented without (CON, = 5) or with 21 g of MSM ( = 5) for 30 days. Following the supplementation period, horses performed a stan...
Fegraeus K, Riihimäki M, Nordlund J, Akula S, Wernersson S, Raine A.Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) is a valuable tool for investigating cellular heterogeneity in diseases such as equine asthma (EA). This study evaluates the HIVE™ scRNA-seq method, a pico-well-based technology, for processing bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) cells from horses with EA. The HIVE method offers practical advantages, including compatibility with both field and clinical settings, as well as a gentle workflow suited for handling sensitive cells. Our results show that the major cell types in equine BAL were successfully identified; however, the proportions of T cells and macropha...
Gerras J, Young K, Roberts D, Waldman G, Salmon JH, Gilger BC.To describe the ocular findings, chronology of disease, and serum leptospiral titers in a group of horses, mules, and donkeys following an outbreak of leptospirosis. Unassigned: Fifty Equidae in central North Carolina had ophthalmic examinations and serum leptospiral microscopic agglutination test (MAT) titers performed every 3-6 months for 24 months followed by a final examination at 34 months. Unassigned: Throughout the nearly three-year study period, 17 horses (34%; 17/49 horses) developed signs of uveitis; 20 eyes (20/34; 58.8%) of these 17 horses were visual at the initial examinati...
Wright CA, Lawton K, Barnum S, Craig BW, Farwell BR, Blea J, McCook C, Pusterla N.This study aimed to determine if exercise increases the frequency of selected respiratory viruses/bacteria shedding in non-clinical horses using nose wipes. Nose wipes were taken pre- and post- exercise from 133 healthy horses of various ages and disciplines. Wipes were assayed for the presence of selected common (equine herpesvirus-1 (EHV), EHV-4, S. equi spp equi) and commensal (EHV-2, EHV-5, S. equi spp zooepidemicus) respiratory pathogens. The frequency of detection increased significantly (p < 0.05) in the post-exercise wipes for EHV-1, EHV-2, EHV-5, and S. zooepidemicus. EHV-4 and S. equ...
Nowicka B, Polkowska I, Zeliszewska-Duk P, Torres A, Duk M.Similarly, in humans and horses, thoracic and lumbosacral back pain cause more disability and work interruptions worldwide than any other disease. Given that there are few effective treatments for back pain in humans and animals, primary prevention strategies and a reduction in pain factors may be crucial. In the analysed data obtained for the horses studied, the pattern of changes in adipocytokine concentrations, including resistin, visfatin and leptin, was noted for those with back pain compared to the control animals. Concentrations of selected adipocytokines in horses from the back pain gr...
Chakraborty A, Dutta P, Amrit R, Dey P, Osborne WJ.Endosymbiotic bacteria are known to synthesize bioactive compounds which have biotechnological potentials that enhance immune responses by stimulating the production of immune cells. Horse milk is widely known to have nutraceutical and antimicrobial activities; however, there are no scientific reports on its inhibitory effects. VITAPRJS1, isolated from horse milk, showed non-hemolytic properties and was significantly tolerant to bile salt and NaCl. The isolate also exhibited potent antibacterial activity against pathogenic bacterial strains such as Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Sta...
Jacob O, Hause B, Peters-Smith K, Adam EN, Page AE, Floyd C, Tucker C, Eertink LG, Wang D, Li F.Equine sarcoids are the most identified skin tumors of horses, which are highly associated with bovine papillomavirus infection. Sarcoids can impair the use of the horse and are difficult to treat, resulting in significant economic losses and a welfare concern. There is no vaccine available to protect global equines from sarcoids. We aimed to determine the safety and protective antibody response in horses immunized with a recombinant baculovirus vector vaccine expressing the L1 protein of bovine papillomavirus type 1 (BPV1). A group of 10 clinically healthy, sarcoid-free horses were immunized ...
