The equine immune system is a complex network of cells, tissues, and organs that work collaboratively to defend against pathogens and maintain homeostasis. It consists of innate and adaptive components, each with distinct functions and mechanisms. The innate immune system provides the first line of defense through physical barriers, phagocytic cells, and the complement system. The adaptive immune system involves lymphocytes, such as B cells and T cells, which generate specific responses to antigens and provide immunological memory. Research in equine immunology explores the interactions between these components, the impact of genetic and environmental factors on immune function, and the development of vaccines and therapeutics. This page gathers peer-reviewed studies and scholarly articles focusing on the mechanisms, regulation, and clinical applications of the equine immune system in health and disease.
Winder NC, von Fellenberg R.Pulmonary parenchymal tissues from 6 healthy horses and from 9 horses with chronic bronchiolitis were evaluated by use of an indirect immunofluorescent technique. In horses of both groups, the diffuse interstitial immunofluorescence was most intense for immunoglobulin (Ig)G, moderate for IgA, and minimal for IgM. Intensity of fluorescence was increased markedly in diseased lungs exposed to anti-IgA and anti-IgG. Around small bronchi and large bronchioles of healthy horses, IgA-containing cells generally were more numerous than were IgG-Fc fragment (Fc)-containing cells; in small bronchioles, h...
Moore PF, Hacker DV, Buyukmihci NC.Angiosarcomas arising in ocular tissues of four aging horses are described. Tumors were locally invasive and eventually metastasized via the mandibular and cervical lymph nodes. Pathologically, the tumors contained well-differentiated regions, in which vascular channels were lined by pleomorphic endothelial cells, as well as poorly-differentiated regions, in which vascular channels were either rudimentary or absent. Red blood cells were scare in vascular structures formed by the tumors. Factor VIII related antigen (VIII:RAg), a blood vascular endothelial marker, was demonstrated by immunohisto...
Takai S, Kawazu S, Tsubaki S.Humoral immune response to intestinal Rhodococcus (Corynebacterium) equi in horses was studied by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Anti-R. equi immunoglobulin M (IgM), IgG, and IgA antibodies were demonstrated in the healthy horse population. Adult horse levels of anti-R. equi IgM and IgG antibodies were reached by 5 to 9 weeks of age in two healthy newborn foals. R. equi was recovered from the foals in the range of 10(3) to 10(4) per g of intestinal contents. A 1-week-old foal was infected with R. equi by mouth daily for 9 weeks. The foal did not show any clinical signs of illness. Anti-R. ...
Mendoza L, Kaufman L, Standard PG.A practical, sensitive, and specific immunodiffusion test was developed for diagnosing and monitoring pythiosis in horses. Culture filtrates, a soluble cell mass, and trypsinized Pythium sp. antigens were evaluated against prepared rabbit anti-Pythium sp. serum and pythiosis horse case sera. The culture filtrate antigens demonstrated the greatest capacity for detecting precipitins and the greatest stability during storage. In contrast, the trypsinized antigens had the weakest capability for detecting multiple precipitins and the poorest stability. The 13 sera from horses with proven active pyt...
Takai S, Morozumi Y, Higashiyama S, Tsubaki S.Equine neutrophil function was studied in 24 newborn foals, 10 adult horses, and a foal infected with R. equi by the quantitative nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT) reduction test. There was no difference between results in newborn foals and adult horses. A foal naturally infected with R. equi showed normal values of NBT reduction test at birth, and after the initial clinical signs, the spontaneous reduction of NBT by neutrophils was found to be remarkably increased until a week before death
Dutta SK, Myrup AC, Thaker SR.Interference between equine herpesvirus types 1 (EHV-1) and 2 (EHV-2) was studied in equine dermis (ED) monolayer cell cultures and equine lymphocyte cultures. Cell cultures were infected with EHV-2, and after a short incubation period, the cultures were superinfected with EHV-1. At various intervals, different measurements of EHV-1 expression in dually infected cultures, compared with those in cultures infected with EHV-1 alone, were studied. In dually infected ED cell cultures, the EHV-1 cytopathic effect, EHV-1 titer, and EHV-1 enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay antigen titer were maximally ...
Morrow A, Quinn PJ, Baker KP.The reactivity of horse skin to intradermal inoculation of histamine, serotonin and bradykinin was investigated, and the resulting reactions compared with those produced in the same horses by a 1% whole-body extract of Culicoides. Both histamine and bradykinin produced large reactions, but there was no significant correlation between the dermal responsiveness to insect allergen and either histamine or bradykinin. Two anti-histamine drugs (promethazine hydrochloride and tripelennamine hydrochloride) were effective in reducing the reaction produced by the insect extract.
Naughton GK, Mahaffey M, Bystryn JC.All of 24 animals (dogs, cats, and horses) with vitiligo were found to have antibodies to pigmented cells that could be detected by specific immunoprecipitation of radioiodinated, detergent-soluble surface macromolecules, and by indirect immunofluorescence on viable cells. These antibodies were not detected in 17 normal animals of the same species. The antibodies were directed to an 85-kDa surface antigen selectively expressed by pigmented cells that was not present on nonpigmented control cells. These observations suggest that vitiligo in animals is an autoimmune disease mediated to pigmented...
Tenter AM, Friedhoff KT.The sensitivity and specificity of the complement fixation (CF) test for the diagnosis of Babesia infections in equines was assessed, using the indirect fluorescent antibody (IFA) test as a reference. Antibodies were first detected between 11 and 20 days post infection (dpi) in the CF test and between 7 and 14 dpi in the IFA test in ponies infected experimentally with B. equi (USDA strain). The CF test became negative in four of five ponies 63-174 dpi although B. equi was demonstrated microscopically in two of these four ponies up to 364 and 455 dpi. The IFA test remained positive up to 476 dp...
Georgadze IA, Nozadze ZM.The hyperimmunization of horses with large doses of tetanus toxoid is accompanied by an increase in the levels of both specific antitoxic antibodies and autoantibodies to the tissue antigens of the liver, the spleen, the heart. The reverse relationship between the level of autoantibodies and the titer of antitoxin has been established. The authors suggest that the synthesis of autoantibodies is stimulated by the presence of antigen-antibody immune complexes in the circulating blood, as well as by the action of exo- and endopolyclonal stimulators.
Matthews AG, Poulter T.The levels of albumin, immunoglobulin G (including IgG [T]), IgA and IgM in the serum and aqueous humour of 47 horses and ponies with no ophthalmic abnormalities were determined by single radial immunodiffusion. There was a linear relationship between serum and aqueous albumin levels. No relationship of serum and aqueous IgG levels was observed. IgA was detected in only one aqueous sample. IgM was not detected in aqueous humour from any eye in this study. The factors which may influence albumin and immunoglobulin levels in normal aqueous humour are discussed.
Weiland G.The increasing horse trade requires a reliable immunodiagnosis of equine piroplasma infections due to import restrictions imposed by various countries, including the United States of America. It was the aim of our investigations to establish the suitability of serological tests for the detection of parasite carriers and, eventually, to differentiate between Babesia caballi and B. equi infections. The investigations were carried out on 11 ponies with experimentally-induced B. caballi and/or B. equi infection. The infections were confirmed by the demonstration of parasites in blood smears 2-13 d...
Day MJ, Penhale WJ.Skin biopsies from 47 dogs, 6 cats and 5 horses with suspected autoimmune skin disease were submitted for immunofluorescence from 1978 to 1985. These cases were predominantly Western Australian in origin, although a number were also referred from Queensland and Victoria. In 5 dogs, 2 cats and 2 horses immunoglobulin binding to intercellular cement substance and/or basement membrane was demonstrated by direct immunofluorescence. Antinuclear antibody was also demonstrated in several of these cases. Immunofluorescence was used in combination with histopathological examination to confirm the clini...
Rosendal S, Blackwell TE, Lumsden JH, Physick-Sheard PW, Viel L, Watson S, Woods P.Mycoplasma felis has been isolated from horses with pleuritis, and limited research indicates that mycoplasma pleuritis can be reproduced in horses. The serodiagnostic potential of the indirect hemagglutination and the metabolism-inhibition tests was evaluated by testing 177 horses for antibodies to M felis. Seven horses with M felis pleuritis developed antibodies, and 6 horses with sterile or bacterial pleuritis had high titers suggesting a previous M felis infection. Six horses with pleuritis (one sterile and five bacterial) had low or no titers to M felis. Only one of 30 horses with conditi...
Yager JA, Foster SF, Zink MC, Prescott JF, Lumsden JH.Polymorphonuclear leukocytes from adult horses were separated from whole blood, using a 2-step Percoll gradient, and were tested for bactericidal function against Corynebacterium equi. Staphylococcus aureus, an organism against which equine neutrophils have proved efficacy, was a positive control. The percentage of uptake after a 15-minute preincubation of the neutrophils and bacteria in the presence of normal horse serum was also calculated. The results indicated that equine neutrophils effectively phagocytosed and killed C equi and S aureus. The percentage of uptake for S aureus (95% +/- 3%)...
Antczak DF, Bailey E, Barger B, Guerin G, Lazary S, McClure J, Mottironi VD, Symons R, Templeton J, Varewyck H.The Third International Workshop on Lymphocyte Alloantigens of the Horse was held on 25-27 April 1984 in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania. Twelve laboratories from five countries participated. The principal purpose of this Workshop was to determine the phenotypic and gene frequencies of the 10 equine lymphocyte antigens (ELA) and a non-ELA lymphocyte antigen, ELY-2.1, in several breeds of horse. A total of 86 alloantisera characterized in previous workshops were tested against lymphocytes from 1179 horses. In addition, several experimental antisera were also tested against the same panel of lympho...
Magnuson N, Perryman L, Wyatt C, Mason P.Severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) occurs in horses of the Arabian breed and is inherited as an autosomal recessive trait1. Affected foals are severely lymphopenic with an absence of functional B and T lymphocytes.2 The few lymphocytes that can be found in affected foals resemble large granular lymphocytes (LGL) and can be grown long-term with media containing interleukin-2 (IL-2).3 The disorder is restricted to the lymphoid system, as other leukocytes are functionally and quantitatively normal.4
Hon WK, Ng TB.Equine pancreatic acetone powder was extracted with an acetone-water-HCl mixture. An acid acetone powder resulted by adding a copious volume of acetone to the extract. The powder was subjected to salt fractionation, gel filtration and chromatography on CM-cellulose. Steroidogenic activity, ACTH-like immunoreactivity and opiate receptor binding activity were distributed among the CM-cellulose chromatographic fractions derived from material unretarded as well as from material retarded on Sephadex G-25. The data indicates a separation of steroidogenic and opiate receptor binding activities, and t...
Hnátková Z, Vraný B, Hnátek J, Lettl A.The preparation of toxic cultures of Clostridium septicum is described, using an apparatus with a straight dialysis tubing, where the medium is filled both into the nutrition and cultivation space of the apparatus. Using the cultivation to nutrition volume rate 1:2, mean titre of lethal antigen in filtrates 3.86 limes mortis per mL and 300 dosis lethalis minima per Lm was obtained in comparison with the values of 2.22 and 150 respectively in flask filtrates. Native filtrates of dialyzed cultures were better antigens for hyperimmunization of horses than the culture filtrates from flasks.
Klein WR, Bras GE, Misdorp W, Steerenberg PA, de Jong WH, Tiesjema RH, Kersjes AW, Ruitenberg EJ.A total of 30 horses with single or multiple sarcoid tumors of the skin were randomly divided into three treatment groups: (i) cryosurgical treatment, (ii) intralesional immunotherapy with a live BCG vaccine, (iii) intralesional immunotherapy with a BCG cell wall preparation. Complete tumour regression was obtained in all 10 cryosurgically treated horses, in 6 of 10 live BCG treated horses, and in 7 of 10 BCG cell wall treated horses. One live BCG and 2 BCG cell wall treated horses showed partial tumour regression of more than 50% of the tumour area. Eleven horses with sarcoid tumours were not...
Wood JM, Mumford J, Schild GC, Webster RG, Nicholson KG.Single-radial-immunodiffusion (SRD) provides a sensitive and reproducible in vitro assay for haemagglutinin (HA) concentration in inactivated influenza vaccines. The use of SRD for human influenza vaccine standardization and application for equine and avian influenza vaccines is discussed. In clinical trials, vaccine HA concentration measured by SRD has been shown to be directly related to antibody responses and to protection against challenge. The use of SRD may considerably reduce the usage of animals for potency testing of veterinary influenza vaccines.
Broeckl CV, Hiereth S, Straubinger RK.Diagnosis of equine Lyme borreliosis (LB), an infection caused by members of the Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato complex (Bbsl), is challenging due to the nonspecific clinical signs of the disease and due to the variety of non-standardized serological tests. Specific vaccine-induced antibodies against LB, providing an effective protection against the infection, complicate the issue further. The standard for the detection of specific antibodies against Bbsl is a two-tier test system based on an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) or indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFA) for antibody sc...
Jaworska J, Tobolski D, Salem SE, Kahler A, Wocławek-Potocka I, Mestre AM.Embryo implantation in the mare occurs just over one month after fertilization, coinciding with the production of chorionic gonadotropin. The factors that regulate this late implantation in the mare, and whether they are unique to horses or shared with more invasive embryo implantation in other species, remain poorly understood. This study aimed to determine and compare the transcriptome and subpopulations of endometrial cells before and after embryo implantation in the horse. Single-cell RNA sequencing was used to characterize the transcriptome of nearly 97,000 endometrial cells collected fro...
Foreman JH, Tennent-Brown BS, Oyama MA, Sisson DD.Cardiac troponin-I (cTnI) is a highly sensitive and specific marker of myocardial injury detectable in plasma by immunoassay techniques. Inclusion criteria over a 3-year period required a diagnosis of cardiac disease accompanied by electrocardiographic (ECG) and cardiac ultrasound examinations (n = 23) in adult horses (≥2 years of age). A second group of normal adult ponies (n = 12) was studied as a reference group. Heparinized jugular venous blood samples were collected and centrifuged within 30 min, and the plasma was separated and frozen at -70 °C for subsequent batched cTnI analysis. Th...
Stafford LS, Plummer CE, Smith WC, Gibson DJ, Sharma J, Vicuna V, Diakite S, Larkin J.Recurrent uveitis (RU), an autoimmune disease, is a leading cause of ocular detriment in humans and horses. Equine and human RU share many similarities including spontaneous disease and aberrant cytokine signaling. Reduced levels of SOCS1, a critical regulator of cytokine signaling, is associated with several autoimmune diseases. Topical administration of SOCS1-KIR, a peptide mimic of SOCS1, was previously correlated to reduced ocular pathologies within ERU patients. Unassigned: To further assess the translational potential of a SOCS1 mimetic to treat RU, we assessed peptide-mediated modulatio...
Equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV) is the simplest described within the family, related to the human immunodeficiency viruses (HIV-1 and HIV-2). There is an important interplay between host cells and viruses. Viruses need to hijack cellular proteins for their viral cycle completion and some cellular proteins are antiviral agents interfering with viral replication. HIV cellular partners have been extensively studied and described, with a special attention to host proteins able to inhibit specific steps of the viral cycle, called restriction factors. Viruses develop countermeasures against ...
Long S, Maleas G, Belacic ZA, Quam VG, Durgam S.To analyze the cellular, growth factor, and cytokine composition of equine sternal bone marrow aspirate (BMA) and laboratory-centrifuged BMA concentrate (BMAC). Unassigned: This was an in vitro experimental study. Cellular composition, growth factors (IGF-I, VEGF, PDGF, TGF-β1), and cytokines (IL-6, IL-10, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and IL-1 receptor antagonist protein [IL-1Ra]) were quantified using a standard automated hematology analyzer and ELISA methods, respectively, in donor-matched BMA, BMAC (in-house centrifugation protocol), whole blood, and platelet-rich plasma (E-PET; Pall...
Cheung HW, Wong KS, Choi YC, Kwok WH, So YM, Farrington AF, Bond AJ, Wan TSM, Ho ENM.An increasing number of novel Fc-fusion proteins and monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) are being developed as therapeutic agents for treating various diseases. Among these, there are inhibitors of the activin Type II receptor (ActRIIA and ActRIIB) signaling pathways and mAbs against nerve growth factor (NGF), which may be misused for performance enhancement in horseracing and equestrian sports. This study is aimed at developing a generic detection method for doping control analysis of nine targeted proteins, each containing the Fc domain of human IgG or IgG from other species in equine plasma, name...
Di Lucrezia A, Scandurra A, Lotito D, Iervolino V, D'Aniello B, Mastellone V, Lombardi P, Pinelli C.In this study, we assessed the interspecific "social buffering effect" of humans on horses, exploring how human presence influences stress responses in horses in an unfamiliar environment using the "isolation paradigm." We examined nine Haflinger horses under two counterbalanced conditions: with a passive human stranger (social condition) or alone (isolation condition). Stress responses were assessed through cortisol measurements, heart rate monitoring, and behavioral observations. While cortisol levels significantly increased in both conditions, with no notable differences before and after th...
Prudhomme J, Bardet C, Rakotoarivony I, Garros C, Bouhsira É, Lienard E.Insect bite hypersensitivity in horses ("sweet itch") is a common pruritic, chronic, seasonal, and recurrent dermatitis affecting approximately 10% of horses in France and is a major concern for the horse industry and private owners. This dermatitis results from an allergic reaction to the saliva of specific biting flies (Diptera: Nematocera), primarily from the Culicoides genus. Given the frequent occurrence of this health problem and the limited investigation in France, we conducted a field survey in the vicinity of a riding stable in southwestern France with a reported chronic case of recur...
Akçay S, Gurkok-Tan T, Ekici S.Intense physical activity in endurance horses triggers complex immune and inflammatory responses, yet the molecular mechanisms underlying these adaptations remain unclear. This study investigated immune-related transcriptomic changes following a 160 km endurance ride, focusing on sex-based differences. Using a bioinformatics approach, differentially expressed genes (DEGs), pathways, microRNAs (miRNAs), and transcription factors (TFs) were analyzed before (T0) and after (T1) the ride. A protein-protein interaction (PPI) analysis was conducted to identify key regulatory genes. Pathway enrichment...
Battistin L, Moya LFA, Ferreira LVO, Braz AMM, Carvalho M, Golim MA, Amorim RM.Cell-based therapy using mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) shows promise for treating several diseases due to their anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory properties. To enhance the therapeutic potential of MSCs, in vitro priming strategies have been explored. Cannabidiol (CBD), a non-psychoactive compound derived from cannabis, may influence MSC proliferation, differentiation, and immunomodulatory properties. This study evaluates the immunomodulatory potential of equine adipose tissue-derived MSCs (EqAT-MSCs) primed with a CBD-rich cannabis extract. EqAT-MSCs (P3) were primed with CBD concentrati...
da Silva-Álvarez E, Gómez-Arrones V, Correa-Fiz F, Martín-Cano FE, Gaitskell-Phillips G, Carrasco JJ, Rey J, Aparicio IM, Peña FJ, Alonso JM....This study aims to unveil potential differences in the vaginal and uterine microbiomes in mares and jennies, and to identify possible mechanisms involved in uterine immune homeostasis. The microbiota was characterized using 16S rRNA sequencing, and the uterine proteome was analyzed using UHPLC/MS/MS in 18 samples from healthy mares and 14 from jennies. While taxonomic analysis revealed high interspecies similarities, β-diversity analysis showed distinct clustering, with only two vaginal taxa and five uterine taxa differing between species. Despite compositional differences, PICRUSt analysis s...
Perzyna M, Grzędzicka J, Milczek-Haduch D, Dąbrowska I, Trela M, Pawliński B, Witkowska-Piłaszewicz O.Donkeys are routinely vaccinated with protocols developed for horses, yet species-specific data on their immune responses are limited. Objective: We hypothesized that donkeys exhibit robust T-cell-mediated immunity and regulatory adaptation after vaccination, comparable to horses. Methods: Thirty-six healthy, seronegative donkeys (34 mares, 2 stallions), aged 0.5-23 years (median 8 years), from two farms with similar housing and management conditions. Methods: Prospective study. Animals were selected based on clinical health assessment and confirmed seronegativity for tetanus and equine in...
Maloney SM, Shaw TM, Nennig KM, Larsen MS, Shah A, Kumar A, Marcotrigiano J, Grove J, Snijder EJ, Kirchdoerfer RN, Bailey AL.Arteriviruses are a family of single-stranded, positive-sense RNA (+ssRNA) viruses that infect diverse animal hosts. Many arteriviruses are macrophage-tropic, consistent with their utilization of the macrophage-specific molecule CD163 as a receptor. However, the horse arterivirus (equine arteritis virus, EAV), which infects additional cell types beyond macrophages, does not utilize CD163 in its entry mechanism. Here, we use a genome-wide CRISPR knockout screen to identify alternative receptors that could explain this discrepancy in arterivirus receptor utilization and tropism, identifying the ...
Franco JJ, Gonzálvez M, Cano-Terriza D, Barbero-Moyano J, Jose-Cunilleras E, Alguacil E, García J, García-Bocanegra I.Equine viral arteritis is a notifiable infectious disease with sanitary and economic implications at a global scale. A cross-sectional serosurvey was performed to determine the exposure of equids to the Alphaarterivirus equid [Equine Arteritis Virus (EAV)] in three regions in western Europe. Serum samples from 1425 equids (1196 horses, 104 donkeys, and 125 mules/hinnies) from Catalonia (northeastern Spain), Andalusia (southern Spain) and southeastern United Kingdom (UK) were collected during the period 2011-2023. The overall EAV seroprevalence in EAV-unvaccinated equids was 9.7 % (138/1425; 9...
Punyadarsaniya D, Taesuji M, Rattanamas K, Ruenphet S.Standard serological tests post-vaccination, such as enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), complement fixation, and virus neutralization, are crucial for monitoring African horse sickness (AHS). However, the availability of commercial test kits such as blocking ELISA varies by regions; while they are commonly used in Africa and Europe, their limited availability and high cost in Thailand present significant challenges. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate an alternative approach using an in-house indirect ELISA based on cell-based monovalent and polyvalent strains of live attenuated AH...
Tolnai CH, Forgách P, Marosi A, Fehér O, Paszerbovics B, Tenk M, Wagenhoffer Z, Kutasi O.In the last three decades, West Nile virus (WNV, Flaviviridae, Orthoflavivirus genus) has become one of the most important encephalitic agents worldwide, causing substantial numbers of cases in humans and horses every year by re-emerging in endemic areas and emerging in new territories. It is considered that after natural WNV infection, humans and birds develop long-term immunoprotection, but data on immunoprotection in horses is scarce. Objective: West Nile virus infection provides long-term humoral immunity in subclinically infected horses. Methods: Client-owned, naturally WNV subclinically ...
Herkenhoff ME.MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are molecules that regulate gene expression by targeting the 3' untranslated region (UTR) of mRNAs. They are essential in numerous biological processes like growth, metabolism, and muscle development. miRNA research has become crucial in livestock breeding, offering solutions for improving animal health and productivity. This review focuses on miRNAs' roles in equine performance, reproduction, and disease, highlighting key findings and future applications in these areas. It discusses the use of circulating miRNAs (ci-miRNA) as biomarkers for athletic performance, particularl...
Byron M, Lection J, Foster RA, Chenier T, Wagner B, Diel de Amorim M.Prostaglandins have many roles in the equine reproductive tract, including but not limited to luteolysis, luteal support, ovulation, transport through the uterine tube, uterine contraction, embryonic mobility, inflammation, and fibrosis. Altered secretion of inflammatory proteins are likely to disrupt the balance of endometrial function and could impair fertility. Our overall goal was to measure the expression of several prostaglandin- and inflammation-related genes in mares with different degrees of endometrial histological changes. Our hypothesis was that mares with neutrophilic and lymphocy...
Magalhaes HB, Canisso IF.Foal immunity relies heavily on the absorption of colostrum immunoglobulins; thus, colostrum evaluation is used to predict the transfer of passive immunity (TPI), and its conductivity is associated with TPI in cattle. Leading up to and at parturition, a reduction in colostrum pH and conductivity is thought to be necessary for TPI; however, this remains to be determined. Objective: To assess conductivity, pH, and Brix refractometer index of colostrum to predict the TPI in foals. Methods: Field study. Methods: The colostrum of 241 mares was assessed for conductivity, pH, and Brix index using han...
Eertink LG, Swope M, Uprety T, Sreenivasan C, Page AE, Adam EN, Wang D, Li F.Equine rotavirus A (ERVA) can cause foal diarrhoea and the most common ERVA genotypes are G3P[12] and G14P[12]. Since the introduction of a monovalent killed G3P[12] vaccine, infection in neonates has decreased. We aimed to determine the dynamics and longevity of maternally derived anti-G3P[12] neutralizing antibodies (NAbs) in foals and what, if any, cross-reactivity exists between maternally derived NAbs against G14P[12]. Serum samples were collected from 50 mare-foal pairs before each vaccination and up to 6 months post-foaling for mares and up to 7 months of age for foals. These samples we...
Carmona JU, López C, Jurado-Grisales C.Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is widely utilized as a routine treatment for chronic musculoskeletal conditions in horses, such as osteoarthritis, tendinopathies, and desmopathies. This effectiveness stems from the high concentration of growth factors and anti-inflammatory cytokines that are released upon activation of this orthobiologic agent, whether activated endogenously or exogenously. Despite its growing popularity, there is a notable absence of instructional videos that demonstrate the techniques for obtaining PRP in horses. This study examines a double centrifugation tube method for obtain...
Aragona F, Rizzo M, Arfuso F, Arrigo F, Fazio F, Giudice E, Faggio C, Piccione G, Giannetto C.Homeostasis and inflammation are two opposing physiological processes that are driven by the circadian clock. Objective: The study aim was to investigate the biological rhythm of the C-reactive protein (CRP) and Interleukin-6 (IL-6) in horses. Methods: Eight clinically healthy Italian saddle gelding horses, housed in individual boxes and subjected to a natural 12/12 L/D cycle, were enrolled. Blood samples were performed every 4 hours over a 48-hour period. Results: A positive correlation was found between CRP and IL-6 on both days of monitoring. Both parameters showed a daily rhythm; CRP acrop...
Angwin CJ, de Assis Rocha I, Reed SM, Morrow JK, Graves A, Howe DK.Equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM) caused by Sarcocystis neurona is one of the most important neurological diseases of horses in the Americas. While seroprevalence of S. neurona in horses is high, clinical manifestation of EPM occurs in less than 1 % of infected horses. Antemortem diagnosis has proven challenging as serum antibodies against S. neurona are an indicator of infection but not necessarily disease. Factors governing the occurrence of EPM are largely unknown, although horse immunity might contribute to EPM pathogenesis. Immunoglobulin G is the predominant antibody class in eq...
Gröndahl G, Righetti F, Aspán A, Bjerketorp J, Frosth S, Frykberg L, Jacobsson K, Guss B, Paillot R, Flock JI, Henriques-Normark B, Waller AS.Strangles, caused by Streptococcus equi subspecies equi (S. equi), is a prevalent infectious disease of horses. This is the first report on the use of a new vaccine, Strangvac, in a natural outbreak of strangles. Objective: To measure the effects of Strangvac vaccination during an outbreak of strangles at a Swedish farm. Methods: Longitudinal cohort study. Methods: Healthy horses (n = 17) were vaccinated on day 0, which occurred 23 days after strangles was first confirmed in three unvaccinated horses on the same farm. Blood serum samples were collected on day 0, day 28 and day 489. A com...
El-Geneady MA, Ramadan RM, Mahdy OA, Kamel MS, Salem MA.Hippobosca equina, a common ectoparasite of horses, poses a significant challenge to equine health worldwide. This study provides a molecular characterization of H. equina and examines its impact on host immune responses and oxidative stress. Genetic analysis of samples from various regions revealed notable homogeneity, indicating limited genetic variation among populations. Phylogenetic analysis demonstrated close genetic relationships among sequences from Egypt, France, Kazakhstan and Portugal, while also showing comparable but more distant identities to sequences from China, Denmark, Finlan...
Righetti F, Hentrich K, Flock M, Frosth S, Jacobsson K, Bjerketorp J, Pathak A, Ido N, Henriques-Normark B, Frykberg L, Paillot R, Guss B, Wood T.... subspecies () is the cause of strangles, one of the most prevalent diseases of horses worldwide. The disease is characterised by fever and the formation of abscesses in the lymph nodes of the head and neck, which can restrict the airway. A multicomponent subunit vaccine, Strangvac, has been shown to effectively reduce clinical signs of strangles and to reduce its incidence. The aim of this study was to determine the immune response against the immunoglobulin-cleaving endopeptidase IdeE, a key protective component within the vaccine and the ability of antibodies to neutralize the proteolytic...
Wójtowicz A, Sadowska A, Piotrowska-Tomala K, Szóstek-Mioduchowska A.The role of AREG in the development of fibrosis in the progression of endometrosis in mare remains unknown. We aimed to determine the effects of AREG on fibroblast functional characteristics as well as the expression of extracellular matrix (ECM)-associated genes in fibroblast derived from non-fibrotic and fibrotic equine endometria. Our findings suggest that the mechanisms associated with ECM remodeling regulated by AREG in non-fibrotic fibroblasts may be dysregulated in the progression of fibrosis in endometrosis.
Hollis AR.Despite the ubiquitous nature of sarcoids, robust data regarding the selection of treatment modalities are scarce, with many treatments having little or no published data to support their use. Treatment options are numerous and vary with the location and type of sarcoid, treatment accessibility, and the financial status of the owner. Many treatments are expensive and time-consuming, and some have health and safety implications. It is this author's belief that, based on the limited evidence base, appropriate treatment options vary with the location and type of the sarcoid, and no one treatment ...
Murillo A, Lebrero ME, Valdés M, Ramos J, Villanueva-Saz S, Davies JE, Gómez Á, Pérez E, Riera C, Marteles-Aragüés D.Equine leishmaniosis, caused by Leishmania infantum and transmitted by infected sand flies, has been increasingly reported in Europe, although clinical and immunological data remain scarce. We describe a 10-year-old mare from southern Spain presenting with periocular nodular lesions. Histopathology and immunohistochemistry confirmed granulomatous dermatitis with intrahistiocytic Leishmania amastigotes. Additionally, Leishmania infantum DNA was detected in paraffin embedded skin biopsy. Following surgical removal of the lesions, sequential serological monitoring using enzyme-linked immunosorben...
