Omneity® Pellets
All-In-One Vitamin & Mineral Pellet
Topic:Infection
Infections in horses encompass a range of diseases caused by various pathogens, including bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites. These infections can affect different systems within the horse, such as the respiratory, gastrointestinal, and integumentary systems, leading to a variety of clinical signs depending on the pathogen and the severity of the infection. Common infectious diseases in horses include equine influenza, strangles, and equine herpesvirus. Diagnosis often involves clinical examination, laboratory testing, and sometimes imaging, to identify the causative agent and assess the extent of the disease. Treatment strategies may include antimicrobial therapy, supportive care, and preventive measures such as vaccination and biosecurity practices. This page aggregates peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the pathogenesis, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of infectious diseases in equine populations.
Emphysematous gastritis in a horse. A 12-year-old Morgan gelding was examined for colic of 3 days duration. Signs of depression, colic, diarrhea, and endotoxemia persisted despite aggressive medical therapy and surgical exploration. Culture results from gastric fluid and feces yielded many colonies of Clostridium perfringens. This organism also was recovered from peritoneal fluid 10 days after admission; consequently, the horse was euthanized. At necropsy, a localized gas-filled, necrotic stomach wall was found; many mucosal and submucosal gas blebs were visible. Culture of this tissue yielded Clostridium perfringens. Emphysemat...
Protection against naturally acquired Rhodococcus equi pneumonia in foals by administration of hyperimmune plasma. A 2-year field study was performed to determine the capability of increasing Rhodococcus equi specific antibody in foals via plasma transfusion or mare vaccination, to determine the kinetics of R. equi (ELISA) antibody decay and to assess the protective effects of these procedures in foals on a farm endemic for R. equi. Plasma donors were vaccinated with a killed R. equi bacterin and produced high levels of anti-R. equi antibodies, which were harvested by plasmapheresis. In Experiment 1, 68 foals were given 1 litre of hyperimmune plasma intravenously (i.v.) between 1-60 days of age. Foal plasm...
Uterine clearance of non-antigenic markers (51Cr) in response to a bacterial challenge in mares potentially susceptible and resistant to chronic uterine infections. The purpose of this study was to investigate the physical ability of the mare's uterus to eliminate non-antigenic 51Cr microspheres during an infectious challenge. Mares both potentially susceptible and resistant to chronic uterine infections were used in this study. The procedure described serves as a model of the uterine capacity to clear physically infectious agents and inflammatory products during the acute phase of an infection. Based on the results from intra-uterine bacterial challenges, reproductive history, examination per rectum and endometrial biopsies, mares were classified as pote...
Studies of bone marrow and leucocyte counts in peripheral blood in fetal and newborn foals. Clinical and pathological records of 124 foals were studied. The foals were assigned to six groups; normal, premature, dysmature, bacterially infected, neonatal maladjustment syndrome and Equid herpesvirus type 1 (EHV-1) infected. Also, 6 pony fetuses were sampled via catheters in the umbilical vein and artery between 280 and 310 days gestation. Bone marrow aspiration was performed on a further 14 foals. Premature foals had significantly lower neutrophil counts than normal foals up to 5 h. Foals with bacterial infections had significantly lower neutrophil counts up to age 12 h. EHV-1 infected ...
Assessment of an immunoturbidimetric method for measuring equine serum haptoglobin concentrations. Serum haptoglobin was measured by immunoturbidity in Thoroughbreds stabled in three Newmarket yards for nine months. The mean serum haptoglobin value for horses housed in Stable 1 was 1.43 +/- 0.68 g/litre, similar to values in grazing adult ponies. The mean monthly haptoglobin values remained constant. For horses in Stable 2 there was an increase in serum haptoglobin values in June and July whereas, in Stable 3, the increases early in the training season were associated with an increase in serum viral titres. In equine serum, haptoglobin values estimated in g/litre by immunoturbidimetry were ...
Resistance to benzimidazole anthelmintics in small strongyles (Cyathostominae) of horses in Denmark. This study was undertaken to establish whether anthelmintic resistance was present in nematode parasites of horses in Denmark. Sixteen horse farms were selected for faecal egg count reduction (FECR) tests to measure the efficacy of the anthelmintic used. Resistance to benzimidazole anthelmintics was found on 13 of the 16 farms, with FECR values ranging from 80.0% to -101.3%. On the remaining 3 farms FECR was 100.0%, 99.3% and 97.2%. Results of a questionnaire study on anthelmintic usage, parasite control measures and management practices showed that horses in this study were treated on average...
Identification and opsonic activity of immunoglobulins recognizing Streptococcus zooepidemicus antigens in uterine fluids of mares. A direct ELISA was used to measure immunoglobulin (Ig) isotypes G, Gt, A, and M recognizing Streptococcus zooepidemicus epitopes in uterine lavage fluids collected during the early post ovulatory period. A S. zooepidemicus isolate, used as the plate antigen in this assay, was inoculated into the uteri of 8 mares (3 resistant and 5 susceptible to endometritis) at oestrus prior to ovulation during Oestrous Cycles 1, 3 and 5. Resistant mares aged 2-5 years were nulliparous, with clinically normal reproductive tracts as determined by physical examination, bacteriological culture of the uterus, and...
[The epidemiology of gasterophilosis of horses in Switzerland]. Between March 1988 and December 1989, 198 gastrointestinal tracts from slaughtered horses from different areas of Switzerland have been analysed for the presence and the frequency of Gasterophilus spp. During the same period--always between July and November--200 horses from selected areas of Western Switzerland have been checked for the presence of eggs and their subsequent developmental stages in order to investigate further clinical and biological aspects of this infection. The evaluation has been performed according to origin, age, sex, colour of the horse and seasonal pattern of the cases...
Effects of an infusion of dopamine on the cardiopulmonary effects of Escherichia coli endotoxin in anaesthetised horses. Horses with colic may be endotoxaemic and subsequently develop hypotension during anaesthesia for surgical operation. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of dopamine as a means to improve cardiovascular function in anaesthetised endotoxaemic horses. Nine horses (five in group 1 and four in group 2) were anaesthetised with thiopentone and guaifenesin and anaesthesia was maintained with halothane. After approximately one hour, facial artery pressure, heart rate, pulmonary artery pressure, cardiac output, temperature, pHa, PaCO2, PaO2, base excess, packed cell volume, plasma protei...
The use of the walking cast to repair fractures in horses and ponies. The walking cast was used to repair 46 fractures of long bones (distal radius and tibia, metacarpus and metatarsus) and 10 fractures of first phalanx of 35 horses and 21 ponies. The walking cast proved to be highly effective. Even heavily comminuted and 'hopeless' fractures, which could not be treated with osteosynthesis, were treated successfully, because the weight of the animal, a common failure factor in large animal orthopaedics, was relieved from the injured leg. Immediate full weight bearing was possible post operatively. In five cases the walking cast was used in combination with osteo...
Antigenic relationships among the 47 human adenoviruses determined in reference horse antisera. Reference equine antisera to all 47 serotypes of human adenoviruses presently described have been prepared and evaluated by reciprocal neutralization and hemagglutination-inhibition tests. All tests were carried to endpoint dilutions a minimum of five times in each direction to give accurate values for homologous and heterologous antibody titers. Significant cross-reactions in the horse antisera were compared to similar data obtained from rabbit antisera. Using this analysis, major antigenic relationships exist among types 12-18-31 of subgenus A, types 7-11-14 and 34-35 of subgenus B, types 8-...
Characterization of BPV-like DNA in equine sarcoids. The DNA from equine sarcoid samples from New York State and Switzerland was isolated and probed with bovine papillomavirus type 1 (BPV-1) to determine if BPV genomes were present. Twelve of 13 sarcoids from New York State and 17/20 sarcoids from Switzerland contained DNA that hybridized to the BPV-1 probe. Restriction enzyme analysis of the positive samples demonstrated restriction fragment profiles characteristic of BPV-1 in 22 sarcoids and restriction fragment profiles characteristic of bovine papillomavirus type 2 (BPV-2) in 7 sarcoids. In addition, three tissues histologically diagnosed as...
Aspergillus flavus and aflatoxins B1, B2, and M1 in corn associated with equine death. Corn from an Arkansas farm, where three horses died and others became sick, was investigated for causative principles. Necropsy of the three horses revealed what appeared to be severe hepatic necrosis. Histopathological examination indicated a pattern of hepatic lesions that was suggestive of aflatoxin contamination of the feed. Mycological examination of the corn by dilution plating revealed 95% of the colonies as Aspergillus flavus. Chemical analysis of the corn for mycotoxins was positive for aflatoxin B1, B2, and M1 at concentrations of 114, 10, and 6 micrograms/Kg, respectively. Cyclopiaz...
Cranial thoracic masses in the horse: a sequel to pleuropneumonia. The formation of cranial thoracic masses (CTM) as a sequel to infectious pleuropneumonia is described. Using ultrasound, masses were diagnosed subjectively as abscesses or loculations. Eight of 99 cases with pleuropneumonia had CTM. Clinical signs associated with the presence of a CTM included increased heart rate, jugular distention, forelimb 'pointing' and caudal displacement of the heart. Techniques used for diagnostic ultrasonographic examination of the cranial thorax are described. Five of the eight horses with CTM responded to conservative medical management; the other three required per...
Clinical and epidemiologic features of an epizootic of equine leukoencephalomalacia. A herd of 15 mature riding horses with a history of anorexia, weight loss, and lethargy was examined. The animals had been fed a 50/50 mixture of commercial sweet feed and corn screenings contaminated with a heavy growth of Fusarium moniliforme. Thirteen of the horses had one or more neurologic signs. The most characteristic signs were profound depression and mild ataxia. Over the 19-day course of the epizootic, the horses had increasing severe neurologic deficits, including unilateral blindness and delirium. Despite the clinical appearance of dehydration, 12 horses had low PCV (16 to 27%), he...
Purification of equine neutrophil lysozyme and its antibacterial activity against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. Lysozyme from equine neutrophil granulocytes was isolated in a pure form by fast performance liquid chromatography, i.e. ion-exchange chromatography and reversed-phase chromatography. The lysozyme lysed Micrococcus luteus, Bacillus subtilis and Staphylococcus lentus and was also bactericidal against the Gram-negative bacteria Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Bordetella bronchiseptica, and Serratia marcescens. Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis were not lysed. The lysozyme was only very slightly bactericidal for S. epidermidis and S. aureus. Equine neutrophil lysozyme ...
Parahost behavior of adult Gasterophilus intestinalis (Diptera: Gasterophilidae) in Delaware. Parahost behavior of adult Gasterophilus intestinalis (DeGeer) was observed during the summers of 1978 and 1979 near pastured horses on two farms near Newark, Del. Adult fly occurrence, although sparse in early summer, indicated a gradual increase, with three surges in emergence. In the laboratory, males lived 1-3 d and females 1-2 d. In the field, marked flies were not seen on days following their release. Adult behavior indicated an urgency in mating and oviposition dictated by a short life span. Male flight patterns were characterized by in-flight searches for females and intraspecific conf...
Effect of early season ivermectin and pyrantel treatments on strongylid infections in young Shetland ponies in The Netherlands. Two groups of three ponies were used to study the effect of three ivermectin or pyrantel treatments given at intervals of 5 weeks at the beginning of the grazing season. Although each pyrantel treatment resulted in a greater than 95% reduction in faecal egg counts during the first 3 weeks, high pasture larval counts were seen from the beginning of August onwards and substantial cyathostomine burdens were found at necropsy in December. The ivermectin treatments resulted in an even more pronounced reduction in faecal egg output, and the pasture larval counts and cyathostomine burdens at necropsy...
Rhodococcus equi: an animal and human pathogen. Recent isolations of Rhodococcus equi from cavitatory pulmonary disease in patients with AIDS have aroused interest among medical microbiologists in this unusual organism. Earlier isolations from humans had also been in immunosuppressed patients following hemolymphatic tumors or renal transplantation. This organism has been recognized for many years as a cause of a serious pyogranulomatous pneumonia of young foals and is occasionally isolated from granulomatous lesions in several other species, in some cases following immunosuppression. The last decade has seen many advances in understanding o...
A rare GC mutant in horses disclosed by isoelectric focusing and subsequent immunoprinting. An apparent incompatibility in the GC/DBP system in a mare and her colt was found after classification by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Because of this observation an analysis of the equine GC/DBP system by isoelectric focusing and subsequent immunoprinting was initiated. Further GC subtypes, however, were not encountered: the three phenotypes GC F, FS and S were also delineated by this method. The GC types in the case of disputed descent were dissolved: GC S was found in the mare and GC FS in her colt as well as in another of her male offspring. It is proposed that a rare GC mutant is r...
[Morphology of the immature radius and metacarpus in horses and the relationship to bone infection and osteochondrosis]. In chondro-osseous disease in the foal there are three main categories of lesions: (i) synovitis alone (type S), (ii) synovitis accompanied by osteomyelitis originating in the epiphysis of the juxta-articular bone (type E) and (iii) synovitis accompanied by osteomyelitis originating directly adjacent to the physis of the juxta-articular bone (type P). Observations made in studies of the immature radius and metacarpus provide an explanation for the apparent predisposition of some joints for this disease. Relevant clinical and therapeutical aspects are discussed.
Equine infectious anemia virus derived from a molecular clone persistently infects horses. A full-length molecular clone of equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV) was isolated from a persistently infected canine fetal thymus cell line (Cf2Th). Upon transfection of equine dermis cells, the clone, designated CL22, yielded infectious EIAV particles (CL22-V) that replicated in vitro in both Cf2Th cells and an equine dermis cell strain. Horses infected with CL22-V developed an antibody response to viral proteins and possessed viral DNA in peripheral blood mononuclear cells, as determined by polymerase chain reaction assays. In addition, horses infected with CL22-V became persistently infe...
Strangles in horse studs: incidence, risk factors and effect of vaccination. A questionnaire survey of 179 horse studs in New South Wales was conducted to estimate the incidence of strangles during 1985 to 1988, to identify risk factors for strangles outbreaks and to assess the effect of strangles vaccination. Forty-nine of the studs (27.4%) had at least one strangles outbreak during this period and 62 studs (34.6%) had at least one case of strangles. The average incidence of strangles was 2.1 cases per 100 horses per year. The risk of strangles increased progressively with the total horse population and rose markedly when more than 100 mares had been served in the 198...
Leukoencephalomalacia in two horses induced by oral dosing of fumonisin B1. Leukoencephalomalacia (LEM) was induced by the oral administration of fumonisin B1 (FB1) to 2 horses: a filly received 59.5 mg/kg of a 50% preparation of FB1, administered in 21 doses of 1.25-4 mg/kg over 33 days; a colt, 44.3 mg/kg of 95% pure FB1 in 20 doses of 1-4 mg/kg in 29 days. Both animals developed nervous signs such as apathy, changes in temperament, inco-ordination, walking into objects, and one showed paralysis of the lips and tongue. Characteristic lesions of LEM were present in the brains. These trials proved conclusively that FB1 can induce LEM in horses.
An outbreak of trypanosomiasis caused by Trypanosoma evansi on the island of Madura, Indonesia. During an outbreak of trypanosomiasis in cattle, buffalo and horses on the island of Madura, a survey was conducted to determine the prevalence of Trypanosoma evansi in the region. Blood samples were collected from 130 cattle and 147 buffalo in 5 villages, whole blood was examined for trypanosomes by the microhaematocrit (MHCT) method and serum samples were subjected to an enzyme linked immuno absorbent assay to detect T. evansi antibodies. T. evansi was detected by MHCT in 50% of the buffalo examined and 13% of the cattle, while antibodies were detected in 47% of the buffalo and 30% of the ca...
Effects of human alpha interferon on experimentally induced equine herpesvirus-1 infection in horses. The immunotherapeutic effect of low-dose human alpha interferon on viral shedding and clinical disease was evaluated in horses inoculated with equine herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1). Eighteen clinically healthy weanling horses, 5 to 7 months old, were allotted to 3 equal groups. Two groups were treated orally with human alpha-2a interferon (0.22 or 2.2 U/kg of body weight), on days 2 and 1 before inoculation with EHV-1, the day of inoculation, and again on postinoculation day 1. The horses of the remaining group were given a placebo orally on the same days. The horses were monitored daily for changes in...
[Animal nutrition for veterinarians–recent cases of clinical disorders in horses after intake of ionophore-containing feed]. Anamnesis and clinical signs of horses form five different stables after ingestion of ionophores are reported and techniques of feed examination are described. Within a few hours or days after feeding of new types or batches of concentrates horses fell ill. They showed colic-like symptoms with intense sweating and ataxia. Most of the sick animals died within a short time span. Samples of the concentrates were analysed and different types and amounts of ionophores were detected. In four cases contamination by monensin in concentrations of less than 5 mg to 679 mg/kg feed were found. One feed sa...
Immunohistochemical detection of papillomavirus structural antigens in animal hyperplastic and neoplastic epithelial lesions. One hundred and seventy-two hyperplastic and neoplastic epithelial lesions from 8 different mammalian and 1 avian species have been tested with an immunohistochemical technique to detect papillomavirus structural antigens. Selected lesions were diagnosed histologically as papilloma, fibropapilloma, equine sarcoid, squamous cell carcinoma, basalioma, epulis, keratoacanthoma, trichoepithelioma, pilomatrixoma, epidermal inclusion cyst, and hyperkeratotic or acanthotic epidermal lesions. Positive nuclear staining was detected in 14 out of 23 papillomas, 8 out of 32 fibropapillomas and in 1 out of ...
[Etiology and occurrence of periodic eye inflammation of horses in the area of Berlin]. Over 130 cases of equine periodic ophthalmia (p.o.), which were treated as in-patients at the Equine Clinic of the Free University of Berlin in the last 35 years, were examined statistically in relation to the age and gender of the animals involved as well as to the development of the illness and the season in which it arose. As regards aetiology, the extraction of 71 affected Trotters was investigated. Antibodies to toxoplasmosis, leptospirosis and intestinal parasites were found only in some of the patients. Younger animals, aged between one and four years, and male animals (63.6%) were pred...
