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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.
Evaluation of fluorescein dye as an indicator of small intestinal viability in the horse. In 6 horses, 2 types of ischemic lesions were created in small intestinal segments by selective ligation of vessels and intestinal wall for 1, 2, or 3 hours. After confirming the ischemia by IV injection of sodium fluorescein, the ligatures were released. Five minutes later, the fluorescent patterns were documented photographically. Observed patterns ranged from normal (identical to that observed in unaffected bowel) to a patchy distribution of non-fluorescence (indicating incomplete perfusion). None of the experimental segments was normal when reevaluated 1 month later. The typical appearance...
Isolation, experimental transmission, and characterization of causative agent of Potomac horse fever. Potomac horse fever, a disease characterized by fever, anorexia, leukopenia, and occasional diarrhea, is fatal in approximately 30 percent of affected animals. The seasonal occurrence of the disease (June to October) and evidence of antibodies to the rickettsia Ehrlichia sennetsu in the serum of convalescing horses suggested that a related rickettsia might be the causative agent. Such an agent was isolated in cultured blood monocytes from an experimentally infected pony. This intracytoplasmic organism was adapted to growth in primary cultures of canine blood monocytes. A healthy pony inoculate...
The isolation of organisms resembling rickettsiae from respiratory tracts of horses.
Summary:
During a survey in Queensland in 1974—77 four strains of rickettsia-like organisms were isolated from the respiratory tract of horses, of which two, NS7 and NS68 were isolated from nasal swabs of clinically normal horses and two, KSDH 91 and NSDH 100, from lung samples of slaughtered horses showing gross pathological lesions in the form of acute bronchiolitis and subacute interstitial pneumonia, respectively. The isolates are characterised as rickettsia-like organisms on the basis of their morphology, tinctorial property, growth in chicken embryos, inability to grow on bacteria...
Immunohistological studies of the local immune system in the reproductive tract of the mare. The immunoperoxidase technique was adapted for the identification of free immunoglobulin and immunoglobulin producing cells in equine tissues. Staining specific for free IgG, IgA and IgM was detected at all levels of the reproductive tract, and secretory component staining was present in the uterine epithelium but not in the oviduct, cervix or vagina. Immunoglobulin producing cells were present at all levels of the tract, with IgG and IgA cells at equivalent concentrations, but with fewer IgM cells. There was no cyclical trend in free immunoglobulin staining, or plasma cell numbers. IgG and Ig...
[Postoperative wound infection in the horse]. A systemic investigation of wound infection in the horse after operative treatment of large wounds reveals that the age of the wound is of critical importance. The limit for an uncomplicated healing process lies around four hours. The duration of the operation itself is of little significance, the location of the lesion on the body of the horse, however, plays a major role. The pattern of isolated bacterial organisms is discussed in relation to the duration of hospital treatment. It is concluded that a systemic antibiotic therapy is of no value and that a local antibiotic therapy is only indic...
Detection of Corynebacterium equi-specific antibody in horses by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. An enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay was developed to measure naturally occurring Corynebacterium equi specific antibody in horse serum. Antibody against C equi was demonstrated in normal adults and was passively transferred to foals. Adult levels of specific antibody were reached by 5 to 6 months of age in healthy foals. Decreased early antibody levels were demonstrated in a limited number of foals with confirmed C equi infection.
Activity of closantel in the prevention of Gasterophilus and Strongylus vulgaris larval infections in equine foals and yearlings. Two controlled tests were conducted in equine foals and yearlings to determine the optimal oral dosage and the duration of activity of closantel for the prevention of Gasterophilus spp larval infections. Additional data were collected on the activity of closantel against Strongylus vulgaris larval infections. In experiment 1, 12 foals and 12 yearlings were equally allocated to 4 experimental groups, and were given oral treatments with closantel at dosages of 0 (nontreated controls), 2, 5, or 8 mg/kg of body weight every 2 months during bot season. The foals and yearlings were allowed to graze ...
Precipitating antibodies against Micropolyspora faeni in equines in north-western India. Prevalence of serum precipitins against Micropolyspora faeni, Thermoactinomyces vulgaris and Aspergillus fumigatus, employing the counterimmunoelectrophoresis (COIE) and Ouchterlony's double diffusion (DD) techniques, is reported in 162 of the equines stationed at two military installations in north-western India. M. faeni specific precipitins were demonstrable in 58 of 112 mules from site I in the mountainous region whereas the results were negative for all of the 50 horses examined from site II located in the plains. Of the 58 M. faeni positive mules, 45 (78%) had signs and symptoms suggesti...
Equine infectious anemia virus: immunopathogenesis and persistence. Equine infectious anemia (EIA) is a chronic, relapsing infectious disease of horses caused by a nononcogenic retrovirus. Virus persists in infected animals for life and can be reliably detected by serologic tests that measure levels of antibody to the major structural protein of the virus. Periodic virus replication in macrophages leads to an immunologically mediated acute disease characterized primarily by severe anemia. Recrudescence of acute EIA is the result of antigenic variation of the surface glycoprotein of EIA virus. The frequency and severity of clinical episodes of EIA decrease in m...
Molecular pathogenesis of equine coital exanthema: restriction endonuclease digestions of EHV-3 DNA and indications of a unique XbaI cleavage site. Equine herpesvirus type 3 (EHV-3) DNA, isolated from purified virions of the large-plaque strain, was digested with the restriction endonucleases XbaI, Bg/II, EcoRI, and HindIII. Several lines of evidence indicated that the DNA extracted from purified virions was composed of long (L) and short (S) components and was present as two isomeric forms, P and IS. The evidence included: (i) after electrophoresis on agarose gels, the summed molecular weights of the digestion products exceeded that expected from intact, unit size DNA; (ii) quantitative measurements of radioactivity (molar ratios) indica...
The prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii antibodies in man in Plateau State and meat animals in Nigeria. Toxoplasma gondii antibodies were found in the sera of 22.86% of people in the Jos area of Plateau State, Nigeria. The incidence of antibodies in Nigerian food animals was 17.40%, the highest being in sheep (21.92%) and lowest in goats (13.88%). Cattle and horses were roughly equally infected--about 17.0%. The zoonotic potential of T. gondii in food animals is stressed and epidemiological factors are reviewed.
A new surface marker on equine peripheral blood lymphocytes. I. Subpopulations of lymphocytes with receptors for Helix pomatia A hemagglutinin (HP). Untreated and neuraminidase-treated equine peripheral blood lymphocytes were analysed for binding of the A hemagglutinin of the snail Helix pomatia (HP). For optimal staining by direct immunofluorescence, the concentration of neuraminidase had to be increased as compared to that needed for other species. Moreover, higher concentrations of HP were required for optimal staining of equine lymphocytes as compared to lymphocytes from other species. Even so, the maximal number of equine lymphocytes exhibiting positive staining was only about 20%. No, or very few, HP-positive lymphocytes were seen wh...
Isolation of Streptococcus pneumoniae type 3 from equine species. Streptococcus pneumoniae type 3 was isolated from seven tracheobronchial aspirates and one pleural tap of seven adult horses and one foal. There was no direct evidence in these horses that isolation of the pneumococcus was related to a specific disease syndrome. Presenting complaints included two horses with chronic cough, two horses with decreased exercise tolerance, one horse with exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage, and three horses with pneumonia. Antibiotic therapy resolved the primary clinical complaint. This is the first report of the isolation of S. pneumoniae type 3 from adult horse...
Experimental infection of mares with Haemophilus equigenitalis. Inoculation of Haemophilus equigenitalis into the uterus of 7 mares caused a disease clinically indistinguishable from contagious equine metritis. The duration of clinical signs varied from 4 to 11 days. The causative organism persisted for a relatively short time (2 to 10 weeks) in 5 mares, but in 2 others it established a carrier status and persisted until they were killed 6 and 10 months after infection. H. equigenitalis was recovered from the vestibule of the vagina and from a combined swab of the clitoral fossa and sinuses throughout the course of the infection. In some mares there were e...
Nutritionally variant streptococci from corneal ulcers in horses. Of 24 isolates of nutritionally variant streptococci recovered from equine corneal ulcers, 22 were tested for growth requirements, physiological and biochemical reactions, and susceptibility to different antimicrobial agents. Satisfactory growth was obtained by supplementing blood agar and Todd-Hewitt broth with pyridoxal hydrochloride, and all of the media for the culture and the biochemical testing were supplemented with 0.002% of this substance. Biochemical patterns of 12 of the isolates resembled those of two viridans streptococcal species, Streptococcus intermedius and Streptococcus const...
Prevalence of organisms described as Actinobacillus suis or haemolytic Actinobacillus equuli in the oral cavity of horses. Comparative investigations of strains obtained and porcine strains of A. suis sensu stricto. Evidence was obtained to indicate that equine strains of organisms previously described as Actinobacillus suis or hemolytic variants of Actinobacillus equuli might constitute a separate group of organisms provisionally designated taxon 11. Four biovars were noticed within taxon 11. Selected DNA:DNA hybridizations support the classification of the mannitol positive biovar 2 of taxon 11 distinct from porcine A. suis. The final taxonomical position of taxon 11, however, has to await more detailed genetic studies including all biovars of taxon 11. A species name has not been suggested for the same...
Serologic evidence of Legionella infection in horses. The indirect fluorescent antibody test was used to examine 109 samples of equine sera randomly selected from serum pools. Results were compared with titers obtained by the microagglutination (MA) test. A high correlation (r = 0.89) was found between titers measured by the 2 tests. Blood samples were obtained serially from a total of 156 horses at a research farm and the sera were tested against Legionella pneumophila serogroups 1 through 4 using the MA test; 29 horses (19%) seroconverted to at least 1 serogroup of L pneumophila. The indirect fluorescent antibody test substantiated the results ...
Case-control study of risk factors associated with isolation of Salmonella saintpaul in hospitalized horses. In an investigation of a 1981-1982 outbreak of nosocomial Salmonella saintpaul infection in hospitalized horses at the University of California Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital in Davis, California, a case-control study was performed using data gathered from the records of 33 cases and 132 controls. Multiple logistic regression risk analysis was used to identify factors associated with isolation of the organism, controlling for the effects of other, possibly confounding variables. Horses receiving parenteral antibiotics were at 10.9 times greater risk of having S. saintpaul isolated than w...
