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.
Wilson RC, Moore JN, Eakle N.The pharmacokinetics of gentamicin (3 mg/kg of body weight) were evaluated in 6 healthy horses and in 6 horses after they were given Escherichia coli endotoxin (0.113 microgram/kg). In the horses given endotoxin, there were a maximum temperature increase of 1.97 +/- 0.44 degrees (C) and a fever index (between the 2 groups) of 8.754 units. Other mild signs of endotoxemia also occurred. Statistically significant changes were not observed in the rate constants for distribution (alpha) or elimination (beta) or in body clearance (ClB) of gentamicin in the 2 groups of horses. In the horses given end...
De Vroey C, Wuytack-Raes C, Fossoul F.Several M. praecox isolates of saprophytic origin were obtained in Belgium from horses and their surroundings. Visualization of macroconidia in dust collected in stables proved its saprophytic origin. A few strains were obtained from human cases of tinea corporis.
Emmons RW, Woodie JD, Laub RL, Oshiro LS.Main Drain virus, which is thought to be transmitted normally among rabbits and various rodents by its natural vector, Culicoides variipennis, was isolated repeatedly from brain tissue of a sick horse from Sacramento County, California, and was implicated as the causative agent. Signs of illness were incoordination and ataxia, stiff neck, head pressing, inability to swallow, fever, and tachycardia.
Kirkland KD, Fales WH, Blanchard TL, Youngquist RS, Hurtgen JP.Five isolants of Pseudomonas aeruginosa collected from clinical cases of equine genital infection and one standard strain of P. aeruginosa were exposed to various concentrations of ethylene-diaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) and tris (hydroxymethyl) aminomethane (tris buffer pH 8) and EDTA-tris lysozyme. Colony forming units of the isolants and minimal inhibitory concentrations for 11 antimicrobial agents were determined with each isolant before and after exposure to the EDTA solutions. Decreased cellular viability was found with all six isolants after exposure to the EDTA-tris solutions. Reversal...
Hoshino Y, Wyatt RG, Greenberg HB, Kalica AR, Flores J, Kapikian AZ.A rotavirus, designated as the H-1 strain, was isolated from a diarrheic foal in primary African green monkey kidney cells and MA104 cells. This cell culture-adapted strain hemagglutinated erythrocytes of human group O, rhesus monkeys, guinea pigs, and sheep. It was found to be similar, if not identical, to porcine rotaviruses (strains OSU, EE, and A-580) by plaque reduction neutralization and hemagglutination inhibition tests, and, in addition, it was found to belong to subgroup 1. This equine rotavirus has an RNA electrophoretic migration pattern which was distinct from those of the three st...
Heidelberger M.Data accumulated over many years are brought together on cross-reactions of 46 among the more than 80 pneumococcal serological types, with the idea of correlating cross-reactions with the structures of the relevant type-specific capsular polysaccharides, insofar as these have been determined. The precipitin reaction was carried out with the polysaccharides and antibodies raised in horses, rabbits, and a mule. Quantitative values (micrograms of antibody nitrogen per milliliter of antiserum at 0 to 1 degree C) are given in many instances and discussed, together with arbitrary qualitative data, i...
Science (New York, N.Y.)August 26, 1983
Volume 221, Issue 4613 823-828 doi: 10.1126/science.6308762
Campbell WC, Fisher MH, Stapley EO, Albers-Schönberg G, Jacob TA.Ivermectin is the 22,23-dihydro derivative of avermectin B1, a macrocyclic lactone produced by an actinomycete, Streptomyces avermitilis. It is active at extremely low dosage against a wide variety of nematode and arthropod parasites, apparently by virtue of its action on the mediation of neurotransmission by gamma-aminobutyric acid. It is now in commercial use in various countries for the treatment and control of parasites in cattle, horses, and sheep, and is expected to become available for use in swine and dogs. Since studies with the drug in man are in a preliminary stage, it is not yet kn...
Rollinson EA, White G.Compound BW759 (9-[2-hydroxy-1-(hydroxymethyl)ethoxymethyl]guanine) was shown to be about 230 times more active than acyclovir (9-[2-hydroxyethoxymethyl]guanine) (ACV) against Equid herpesvirus type 1 infection in Syrian hamsters and was more effective against Aujeszky's disease in mice. The therapeutic superiority of BW759 over ACV was greater than expected from quantitative inhibitory results in tissue culture with these viruses. When administered to hamsters at dose rates sufficient to prevent any Equid herpesvirus type 1-induced mortality (100 mg of ACV per kg per day; 3 mg of BW759 per kg...
Toro M, León E, López R, Pallota F, Garcia JA, Ruíz A.Assays dealing with the therapeutic and prophylactic activity of isometamidium on experimental infections by Trypanosoma vivax and T. evansi were carried out. The drug was found to be highly effective against T. vivax infection in sheep and cattle in which periods of protection ranging from 118 to 195 days were achieved. No complete effects against infection by T. evansi were observed. The drug was well tolerated in sheep and cattle while side-effects were noted in treated mares. It was concluded that isometamidium could be used to prevent damage and economical losses caused by T. vivax in Ven...
Reitsma JF.A report on infection with Dictyocaulus arnfieldi in a number of ponies and one horse in which complete clinical recovery was obtained following treatment with albendazole (Valbazen), administered by oral route at a dosage of 25 mg/kg of body weight twice daily for five days.
Peyton LC, Connelly MB.Bacterial quantification was evaluated in 15 cases as a means of wound assessment. This study suggests that bacterial quantification may be used as an aid in the evaluation of treatment procedures and wound preparation in veterinary surgery.
Morris DD, Whitlock RH, Palmer JE.Fecal samples from 74 horses with diarrhea were examined microscopically for leukocytes and epithelial cells. The diarrhea was categorized as either acute (less than two weeks) or chronic, Salmonella positive or negative, and mild or severe (based on the fecal consistency). A large number of fecal leukocytes was strongly suggestive of salmonellosis; however, approximately 1/3 of the horses with Salmonella-negative diarrhea also shed fecal leukocytes. Fecal leukocytes were more common in horses with acute and/or severe diarrhea regardless of cause. Numbers of fecal colonic mucosal epithelial ce...
Conner ME, Gillespie JH, Schiff EI, Frey MS.A total of 142 equine fecal samples (93 field fecal and 49 experimental fecal specimens) were examined for rotavirus using direct electron microscopy (EM) and the Rotazyme test. Eighty-six stool specimens were diarrhea samples. The Rotazyme test sensitivity and accuracy as compared to EM was determined by the visual (color reaction) and spectrophotometric methods. The overall agreement was 94.8% and 92.3% between EM and Rotazyme visual and spectrophotometric methods, respectively when suspect reactions (1 + color reaction or net absorbance between 0.05 and 0.1) were not included. The Rotazyme ...
Johnson JA, Prescott JF, Markham RJ.Six foals were inoculated intrabronchially with a suspension of Corynebacterium equi. Six weeks before this challenge, three foals were vaccinated with a C. equi bacterin. Three foals were unvaccinated controls. All foals developed a severe bronchopneumonia in the inoculated lung, indicating that vaccination was not protective. Three foals (two vaccinated, one control) were killed eight to nine days after infection. One control died on day 9 with lesions of disseminated intravascular coagulation. The remaining two foals (one vaccinated, one control) were killed on day 17. C. equi was cultured ...
Acland HM, Mann PC, Robertson JL, Divers TJ, Lichtensteiger CA, Whitlock RH.Six foals of three different breeds, born to healthy mares, appeared normal at birth, and died at two to five days of age with icterus, ataxia, head pressing, and terminal hepatic coma. Their livers were less than one-half normal weight. Most of the liver was dark red-brown and slightly rubbery. Histologically, these areas were characterized by severe bile ductule proliferation, mild portal tract fibrosis, and massive hepatocellular necrosis and lobular collapse. A small proportion of the liver, usually on the peripheral part of the lobes, was grossly light brown and slightly raised. Histologi...
Kuiper R, Franken P.The course run by the disease is described in a horse which showed the symptom complex of colitis X following treatment with oxytetracycline. Disseminated intravascular coagulation was also observed in this horse. The possibility of disseminated intravascular coagulation being part of colitis X is discussed.
Balasuriya UB.The primary goals of this chapter are to discuss common viral RNA isolation and purification methods that are routinely used by various diagnostic laboratories, to highlight the advantages and drawbacks of each method, and to identify the most suitable and reliable method to increase the sensitivity and specificity of RT-PCR assays for the detection of equine influenza virus (EIV) in clinical specimens. Our experiences and review of literature show that magnetic bead-based nucleic extraction methods (manual and automatic) work well for isolation and purification of EIV RNA from nasal swab spec...
Vaughan JT, Montes LF, Bembibre A, Blaquier PC.A 5-year-old Thoroughbred chestnut mare was presented because of multiple lesions noticed for approximately one year over the vulva and ther perianal areas. Clinically, there were moist warts that stood out because of their whitish color which contrasted strikingly with the surrounding, normally pigmented, uninvolved skin (Fig. 1). Repeated topical applications of 20% podophyllin in 95% ethyl alcohol produced rapid involution. Histopathologically, marked acanthosis, numerous mitoses, prominently vacuolated epidermal cells and a chronic dermal inflammatory infiltrate were seen (Figs. 2, 3, and ...
Matthews AG, Imlah P, McPherson EA.Fc specific anti-human IgE serum induced prolonged reversed cutaneous anaphylaxis (RCA)-like reactions in horse skin. Morphologically and histologically, these reactions resembled passively induced late cutaneous anaphylaxis responses in human skin, but differed from reversed passive Arthus responses induced in horse skin using anti-horse IgG serum. The induction of RCA-like responses in horse skin by anti-human IgE indicates shared Fc antigenic determinants on human IgE and a horse homocytotropic or reagin-like antibody.
Ogihara K, Ishihara A, Nagai M, Yamada K, Mizutani T, Harafuji M, Nishio H, Madarame H.A 23-year-old Falabella gelding kept in Tochigi, Japan, for more than 20 years presented with a recurrent mass of the glans penis that was first noticed about a year earlier. Partial phallectomy was performed with no adjunctive therapy for local regrowth of the mass. The horse was euthanized 3 months after surgery for urinary retention due to suspected regrowth. The resected mass affected the genital and urethral mucosa of the glans penis, and was diagnosed as equine sarcoid by histopathology and identification of bovine papillomavirus (BPV) DNA. Phylogenetic analysis of the BPV genome of the ...
Baird AN, Taylor TS, Watkins JP.Grade 3 rectal tears were created in 14 horses. Epidural anaesthesia was maintained in all horses for 8 h post injury. In seven horses with cotton filled stockinette packing the rectum, neither gross faecal contamination nor progression of the rectal tear occurred. Seven horses without rectal packing developed faecal contamination of the rectal tear with formation of a faeces filled serosal or mesorectal diverticulum.