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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.
Multimodal Diagnostic Imaging to Identify Septic Apophysitis of the Proximal Humerus in a Thoroughbred Foal. A 4-month-old Thoroughbred filly was referred for evaluation of severe left forelimb lameness of 24 hours duration. Radiographic projections of the shoulder revealed mild irregularity and sclerosis of the proximal humeral apophysis. Ultrasonographic examination showed a moderate increase in the amount of anechogenic synovial fluid within the intertubercular bursa and scapulohumeral joint, and irregularity of the ossifying bone surface of the intermediate tubercle of the humerus. Computed tomographic (CT) examination revealed a circular hypoattenuating area at the level of the proximal apophysi...
Relationship between hepatic grayish-white solid nodules in horses imported from Canada and larval Echinococcus multilocularis infection. Histopathological and genetic examinations were conducted on grayish-white solid hepatic nodules in 150 horses imported from Canada, in order to investigate larval Echinococcus multilocularis infection. Ten of the 150 horses (6.7%) were diagnosed with alveolar hydatid disease. The sequences of the mitochondrial cytochrome b genes obtained from all 10 polymerase chain reaction positive samples had 99 to 100% identity with the European haplotype E1 of E. multilocularis. Therefore, we concluded that the infections likely originated in Canada. Relation entre les nodules hépatiques solides blanc-g...
Colloidal Iron Oxide Formulation for Equine Hoof Disinfection. The presence of bacteria of various origins on horse hoofs enables the onset of infections following trauma or even post-surgical wounds. Thus, the analysis of new antibacterial substances is of fundamental importance. In this study, the antibacterial efficacy of Iron Animals (IA), a stable colloidal suspension of iron oxide, organic acids, and detergents, was tested in vitro and in vivo. In vitro assays were performed to test the unspecific inhibitory effect of IA on both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria monitoring the microorganism growth by spectrophotometry (optical density OD600) ...
Use of quantitative real-time PCR to determine the local inflammatory response in the intestinal mucosa and muscularis of horses undergoing small intestinal resection. Studies in rodents and humans have demonstrated that intestinal manipulation or surgical trauma initiates an inflammatory response in the intestine which results in leucocyte recruitment to the muscularis externa causing smooth muscle dysfunction. Objective: To examine the intestinal inflammatory response in horses undergoing colic surgery by measuring relative differential gene expression in intestinal tissues harvested from surgical colic cases and control horses. Methods: Prospective case-control study. Methods: Mucosa and muscularis externa were harvested from healthy margins of resected s...
Association between antimicrobial treatment of subclinical pneumonia in foals and selection of macrolide- and rifampicin-resistant Rhodococcus equi strains at horse-breeding farms in central Kentucky. To compare soil concentrations of macrolide- and rifampicin-resistant strains (MRRE) on horse-breeding farms that used thoracic ultrasonographic screening (TUS) to identify foals with subclinical pneumonia combined with subsequent administration of macrolides and rifampin to affected foals (TUS farms) versus soil concentrations on farms that did not (non-TUS farms), determine whether the combined use of TUS and antimicrobial treatment of subclinically affected foals was associated with soil concentration of MRRE, and assess whether there were temporal effects on soil concentrations of MRRE du...
A Comparison of the Colonic Microbiome and Volatile Organic Compound Metabolome of Anoplocephala perfoliata Infected and Non-Infected Horses: A Pilot Study. Anoplocephala perfoliata is a common equine tapeworm associated with an increased risk of colic (abdominal pain) in horses. Identification of parasite and intestinal microbiota interactions have consequences for understanding the mechanisms behind parasite-associated colic and potential new methods for parasite control. A. perfoliata was diagnosed by counting of worms in the caecum post-mortem. Bacterial DNA was extracted from colonic contents and sequenced targeting of the 16S rRNA gene (V4 region). The volatile organic compound (VOC) metabolome of colonic contents was characterised using gas...
Using worm egg count data to detect and counter trends in equine helminth abundance. Jan van Dijk, RCVS specialist in veterinary parasitology, describes how data can be used to both increase understanding of trends in equine helminth abundance and drive better treatment of individual horses.
Reduced Efficacy of Fenbendazole and Pyrantel Pamoate Treatments against Intestinal Nematodes of Stud and Performance Horses. Nematodes are an important cause of disease and loss of performance in horses. Changes in the parasitic fauna of horses have occurred in the past few decades, making cyathostomins the major parasites in adult horses, while large strongyles have become less prevalent. spp. remains the most important parasite infecting foals and weanlings. Anthelmintic resistance is highly prevalent in cyathostomins and spp. worldwide and it must be factored into treatment decisions. To assess anthelmintic efficacy in Northern Italy, we sampled 215 horses from 17 sport and horse-breeding farms. Fecal egg count...
Clostridioides (Clostridium) difficile in neonatal foals and mares at a referral hospital. Understanding the epidemiology of Clostridium difficile is important for the development and assessment of infection prevention and control practices, as well as surveillance methods and interpretation of diagnostic testing results. Objective: Our objective was to longitudinally evaluate C. difficile shedding in neonatal foals and mares admitted to a referral hospital neonatal intensive care unit. Methods: Foals admitted to a neonatal intensive care unit, along with their dams. Methods: Rectal swabs were collected from mares and foals at admission, and then approximately every 3 days, when p...
[Glomerulonephritis after contact with a horse]. Zoonoses are important to consider when humans become ill after being in contact with animals. In such cases thorough patient history is crucial, especially when infections have an unclear cause. We present a patient with infection-associated glomerulonephritis, where a horse was the probable source of infection. A young woman was admitted to the district general hospital in Vestfold, Norway, with infection and acute kidney failure. Renal biopsy suggested glomerulonephritis, and nasopharyngeal culture taken at admission detected Streptococcus equi. It emerged that the patient had daily contact...
Epidemiology and Genomic Analysis of Equine Encephalosis Virus Detected in Horses with Clinical Signs in South Africa, 2010-2017. Equine encephalosis virus (EEV) is a neglected virus endemic to South Africa and is considered to generally result in mild disease in equines. Specimens were analyzed from live horses that presented with undefined neurological, febrile, or respiratory signs, or sudden and unexpected death. Between 2010 and 2017, 111 of 1523 (7.3%) horse samples tested positive for EEV using a nested real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR). Clinical signs were reported in 106 (7.2%) EEV positive and 1360 negative horses and included pyrexia (77/106, 72.6%), icterus (20/106, 18.9%) an...
Equine antimicrobial therapy: Current and past issues facing practitioners. Equine antimicrobial therapy has advanced over time with the availability of increasing pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic studies in horses, allowing for greater evidence-based clinical decision-making. However, many challenges to optimal antimicrobial therapy remain and further research is needed to address these areas. There are a limited number of approved antimicrobials for use in horses, which creates a need for compounded preparations for clinicians. Extra-label drug use is commonplace in equine practice, which warrants continual education of veterinarians about policies and updates. P...
The impact of temperature on the life cycle of Gasterophilus pecorum in northwest China. The departure of the mature larvae of the horse stomach bot fly from the host indicates the beginning of a new infection period. Gasterophilus pecorum is the dominant bot fly species in the desert steppe of the Kalamaili Nature Reserve (KNR) of northwest China as a result of its particular biological characteristics. The population dynamics of G. pecorum were studied to elucidate the population development of this species in the arid desert steppe. Methods: Larvae in the freshly excreted feces of tracked Przewalski's horses (Equus przewalskii) were collected and recorded. The larval pupation e...
Infection prevention and control practices of ambulatory veterinarians: A questionnaire study in Finland. Veterinarians face the risk of contracting zoonotic pathogens. Infection prevention and control (IPC) guidelines stress the importance of proper hand hygiene and personal protective equipment (PPE) to prevent transmission of these pathogens. We aimed to assess how ambulatory livestock and equine veterinarians follow IPC guidelines, when working on farms and in stables. We studied hygiene practices of livestock and equine ambulatory veterinarians (n = 129) in Finland. A web-based questionnaire was used to obtain demographic information and information regarding hand-hygiene facilities and pra...
Development of an Indirect ELISA to Detect Equine Antibodies to Theileria haneyi. The apicomplexan parasite is one of two known causative agents of equine theileriosis. It causes milder clinical disease than its more virulent counterpart, , in experimentally infected horses, and can superinfect -positive horses. The current equi merozoite antigen 1 (EMA1)-based competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)used in the U.S. to detect equine theileriosis detects but not , and the complexity of molecular assays precludes widespread use for epidemiologic studies. In order to facilitate urgently needed studies on the prevalence of , the goal of this study was to develop...
Anti-piroplasmic activity of novobiocin as heat shock protein 90 inhibitor against in vitro cultured Theileria equi and Babesia caballi parasites. Theileria equi and Babesia caballi are the causative agents of equine piroplasmosis (EP). Currently, imidocarb dipropionate (ID) is the only available drug for treating the clinical form of EP. Serious side effects and incomplete clearance of infection is a major drawback of ID. Heat-shock proteins (Hsp) play a vital role in the life cycle of these haemoprotozoans by preventing alteration in protein conformation. These Hsp are activated during transmission of EP sporozoites from the tick vector (poikilotherm) to the natural host (homeotherm) and facilitate parasite survival. In the present stu...
The host cellular protein Ndufaf4 interacts with the vesicular stomatitis virus M protein and affects viral propagation. Vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) is an archetypal member of Mononegavirales which causes important diseases in cattle, horses and pigs. The matrix protein (M) of VSV plays critical roles in the replication, assembly/budding and pathogenesis of VSV. To further investigate the role of M during viral growth, we used a two-hybrid system to screen for host factors that interact with the M protein. Here, NADH: ubiquinone oxidoreductase complex assembly factor 4 (Ndufaf4) was identified as an M-binding partner, and this interaction was confirmed by yeast cotransformation and GST pulldown assays. ...
Effects of various wound dressings on microbial growth in perfused equine musculocutaneous flaps. To compare the effect of multiple wound dressings on microbial growth in a perfused equine wound model. Methods: Abdominal musculocutaneous flaps from 16 equine cadavers. Methods: 8 full-thickness skin wound covered were created in each flap. Tissues were perfused with saline (0.9% NaCl) solution. Wounds were inoculated with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) or Pseudomonas aeruginosa (106 CFUs), incubated, and covered with a dressing containing activated charcoal, boric acid, cadexomer iodine, calcium alginate, manuka honey, nanoparticle silver, or polyhexamethylene biguanide ...
First Evidence of Ehrlichia minasensis Infection in Horses from Brazil. The genus includes tick-borne bacterial pathogens affecting humans, domestic and wild mammals. has been identified in different animal species and geographical locations, suggesting that this is a widely distributed and generalist . In the present study, we evaluated infection in 148 Equidae presented to the Medical Clinic Department of a Veterinary Hospital from a midwestern region of Brazil. Blood samples and ticks collected from the animals were tested by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) for the presence of spp. A multigenic approach including Anaplasmataceae-specific (i.e., 16S rRNA, , ...
Identification of Host Factors Associated with the Development of Equine Herpesvirus Myeloencephalopathy by Transcriptomic Analysis of Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells from Horses. Equine herpesvirus-1 is the cause of respiratory disease, abortion, and equine herpesvirus myeloencephalopathy (EHM) in horses worldwide. EHM affects as many as 14% of infected horses and a cell-associated viremia is thought to be central for EHM pathogenesis. While EHM is infrequent in younger horses, up to 70% of aged horses develop EHM. The aging immune system likely contributes to EHM pathogenesis; however, little is known about the host factors associated with clinical EHM. Here, we used the "old mare model" to induce EHM following EHV-1 infection. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC...
J-incision to approach the cranial abdomen in the adult horse. To describe a modified celiotomy to improve access to cranial abdominal structures in horses. Methods: Four horses. Methods: Short case series. Methods: Three horses with gastric impactions were treated with gastrotomies. One horse was treated for a diaphragmatic hernia with herniorrhaphy and mesh augmentation. In all horses, the ventral midline celiotomy was modified cranially with a J-incision through the body wall, along the paracostal arch. Results: The only surgical complications were midline incisional infections in all horses. Three of the four horses had good long-term outcomes; the re...
Treatments for Endometritis in Mares Caused by Streptococcus equi Subspecies zooepidemicus: A Structured Literature Review. Bacterial infections are the main causes of endometritis in mares. It is well known that the most common bacterial pathogen is Streptococcus equi subspecies zooepidemicus (SEZ). This structured review was completed according to the PRISMA procedure to search endometritis treatment protocols published between 1990 and 2020 it was our intent to evaluate the actual effects of different treatment protocols for endometritis caused by SEZ. The trials included were collected from Pubmed, CAB and Agricola. Ten articles with 116 horses and 17 different interventions were identified. The results of this...
Horsing around: Escherichia coli ST1250 of equine origin harbouring epidemic IncHI1/ST9 plasmid with bla CTX-M-1 and an operon for short-chain fructooligosaccharides metabolism. The relatedness of the equine-associated ST1250 and its single- and double-locus variants (ST1250-SLV/DLV), obtained from horses in Europe, was studied by comparative genome analysis. A total of 54 isolates of ST1250 and ST1250-SLV/DLV from healthy and hospitalized horses across Europe [Czech Republic (n=23), the Netherlands (n=18), Germany (n=9), Denmark (n=3) and France (n=1)] from 2008-2017 were subjected to whole-genome sequencing. An additional 25 draft genome assemblies of ST1250 and ST1250-SLV/DLV were obtained from the public databases. The isolates were compared for genomic feature...
Epidemiology of methicillin resistant Staphylococcus species carriage in companion animals in the Greater Brisbane Area, Australia. To detect methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and S. pseudintermedius (MRSP) swab samples were collected from dogs, cats and horses from South East Queensland (SE QLD). MRSP carriage in dogs was 8.7% and no MRSP was isolated from cats and horses; no MRSA was isolated. Risk factors for carriage included previous hospitalisation, previous bacterial infection, consultation type, average precipitation, and human population density. The probability of MRSP carriage was highest in Brisbane city, Sunshine Coast and Gympie. This suggests that MRSP carriage in dog populations from SE QLD...
Alterations of Circulating Biomarkers During Late Term Pregnancy Complications in the Horse Part I: Cytokines. Equine abortions are attributed to both infectious and noninfectious causes. Clinical extrapolations are often made from the experimental model for ascending placentitis towards other causes of fetal compromise, including various markers of inflammation, including the cytokines IL-2, 5, IL-6, IL-10, IFNγ, and TNF. It is unknown if these cytokine changes are noted under field conditions, or if they increase preceding other pregnancy related complications. To assess this, Thoroughbred mares (n = 702) had weekly blood obtained beginning in December 2013 and continuing until parturition. Fet...
Retrospective evaluation of association between perioperative antimicrobial protocol and complications following elective equine synovial endoscopy. Prophylactic perioperative antimicrobial protocols in equine synovial endoscopy have been described but not compared with respect to post-operative outcomes and complications. Increasing antimicrobial resistance in equine practice and interest in promoting judicious use of antimicrobials has prompted reevaluation of drug selection and dosing strategies. To determine the frequency of and compare post-operative complications following elective synovial endoscopy between horses receiving different perioperative antimicrobial protocols. Records from the Colorado State University Veterinary Teachin...
First isolation of Klebsiella variicola from a horse pleural effusion. Respiratory diseases are the second most common cause of illnesses in horses, their etiology can be viral, bacterial, immune-mediated, or mechanical (Racklyeft and Love DN, Aust Vet J 78:549-59, 2000; Austin et al., J Am Vet Med Assoc 207:325-328, 1995; Arroyo et al., J Vet Intern Med 31:894-900, 2017). Klebsiella variicola is a Gram-negative bacterium that was initially identified as an endophyte in soil and plants such as bananas, rice, sugar cane and maize but recent studies have identified this microorganism as an emerging pathogen in humans (Rodríguez-Medina et al., Emerg Microbes Infec...
Serological Evidence of Natural Exposure to Tick-Borne Pathogens in Horses, Romania. The purpose of this study was to investigate the seroprevalence of selected tick-borne-pathogens (TBPs) among Romanian horses. For this, a total of 223 animals originating from north, central, and southeast Romania, including horses from stud farms ( = 118) and working horses ( = 105), were tested using a commercial rapid ELISA-based test. Overall, 10.3% (95% confidence interval (CI): 6.7-15.1%) of the tested horses were seropositive for antibodies (Ab) against Additionally, 18.8% (95% CI: 13.9-24.6%) and 0.5% (95% CI: 0.01-2.5%) of horses were seropositive for Ab against sensu lato and spp...
Impact of Yeast Endometritis on Fertility in the Mare. The breeding prognosis for a mare with fungal (yeast or mold) endometritis is generally considered poor. To our knowledge, however, no reports have been published on the expected pregnancy rate for mares diagnosed with a fungal infection. Insemination records from 3,223 mares inseminated at two stud farms were retrospectively examined. Mares diagnosed with fungal endometritis were all treated with uterine lavage using physiological saline, intrauterine deposition of 100 mg Clotrimazole vagitorial tablets and oxytocin (10 i.e., i.m.) for three consecutive days. From mares with signs of endometr...
