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Topic:Infectious Disease
Infectious diseases in horses encompass a range of illnesses caused by bacteria, viruses, fungi, or parasites. These diseases can affect various systems within the equine body, leading to symptoms that range from mild discomfort to severe systemic illness. Common infectious diseases in horses include equine influenza, strangles, equine herpesvirus, and West Nile virus. These diseases can be transmitted through direct contact with infected animals, contaminated surfaces, or vectors such as insects. Understanding the mechanisms of transmission, pathogenesis, and immune response is essential for effective prevention and control. This page compiles peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the epidemiology, diagnosis, treatment, and management of infectious diseases in horses.
Diagnostic real-time PCR assay for the quantitative detection of Theileria equi from equine blood samples. We developed a TaqMan real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay for the quantitative detection of Theileria equi from the in vitro-cultured parasite and field blood samples collected from horses living in Ghana and Brazil. The detection limit for the assay was determined to be 1.5 parasites/microl per sample, and the quantitative capacity was demonstrated using the in vitro-cultured parasite. For field applications, the real-time PCR assay was compared to a previously established nested PCR assay used as the gold standard for the real-time PCR assay. Of 65 field blood samples, 46 samples...
Diagnosis of equine infectious anaemia during the 2006 outbreak in Ireland. In 2006 there was an outbreak of equine infectious anaemia (EIA) in Ireland. This paper describes the use of the diagnosis of clinical and subclinical cases of the disease. In acute cases the ELISAs and the immunoblot were more sensitive than the AGID. In one mare, fluctuating antibody levels were observed in all the serological assays before it seroconverted by AGID. Viral RNA and DNA were detected by RT-PCR and PCR in all the tissues from the infected animals examined postmortem. The PCR detected viral DNA in plasma regardless of the stage of the disease. In contrast, the RT-PCR detected RNA...
Equine histoplasmosis: treatment trial in cart horses in Central Ethiopia. Therapeutic effects of Sodium Iodide (NaI), Potassium Iodide (KI), ground berries of "Endod" (Phytolacca dodecandra) and Penstrip were evaluated on 70 cases of equine hitoplasmosis (EH). Response to each treatment was assessed using clinical examination of the lesions. Statistically significant difference (P = 0.0036) in therapeutic effect was observed among the different remedies. Cases treated either with a combination of NaI and Penstrip (F = 6.34, P = 0.004) or "Endod" and Penstrip (F = 3.64, P = 0.031) demonstrated significant response. The difference in response to treatment between earl...
Histomonas meleagridis (Parabasala, Trichomonadea, Monocercomonadidae): presence of natural agglutinins in horse serum. Cultured Histomonas meleagridis cells were readily agglutinated in vitro by horse serum at concentrations as low as 5%, although clumping was more rapid and prominent at 15% or higher. For observation of clumping, the cultured organisms were washed twice in Hanks balanced solution (HBSS) by centrifugation (1,000 x g for 15 min) and filtered through glass wool. The test sera were added and the mixture incubated in a Petri plate or 24-well culture plates at r.t. for 15-30 min. Formation of clumps was time- and concentration-dependent. Gentle agitation hindered agglutination at low serum concentr...
IdeE reduces the bactericidal activity of equine neutrophils for Streptococcus equi. Streptococcus equi (S. equi) causes equine strangles, a highly contagious and widespread purulent lymphadenitis of the head and neck. Highly resistant to phagocytosis, it produces long extracellular chains in affected lymph nodes. In a screen of clones reactive with convalescent serum from a gene library of S. equi CF32 we identified IdeE, an IgG-endopeptidase and homologue of the leucocyte receptor Mac-1 (CD11b). IdeE is expressed during S. equi infection eliciting both serum and mucosal antibody responses which persisted at significant levels in serum for over 200 days. Release from S. equi ...
[Reported adverse reactions due to veterinary drugs in 2006]. We received 190 reports of suspected adverse events (SARs) following the use of veterinary drugs for the year 2006: 118 declarations for veterinary drugs and 72 declarations following the application of immunolgical medicinal products. Most of the 118 declarations relate to the use of antiparasitic drugs (48%) and every second declaration to drug use in dogs. Other drug classes concerned were, in decreasing order, antiinfectives (20%) and drugs used off-label (12%; other target species or other indication). For the vaccines, most of the reactions occurred in dogs (62%) followed by horses (11%)...
Monoclonal antibodies against the nucleocapsid proteins of henipaviruses: production, epitope mapping and application in immunohistochemistry. Four monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) were generated by immunizing BALB/C mice with recombinant nucleocapsid protein (N) of Nipah virus (NiV) and Hendra virus (HeV) expressed in E. coli. Two mAbs each were obtained for the HeV N and NiV N, respectively. All four mAbs displayed specific reactivity with the recombinant N proteins of both viruses by western blot, which was further confirmed by immunofluorescent antibody assay using fixed insect cells infected with recombinant baculoviruses expressing either the HeV or NiV N protein. Epitope mapping using a 12-mer random peptide phage display library ...
Acute neuropathogenicity with experimental infection of equine herpesvirus 9 in common marmosets (Callithrix jacchus). Equine herpesvirus 9 (EHV-9) is a new neurotropic equine herpesvirus which induced encephalitis in a variety of animals. However, there was no information on the susceptibility of EHV-9 in primates. Methods: To assess the infectivity of EHV-9, four common marmosets (Callithrix jacchus) were inoculated by the nasal route with 10(6) plaque-forming units of EHV-9. Conclusions: All of the inoculated animals exhibited various neurological signs progressing to collapse. Histologically, the affected animals had severe encephalitis characterized by neuronal degeneration and necrosis with intranuclear ...
Parascaris equorum in foals and in their environment on a Swedish stud farm, with notes on treatment failure of ivermectin. Environmental contamination and the egg excretion pattern of the ascarid Parascaris equorum (Nematoda) was investigated in relation to anthelmintic treatment on a Swedish stud farm. Faecal samples from 15 foals, dewormed every 8th-week with a paste formulation of ivermectin at the standard dose rate of 0.2 mg/kg bodyweight, were collected at five sampling occasions between August and November 2006. In addition, soil samples were obtained from four paddocks used by these foals in November 2006. The number of eggs per gram (epg) was counted in both faeces and soil. Egg excretion started when the...
An outbreak of Lawsonia intracellularis infection in a standardbred herd in Ontario. An outbreak of protein-losing enteropathy associated with Lawsonia intracelluaris infection was diagnosed in 6 standardbred foals from a farm in Ontario. Wildlife exposure may have been involved in the perpetuation of disease in this outbreak. The clinical presentation, treatment, outcomes, and pathological findings are described. Éclosion d’infections à Lawsonia intracellularis dans un troupeau de Standardbred en Ontario. Une éclosion d’entéropathies exsudatives associée à une infection à Lawsonia intracellularis a été diagnostiquée chez 6 poulains Standardbred d’une ferme de ...
Seroprevalence and risk factors for infection with West Nile virus in Saskatchewan horses, 2003. The primary objectives of this study were to determine the seroprevalence of West Nile virus (WNV) infection of horses in Saskatchewan in 2003 and to identify risk factors for the infection. Blood samples were collected in August and October from 212 horses in 20 herds in 5 geographic zones. After accounting for within-herd clustering, the proportion of horses that had been infected with WNV, as determined by IgG and IgM antibody response, was 55.7% (95% confidence interval, 44.9% to 65.8%). The proportion of antibody-positive horses differed among herds (0% to 100%) and across ecoregions (20%...
Western blot assay using recombinant p26 antigen for detection of equine infectious anemia virus-specific antibodies. We analyzed the performance of a single-band Western blot (WB) test using recombinant p26 (rp26) capsid protein of equine infectious anemia virus. According to the results obtained, the rp26 WB test is a reliable confirmatory diagnostic tool to be used as a complementary test after an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay or agar gel immunodiffusion test yielding doubtful results.
Complete nucleotide sequence of Middelburg virus, isolated from the spleen of a horse with severe clinical disease in Zimbabwe. The complete nucleotide sequence of Middelburg virus (MIDV) was determined for strain MIDV-857 from Zimbabwe. The isolation of this virus in 1993 from a horse that died showing severe clinical signs represents the first indication that MIDV can cause severe disease in equids. Full-length cDNA copies of the viral genome were successfully synthesized by an innovative RT-PCR amplification approach using an 'anchor primer' combined with the SMART methodology described previously for the synthesis of full-length cDNA copies from genome segments of dsRNA viruses. The MIDV-857 genome is 11,674 nt, ex...
Comparison of polymerase chain reaction methods for the detection of Theileria equi infection using whole blood compared with pre-extracted DNA samples as PCR templates. Rapid, efficient, and reproducible procedures for isolating DNA before PCR gene amplification are essential for the diagnosis of piroplasms. In this study, we evaluated the ease and reliability of detecting Theileria equi by PCR using pre-extracted DNA samples (by QIAamp DNA Mini Kit and phenol-chloroform methods) compared with blood spotted on FTA cards as PCR templates. Although minimal variations in limit of detection were observed among the methods compared, overall, the use of pre-extracted DNA samples and blood spotted on FTA cards had comparable detection limits. These results indicate ...
Antimicrobial susceptibility of streptococci from various indications of swine, horses, dogs and cats as determined in the BfT-GermVet monitoring program 2004-2006. A total of 500 streptococci from two indications of swine (beta-haemolytic streptococci from infections of the urinary/genital tract including strains from the mastitis metritis agalactia syndrome as well as S. suis from infections of the central nervous system and the musculoskeletal system), two indications of horses (S. equi from respiratory tract infections and beta-haemolytic streptococci from infections of the genital tract), as well as three indications of dogs and cats (beta-haemolytic streptococci from infections of the respiratory tract, the urinary/genital tract, and skin/ear/mouth)...
Safety and efficacy in geese of a PER.C6-based inactivated West Nile virus vaccine. Studies were performed with an inactivated vaccine against the mosquito-borne flavivirus, West Nile virus (WNV). The mammalian cell line, PER.C6, was selected as the platform for WNV growth since both the neurovirulent strains NY99 and ISR98 that cause epidemics in humans and high mortality in geese, respectively, could be propagated to high titers (10(9) to 10(10)TCID(50)/ml) on these cells. Based on the high DNA homology of the WNV envelope (E) protein and non-structural protein 5 (NS5), and identical neurovirulence in mice and geese, we concluded that NY99 and ISR98 viruses are closely rela...
Trypanosoma evansi: molecular homogeneity as inferred by phenetical analysis of ribosomal internal transcribed spacers DNA of an eclectic parasite. The protozoan Trypanosoma evansi is described as presenting high morphological and genetic similarities among the isolates despite its biological heterogeneity and wide geographical distribution. PCR amplification of the internal transcribed spacers of the ribosomal gene in combination with the coding region of the 5.8S ribosomal subunit further submitted to restriction enzymes digestion were carried out in DNAs extracted from 41 T. evansi strains isolated from horses, dogs, coatis and capybaras from two distinct regions of the Brazilian Pantanal. We also used one T. evansi isolate from Africa...
Suspension of bone marrow-derived undifferentiated mesenchymal stromal cells for repair of superficial digital flexor tendon in race horses. It has been proven that mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) can differentiate into tenocytes. Attempts to repair tendon lesions have been performed, mainly using scaffold carriers in experimental settings. In this article, we describe the clinical use of undifferentiated MSCs in racehorses. Significant clinical recovery was achieved in 9 of 11 horses evaluated using ultrasound analysis and their ability to return to racing. Our results show that the suspension of a small number of undifferentiated MSCs may be sufficient to repair damaged tendons without the use of scaffold support. Ultrasound sca...
Detection of Babesia (Theileria) equi (Laveran, 1901) in horses in the Kars province of Turkey. This study was carried out in order to detect antibodies to Babesia (Theileria) equi in the local breed of horses in the province of Kars, Turkey. A total of 108 serum samples from apparently healthy horses in eight villages were examined for B. equi antibodies by an indirect immunofluorescent antibody test (IFAT). Of the 108 samples tested, 27 (25%) were found to be seropositive. The horses sampled in Aydinalan village had the highest prevalence (50.0%) of Babesia equi infection while the lowest prevalence was found among horses from Bayraktar village (12.5%). Statistically significant differ...
Establishment of a novel equine cell line for isolation and propagation of equine herpesviruses. In the present study, an equine-derived cell line was established by transfecting primary fetal horse kidney (FHK) cells with expression plasmid encoding simian virus 40 (SV40) large T antigen and then cloning them by limiting dilution. The cloned cell line, named FHK-Tcl3, grew well and could be propagated over 30 times by splitting them 1:3. Equine herpesvirus (EHV)-1 and EHV-4 replicated well in FHK-Tcl3. EHV-2 and EHV-4 were isolated from samples collected from horses in the field using FHK-Tcl3, and EHV-3 also propagated in FHK-Tcl3. These results indicated that this novel cell line, FHK-...
In vitro susceptibility patterns of fungi associated with keratomycosis in horses of the northeastern United States: 68 cases (1987-2006). To determine in vitro susceptibility patterns of fungi associated with keratomycosis in horses in the northeastern United States and compare those patterns with results of studies from other geographic regions. Methods: Retrospective case series. Methods: 68 horses with keratomycosis. Methods: Medical records of horses with a clinical diagnosis of keratomycosis, positive results of corneal fungal cultures, and susceptibility data were reviewed from the years 1987 to 2006. Fungal identification and in vitro antifungal susceptibility test results were recorded. The percentage of susceptible isol...
Pharmacokinetics of gallium maltolate after intragastric administration in neonatal foals. To determine the pharmacokinetics of gallium maltolate (GaM) after intragastric administration in healthy foals. Methods: 6 healthy neonatal foals. Methods: Each foal received GaM (20 mg/kg) by intragastric administration. Blood samples were obtained before (time 0) and at 0.25, 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 8, 12, 24, 36, and 48 hours after GaM administration for determination of serum gallium concentrations by use of inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy. Results: Mean +/- SD pharmacokinetic variables were as follows: peak serum gallium concentration, 1,079 +/- 311 ng/mL; time to peak serum concentra...
