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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.
Screening for West Nile virus infections of susceptible animal species in Austria. Avian mortality and encephalomyelitis in equines are considered good indicators for West Nile virus (WNV) activity. We retrospectively tested 385 horse sera for WNV antibodies and looked for WNV nucleic acid and/or WNV antigen in paraffin embedded tissues from 12 horses with aetiologically unresolved encephalomyelitis and 102 free-living birds of different species which had been found dead. With the exception of four horses originating from eastern European countries investigated on the occasion of transit through Austria, all horse sera were negative. Nested RT-PCR of the horse tissues yielde...
Epidemiology of leptospirosis: observations on serological data obtained by a “diagnostic laboratory for leptospirosis” from 1995 to 2001. Serological data on leptospira infection were reported and discussed. From 1995 to 2001, the blood serum samples of 9885 domestic and wild animals and humans, living in Northern and Central Italy, were examined by the macroagglutination test (MAT) employing bratislava, ballum, canicola, grippotyphosa, icterohaemorrhagiae, pomona, hardjo and tarassovi serovars as antigens. Considering sera with > or = 1:400 antibody titers as positive, 674 (6.81%) animals scored positive. Sheep, horses, pigs and dogs gave the highest number of positive responses, particularly against the serovar bratislava and,...
West Nile virus activity–United States, October 23-29, 2003. This report summarizes West Nile virus (WNV) surveillance data reported to CDC through ArboNET as of 3 a.m., Mountain Standard Time, October 29, 2003.
Subpopulations of equine infectious anemia virus Rev coexist in vivo and differ in phenotype. Lentiviruses exist in vivo as a population of related, nonidentical genotypes, commonly referred to as quasispecies. The quasispecies structure is characteristic of complex adaptive systems and contributes to the high rate of evolution in lentiviruses that confounds efforts to develop effective vaccines and antiviral therapies. Here, we describe analyses of genetic data from longitudinal studies of genetic variation in a lentivirus regulatory protein, Rev, over the course of disease in ponies experimentally infected with equine infectious anemia virus. As observed with other lentivirus data, t...
Rabies DNA vaccine in the horse: strategies to improve serological responses. In order for DNA vaccines to become a practical alternative to conventional vaccines their ability to induce antibody responses in large mammals needs to be improved. We used DNA vaccination against rabies in the horse as a model to test the potential of two different strategies to enhance antibody responses in a large mammalian species. The administration of the DNA vaccine in the presence of aluminum phosphate improved both the onset and the intensity of serological responses but was not potent enough to achieve seroconversion in all vaccinated ponies. However, when the DNA vaccine was formu...
Usefulness of aerobic microbial culture and cytologic evaluation of corneal specimens in the diagnosis of infectious ulcerative keratitis in animals. To determine the diagnostic value of aerobic microbial culture and cytologic evaluation of corneal specimens in the diagnosis of infectious ulcerative keratitis (IUK). Methods: Prospective study. Methods: 48 animals (26 dogs, 13 horses, 7 cats, 1 bird, and 1 llama) with corneal ulcers. Methods: Scrapings from corneal ulcers were examined cytologically. Corneal swab specimens were submitted for microbial culture. Animals were grouped according to whether they had been receiving antimicrobials at the time of admission. Results: Of the 38 animals receiving antimicrobials, 19 had positive results ...
Empyema of the guttural pouch (auditory tube diverticulum) in horses: 91 cases (1977-1997). To identify features of guttural pouch (auditory tube diverticulum) empyema in horses and compare findings of uncomplicated guttural pouch empyema with guttural pouch empyema complicated by chondroids. Methods: Retrospective study. Methods: 91 horses with guttural pouch empyema. Methods: Medical records of horses with guttural pouch empyema were reviewed. Results: The most common owner complaint and abnormal finding was persistent nasal discharge. Chondroids were detected in 21% (19/91) of affected horses. Streptococcus equi was isolated from the guttural pouch in 14 of 44 horses; for Streptoc...
[Bacteriological findings for endodontical and apical molar dental diseases in the horse]. In most cases the diagnosis of any molar dental disease in horses is made at an advanced stage, so that permanent restoration of the diseased teeth is not feasible. Complications such as bacteraemia and septicaemia due to infections as a result of dentogenous sinusitis and following dentosurgical procedures have been described in human medicine and in veterinary medicine. Twenty patients were available for examination from the Clinic for Horses of the School of Veterinary Medicine Hannover with molar dental disease in upper or lower jaw. As a result of this disease the infected tooth had to be...
[Diagnosis of Lawsonia intracellularis using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in pigs with and without diarrhea and other animal species]. Lawsonia (L.) intracellularis, an obligately intracellular bacterium, causes proliferative enteropathy (PE) in swine and, occasionally, in other animals. To determine the spread of the agent among German pig herds pooled fecal samples of five animals each of clinically normal Hessian pig herds collected between november 1998 and february 1999 as well as feces (n = 1684) from individual animals representing 648 herds, sent to our laboratory by veterinarians from all parts of Germany, were tested for L. intracellularis using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). In addition, fecal samples from di...
Disseminated pythiosis in three horses. Three cases of equine subcutaneous pythiosis with dissemination to the internal organs were investigated. The subcutaneous lesions were observed on the mammary gland, nostrils and limbs of the infected horses. Histopathological analysis of the infected tissues revealed a strong eosinophilic reaction, with macrophages, mast cells and giant cells. Sparsely septated hyphal filaments of 4-6 microm diameter were identified in the center of the eosinophilic areas. Specific fluorescent antibody against Pythium insidiosum confirmed the hyphae in the infected tissues in three examined horses. In one of...
Characterization of experimental equine glanders. Considerable advances in understanding of the disease caused by Burkholderia mallei have been made employing a combination of tools including genetic techniques and animal infection models. The development of small animal models has allowed us to assess the role of a number of putative virulence determinants in the pathogenesis of disease due to B. mallei. Due to the difficulties in performing active immunization studies in small animals, and due to the fact that the horse is the target mammalian species for glanders, we have initiated experimental studies on glanders in horses. Intratracheal ...
Prevalence of antibodies to Neospora caninum, Sarcocystis neurona, and Toxoplasma gondii in wild horses from central Wyoming. Sarcocystis neurona, Neospora caninum, N. hughesi, and Toxoplasma gondii are 4 related coccidians considered to be associated with encephalomyelitis in horses. The source of infection for N. hughesi is unknown, whereas opossums, dogs, and cats are the definitive hosts for S. neurona, N. caninum, and T. gondii, respectively. Seroprevalence of these coccidians in 276 wild horses from central Wyoming outside the known range of the opossum (Didelphis virginiana) was determined. Antibodies to T. gondii were found only in 1 of 276 horses tested with the modified agglutination test using 1:25, 1:50, ...
Seroepidemiologic studies on Babesia equi and Babesia caballi infections in horses in Jilin province of China. The prevalence of equine piroplasmosis caused by Babesia equi and Babesia caballi in northeast China has remained unknown, although the People's Republic of China is recognized as an endemic country for the diseases. In the present study, we investigated the prevalence of equine piroplasmosis in Jilin province, a part of northeast China. A total of 111 serum samples were taken from horses in eastern Jilin, and examined for diagnosis of B. equi and B. caballi infections by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays with recombinant antigens, equi merozoite antigen-1 and P48, respectively. Of the 11...
A PCR-ELISA for the identification of cyathostomin fourth-stage larvae from clinical cases of larval cyathostominosis. We report the use of six oligoprobes designed from intergenic spacer region sequences to identify fourth-stage larvae (L4) of the tribe Cyathostominae. Oligoprobes were designed for identification of the following species: Cylicocyclus ashworthi, Cylicocyclus nassatus, Cylicocyclus insigne, Cyathostomum catinatum, Cylicostephanus goldi, and Cylicostephanus longibursatus. A seventh probe was designed as a positive control to identify all these members of the Cyathostominae. The intergenic spacer region was amplified by PCR using conserved primers. Initially, three oligoprobes were used in South...
West Nile virus activity–United States, September 25-October 1, 2003. This report summarizes West Nile virus (WNV) surveillance data reported to CDC through ArboNET as of 3 a.m., Mountain Daylight Time, October 1, 2003.
West Nile virus infection of Thoroughbred horses in South Africa (2000-2001). West Nile virus (WNV) infection is endemic in southern Africa. With the recent emergence of WNV infection of horses in Europe and the USA the present study was performed to estimate the risk of seroconversion to WNV in a cohort of 488 young Thoroughbred (TB) horses. Objective: To estimate the risk of seroconversion to WNV among a cohort of South African TB yearlings sold at the 2001 National Yearling Sales (NYS) and to determine whether the risk varied geographically. Two horses were also infected with a recent South African isolate of WNV to evaluate its virulence in horses. Methods: Serum sa...
Lateral transmission of equine arteritis virus among Lipizzaner stallions in South Africa. A serological study conducted in 1995 revealed that 7 stallions at the Lipizzaner Centre, Gauteng, South Africa, were seropositive for antibody to equine arteritis virus (EAV). A Lipizzaner stallion imported into South Africa from Yugoslavia in 1981 had previously (1988) been confirmed to be an EAV carrier. Despite being placed under life-long breeding quarantine, EAV had been transmitted between stallions at the Lipizzaner Centre. Objective: To investigate the phylogenetic relationships between the strain of EAV shed in the semen of the original carrier stallion and strains recovered from the...
Small-world topology of UK racing: the potential for rapid spread of infectious agents. The topology of the network of contacts between individuals has important effects on infectious disease dynamics within a population. Here we examine for the first time a network of contacts between training yards that occurred through racing. Objective: To explore the topology of this network and to consider the effects of the network on the potential for disease transmission. Methods: Race data from one week was analysed. Contacts were defined as occurring between trainers that raced horses in the same race and hence one trainer could contact another trainer several times. A connection was s...
Severe hypertriglyceridaemia in clinically ill horses: diagnosis, treatment and outcome. Sporadic measurement of serum triglycerides in depressed and inappetant clinically ill horses revealed severe hypertriglyceridaemia without visible evidence of lipaemia on several occasions, leading to the inclusion of serum triglyceride concentrations in the routine serum biochemistry evaluation of our hospital. Since then, more cases have been identified and treated for hypertriglyceridaemia, raising questions about the prevalence, predisposing factors and significance of these findings. Objective: 1) Severe hypertriglyceridaemia without visible opacity of the serum occurs more commonly in c...
Case-control study of factors associated with fibrinous pericarditis among horses in central Kentucky during spring 2001. To identify factors significantly associated with an epidemic of fibrinous pericarditis during spring 2001 among horses in central Kentucky. Methods: Case-control study. Methods: 38 horses with fibrinous pericarditis and 30 control horses examined for other reasons. Methods: A questionnaire was developed to solicit information regarding a wide range of management practices and environmental exposures from farm owners or managers. Results: The following factors were found in bivariate analyses to be significantly associated with an increased risk of pericarditis: being from a farm with mares an...
Development of competitive ELISA for serodiagnosis on African horsesickness virus using baculovirus expressed VP7 and monoclonal antibody. VP7, the sero-group common antigen, of African horsesickness virus (AHSV-4) was expressed in insect cells by recombinant baculovirus. To develop a specific diagnostic method, monoclonal antibody (Mab) against VP7 was prepared and investigated as diagnostic reagent with the baculovirus expressed VP7. However, the Mab against VP7 of AHSV cross-reacted with Chuzan virus by the indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA), confirming the presence of conserved domain of VP7 among Orbiviruses. This study describes two types of ELISA; Mab linked indirect (I-ELISA) and competitive-ELISA (C-ELISA) using bac...
Identification of equine herpesvirus-1 antigens recognized by cytotoxic T lymphocytes. Equine herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1) causes serious disease in horses throughout the world, despite the frequent use of vaccines. CTLs are thought to be critical for protection from primary and reactivating latent EHV-1 infections. However, the antigen-specificity of EHV-1-specific CTLs is unknown. The aim of this study was to identify EHV-1 genes that encode proteins containing CTL epitopes and to determine their MHC I (or ELA-A in the horse) restriction. Equine dendritic cells, transfected with a series of EHV-1 genes, were used to stimulate autologous CTL precursor populations derived from previous...
Surveillance results from the first West Nile virus transmission season in Florida, 2001. After West Nile virus (WNV) was first detected in Florida in July 2001, intensive surveillance efforts over the following five months uncovered virus activity in 65 of the state's 67 counties with 1,106 wild birds, 492 horses, 194 sentinel chickens, and 12 people found infected with the virus. Thirteen of 28 mosquito isolations came from Culex mosquitoes. As seen in the northeastern United States, wild bird mortality was the most sensitive surveillance method. However, unlike the predominantly urban 1999 and 2000 epizootics, the Florida transmission foci were rural with most activity detected ...
Molecular phylogenetics and diagnosis of soil and clinical isolates of Halicephalobus gingivalis (Nematoda: Cephalobina: Panagrolaimoidea), an opportunistic pathogen of horses. Phylogenetic relationships among six isolates of Halicephalobus gingivalis (Stefanski, 1954), a species with pathogenic potential in horses and humans, were evaluated using DNA sequences from the nuclear large-subunit ribosomal RNA (LSU rDNA) gene. Sequences from nematodes obtained from in vitro cultures (soil or clinical sources), or isolated from infected horse tissues, were compared. Gene sequences from a fatal equine clinical case from southern California and a free-living isolate recovered from southern California soil showed no fixed differences. Sequences from isolates representing two ...
Purification and analyses of the specificity of two putative diagnostic antigens for larval cyathostomin infection in horses. Cyathostomins are important equine gastrointestinal parasites. Mass emergence of mucosal stage larvae causes a potentially fatal colitis. Mucosal stages are undetectable non-invasively. An assay that would estimate mucosal larval stage infection would greatly assist in treatment, control and prognosis. Previously, we identified two putative diagnostic antigens (20 and 25 kDa) in somatic larval preparations. Here, we describe their purification and antigen-specific IgG(T) responses to them. Western blots confirmed the purity of the antigens and showed that epitopes in the 20 kDa complex were sp...
West Nile virus activity–United States, September 4-10, 2003. This report summarizes West Nile virus (WNV) surveillance data reported to CDC through ArboNET as of 3 a.m., Mountain Daylight Time, September 10, 2003.
Nonulcerative keratouveitis as a manifestation of Leptospiral infection in a horse. A 2-year-old Thoroughbred filly presented with ocular pain and epiphora of the left eye. The pupil was miotic and the cornea edematous near the ventro-temporal limbus, but did not retain any fluorescein. The topical antibiotics and atropine and diclofenac, and systemic flunixin meglumine and antibiotic therapy did not resolve the condition. A pink and fleshy infiltrate developed near the limbus indicating nonulcerative keratouveitis. The anterior uveitis deteriorated as manifested by the presence of dyscoria, hypopyon, and organized fibrin in the anterior chamber. Ocular signs were improved by...
Expulsion of small strongyle nematodes (cyathostomin spp) following deworming of horses on a stud farm in Sweden. This study was conducted on a stud farm in Sweden to investigate the species composition of cyathostomins expelled in the faeces of horses after deworming using three different anthelmintic preparations. Twenty-seven horses excreting > or = 200 strongyle eggs per gram faeces (EPG) were divided into three comparable groups and dewormed on day 0 with either of following compounds: 0.2 mg ivermectin per kg body weight (bw), 19 mg pyrantel pamoate per kg bw or 7.5 mg fenbendazole per kg bw. For each of the 3 days following anthelmintic treatment faeces was collected from individual horses and s...
