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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.
Protection against Ehrlichia equi is conferred by prior infection with the human granulocytotropic Ehrlichia (HGE agent). A Thoroughbred filly that developed clinical signs of equine granulocytic ehrlichiosis following inoculation with the human granulocytotropic ehrlichia was shown to be resistant to challenge with Ehrlichia equi, a closely related agent. This result further substantiates the close and potentially conspecific relationship between these two granulocytotropic ehrlichiae.
Sero-positivity of domestic animals against Japanese encephalitis in Bareilly area, U.P. A study on seroprevalence of Japanese Encephalitis (JE), West Nile (WN) and Dengue-2 (DN-2) was undertaken in and around Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh to explore the role of non-human hosts in the natural cycle of these infections. A total of 1449 animal sera samples collected from 104 dogs, 170 pigs, 170 horses, 333 buffaloes, 252 cattle, 168 sheep and 252 goats were screened for antibodies against JE, WN and DN-2 by Micro-haemagglutination inhibition (HI) test employing 4 to 16 HA units of JE, WN and DN-2 antigens. The HI positivity against JE was found in dogs (55.77%) followed by pigs (40%), hor...
Evidence for a high rate of false-positive results with the indirect fluorescent antibody test for Ehrlichia risticii antibody in horses. The original objective was to determine seroprevalence of Ehrlichia risticii antibody among horses in California. On the basis of the unexpected results of the survey, an investigation into the accuracy and reproducibility of results of the indirect fluorescent antibody (IFA) test for E risticii was carried out. Methods: Prospective, seroprevalence study. Methods: Healthy horses (n = 655) and horses with clinical signs of equine monocytic ehrlichiosis (EME; n = 514) from various regions of California. Methods: The IFA test was performed. Results were compared with results of an ELISA and with ...
Identification of opossums (Didelphis virginiana) as the putative definitive host of Sarcocystis neurona. Sarcocystis neurona is an apicomplexan that causes equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM) in North and South America. Horses appear to be an aberrant host, because the merozoites continually divide in the central nervous system, without encysting. The natural host species has not previously been identified. The small subunit ribosomal RNA (SSURNA) gene of S. neurona was compared to those of Sarcocystis muris, Sarcocystis cruzi, Toxoplasma gondii, and Cryptosporidium parvum to identify a unique region suitable for a species-specific amplification primer. The S. neurona SSURNA primer was used ...
Recent advances in the laboratory diagnosis of equine parasitic diseases. This article reviews recent advances in laboratory diagnosis of equine parasitic diseases. Laboratory diagnosis of most equine parasitic diseases continues to rely on standard methods. Only laboratory diagnostic tests for EPM, cryptosporidiosis, and giardiasis were included. The criteria for testing and interpretation of results for each new diagnostic method were explained. Western blot and PCR testing for EPM and immunofluorescent staining with monoclonal antibodies for cryptosporidiosis and giardiasis were reviewed.
Sarcocystis falcatula from passerine and psittacine birds: synonymy with Sarcocystis neurona, agent of equine protozoal myeloencephalitis. Equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM) is a neurologic disease of horses caused by Sarcocystis neurona. The horse is a dead-end host for S. neurona and the definitive and intermediate hosts have not previously been identified. We hypothesized that S. neurona is actually Sarcocystis falcatula, a parasite that cycles in nature between Virginia opossums (Didelphis virginiana) and any of a variety of avian intermediate hosts. We extracted DNA from S. falcatula sarcocysts in the muscle of a brown-headed cowbird (Molothrus ater) and from schizonts in a fixed specimen of lung from a Moluccan cockat...
Sexual and in-contact transmission of asinine strain of equine arteritis virus among donkeys. Two in a group of five naturally seropositive donkey stallions were found to shed equine arteritis virus (EAV) in their semen as demonstrated by virus isolation. Direct intramuscular inoculation of sonicated semen from one virus-shedding stallion (S3) caused clinical disease in two donkeys from which virus was recovered and in which seroconversion was detected. Sexual transmission was confirmed in two mares mated to S3 when after a febrile response during which EAV was isolated from huffy coats and nasal and ocular exudates, both mares were found to have seroconverted. In-contact transmission ...
Expression cloning and antigenic analysis of the nucleocapsid protein of equine arteritis virus. A series of recombinant fusion proteins derived from equine arteritis virus (EAV) open reading frame (ORF) 7 have been used to define the immunoreactive region of the viral nucleocapsid (N) protein. Reactivities of recombinant N fusion proteins with post-infection equine sera in immunoblots and ELISAs indicate that the major nucleocapsid protein epitope is located within amino acid residues 1-69. In ELISAs two recombinant nucleocapsid fusion proteins containing residues 1-69 (rN1-69) and 1-28 (rN1-28) discriminated between pre- and post-infection, and pre- and post-vaccination serum samples. A...
Association of leptospiral seroreactivity and breed with uveitis and blindness in horses: 372 cases (1986-1993). Recurrent uveitis, a leading cause of blindness in horses, often develops as a sequela to systemic leptospirosis. Over a 7-year period, 63 of 112 (56%) horses with uveitis were seropositive for Leptospira interrogans serovar pomona, but only 23 of 260 (9%) horses without uveitis were seropositive. Odds-ratio analysis revealed that seropositive horses were 13.2 times more likely to have uveitis than were seronegative horses. Of the 63 seropositive horses with uveitis, 59% developed blindness, compared with only 24% in the 49 seronegative horses with uveitis that lost vision in 1 or both eyes du...
Equine arteritis virus subgenomic RNA transcription: UV inactivation and translation inhibition studies. The expression of the genetic information of equine arteritis virus (EAV), an arterivirus, involves the synthesis of six subgenomic (sg) mRNAs. These are 5' and 3' coterminal since they are composed of a leader and a body sequence, which are identical to the 5' and 3' ends of the genome, respectively. Previously, it has been suggested that cis-splicing of a genome-length precursor RNA is involved in their synthesis. This was reevaluated in a comparative analysis of the sg RNA synthesis of EAV, the coronavirus mouse hepatitis virus (MHV), and the alphavirus Sindbis virus. UV transcription mappi...
Treatment and outcome of chronic tenosynovitis in three horses. Three horses were presented for treatment of chronic infections of the digital flexor tendon sheath. Clinical signs included severe lameness, and heat, pain and swelling of the digital flexor tendon sheath. The horses were treated with surgical lavage of the tendon sheath, systemic and local antibiotics, and analgesics. In each case, resolution of the lameness occurred over weeks to months. Only one horse returned to athletic activity, while the other two became comfortable at pasture. Response to treatment in cases of chronic tenosynovitis may not be as rapid or complete as that reported for ...
Segmented filamentous bacteria associated with lymphoid tissues in the ileum of horses. Segmented filamentous bacteria preferentially attached to the follicle-associated epithelium overlying the lymphoid tissue in samples of the terminal ileum from seven horses examined by scanning electron microscopy. The bacteria adhered to the apical membrane of the enterocytes by a holdfast segment. Each filament tended to be of uniform diameter, but the filaments ranged from 0.7 to 1.4 microns in diameter. The bacteria were usually absent from the adjacent villous epithelium.
Equine viral arteritis with abortions: serological and virological evidence in Germany. An outbreak of clinical disease with abortions, suspected to be equine viral arteritis in Germany was examined serologically and virologically. Three of five animals tested seroconverted to EAV, and EAV was isolated from an aborted fetus. In view of the significant increase in seropositive horses, the need for control measures is emphasized.
Outbreak of trypanosomosis due to Trypanosoma evansi in horses of Pantanal Mato-grossense, Brazil. This paper reports an outbreak of trypanosomosis due to Trypanosoma evansi in horses of the Pantanal Mato-grossense region of Brazil. Forty-eight horses died (51% mortality) and abortion in one mare was recorded. The clinical signs observed were fever, anemia, conjunctivitis, edema of the legs and lower parts of the body, progressive weakness, loss of condition, and loss of appetite. The diagnosis was confirmed by morphological and biometrical studies.
Equine pulmonary disease: a case control study of 300 referred cases. Part 4: Treatments and re-examination findings. One-hundred and forty-seven of 270 (54.4%) horses suffering from pulmonary disorders were given at least one re-examination including, clinical, bronchoscopic, pulmonary function and cytological examinations after treatment and a further 83 of these horses (30.7%) had their clinical progress assessed by verbal or written reports. These examinations and progress reports showed high levels of partial or total recovery for most pulmonary disease categories, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, infectious, S. zooepidemicus and undifferentiated pulmonary disease and lungworm infection g...
Analyses of restriction fragment patterns (RFPs) and pathogenicity in baby mice of equine herpesvirus 1 and 4 (EHV-1 and EHV-4) strains circulating in Danish horses. Twenty-five strains of equine herpesvirus 1 (EHV-1) and one strain of equine herpesvirus 4 (EHV-4) isolated from material from various clinical cases in Denmark, together with reference EHV-1 and EHV-4 strains, were compared by restriction fragment pattern (RFP) analysis and inoculation of baby mice. The RFP analyses revealed that all EHV-1 strains belonged to genome type Ip. Four fetal isolates exhibited genomic characteristics that have been suggested as specific markers of the attenuated strain Rac H, widely used as a live vaccine. As the use of five vaccines against EHV-1 and EHV-4 has nev...
Equine pulmonary disease: a case control study of 300 referred cases. Part 1: Examination techniques, diagnostic criteria and diagnoses. Three-hundred adult horses, referred from 1990 to 1993 inclusively, for pulmonary examination were assessed using standardised history taking and clinical, intrapleural pressure, arterial blood gases and pH, bronchoscopic and tracheal and broncho-alveolar lavage fluid (BALF) cytological examinations. Two-hundred and thirty-five cases were referred with overt signs of pulmonary disease and the remaining 65 cases were referred for pulmonary examination because of reduced exercise (usually racing) performance or prolonged dyspnoea after racing. No pulmonary disease was detected in 30 cases. The 2...
Idiopathic infective arthritis of the coxofemoral joint in a mature horse. A mature thoroughbred-cross gelding developed chronic severe hindlimb lameness. Despite intensive clinical investigation, the diagnosis of infective arthritis of the coxofemoral joint was difficult, and a definitive diagnosis was reached only after synoviocentesis of the joint. The horse was euthanased and examined thoroughly post mortem but no definitive aetiology for the condition was discovered.
Venezuelan equine encephalitis–Colombia, 1995. An outbreak of Venezuelan equine encephalitis (VEE) that began in northwestern Venezuela in April 1995 has spread westward to the Guajira peninsula and to Colombia (Figure 1), resulting in an estimated minimum of 13,000 cases in humans and an undetermined number of equine deaths. Governments of both countries have initiated efforts to control the spread of this outbreak by quarantining and vaccinating equines and applying insecticides. This report summarizes the ongoing investigation of the outbreak in Colombia.
Detection of Trichinella spiralis muscle larvae in naturally infected horses. Human trichinellosis outbreaks related to horsemeat consumption have been reported in France and Italy in recent years. In order to determine if Trichinella is present in horses slaughtered at an abattoir in the State of Mexico, diaphragm muscle tissue samples (22-37 g) from 80 horses were examined by artificial digestion. Four of these samples had larvae that were characterized as Trichinella sp. by morphological criteria and as Trichinella spiralis by the polymerase chain reaction.
Abortion in a mare associated with Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis infection. No abstract available
Subcutaneous mycetoma-like granuloma in a horse caused by Aspergillus versicolor. No abstract available
