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.
Janshoff S, Plümers R, Ramsauer AS, Cavalleri J, Vollmer T, Todt D, Brown RJP, Steinmann E, Gömer A.The emergence of new pathogens poses a significant threat to global health, exacerbated by climate change, biodiversity loss, and increased globalization. Ticks, as vectors for various pathogens, contribute to the rising incidence of diseases. Surveillance programs are crucial for identifying and controlling emerging pathogens. This study focuses on the Alongshan virus (ALSV), a segmented flavi-like virus first identified in humans in China in 2017. Despite its ability to infect a wide range of mammals, the natural hosts and transmission pathways of ALSV remain poorly understood. Therefore, we...
Centers A, Barnaby K, Goedeker S, Pignataro A, Tretyakova I, Lukashevich I, Pushko P, Chung D.There is a need for safe and effective vaccines against the Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus that infects both humans and equines. However, development of a live-attenuated vaccine using the TC-83 strain has been hampered by substantial reactogenicity and the potential for neuroinvasion. In this study, we demonstrate that V4020, a new TC-83-based investigational VEEV vaccine with redundant safety features preventing neuroinvasion and reversion, exhibited no neuroinvasion potential in a murine model. Following subcutaneous or intramuscular administration, a subset of mice that received the ...
Graham AE, Colgate VA, Floyd EF.Geographical specific data is required to guide empirical antimicrobial selection in equine neonates. Objective: Evaluate antibiograms and survival in foals from a United Kingdom (UK)-based hospital to guide antimicrobial selection. Methods: Blood and synovial fluid samples from 208 foals ≤ 30 days old admitted to Rossdales Equine Hospital from 2018 to 2023. Methods: Retrospective cohort study. Antimicrobial susceptibility was assessed by disc diffusion method. Bacterial culture and susceptibility and foal survival were recorded. The effects of the presence of positive culture or multi...
Kuzmina TA, Königová A, Burcáková L, Syrota Y, Babják M, Várady M.Strongylids and parascarids are the most widespread equine parasites worldwide; however, up-to-date data from Slovakia remain limited. This work bridges that gap by examining the prevalence and level of gastrointestinal helminth infections in Slovak horses. In the study, 392 fecal samples from horses on 24 farms were analyzed using the McMaster method with a sensitivity of 50 eggs per gram (EPG) for detecting nematode eggs and a double-centrifugation/combined sedimentation-flotation protocol for detecting Anoplocephala spp. eggs. Information on the age and breed of horses, management condition...
Tinarwo M, Dennis SJ, Hitzeroth II, Meyers AE, Rybicki EP, Mbewana S.African horse sickness (AHS) is a severe, noncontagious disease of equines caused by the African horse sickness virus (AHSV). The virus has nine serotypes and is transmitted by the midge. AHS is endemic in South Africa and other sub-Saharan African countries. Currently, the disease is managed using a live attenuated vaccine manufactured by Onderstepoort Biological Products (OBP). Although this vaccine has been in use for decades, it has several drawbacks, including the possibility of reversion to virulence, and it does not allow for the differentiation of infected horses from vaccinated horse...
Cutarelli A, Buonavoglia A, Fusco G, Pellicanò R, Napoletano M, Brandt S, Roperto S.Sarcoids are benign and locally aggressive skin lesions that commonly affect horses and other equid species. Sarcoids are generally considered to be caused by bovine delta-papillomaviruses (δPVs) types 1 and 2 (BPV1 and BPV2, respectively). Moreover, while bovine δPV types 13 and 14 (BPV13 and BPV14, respectively) are also suspected to induce sarcoids, information regarding this possibility and the occurrence of multiple bovine δPV infections in sarcoids is scarce. This study aimed, for the first time, to assess BPV1, BPV2, BPV13, and BPV14 infections and co-infections in equine sarcoid sam...
Wasiński B, Złotnicka J, Kubajka M, Olejarczyk M, Szulowski K.Contagious equine metritis (CEM) is a cosmopolitan infectious, venereal disease of equids caused by the bacterium . Its frequently asymptomatic course leads to its prevalence sometimes being underestimated, and knowledge of the spread of infections with its causative agent is insufficient. The aim of this study is to summarise and present data on the incidence of infections in horses in Poland. Unassigned: In the years 2018-2023, routine laboratory tests of horses for CEM were carried out. Between 52 and 99 horses were examined annually. Swabs from the external parts of the urogenital system ...
Schwarzer A, Ziegler U, Fertey J, Kreuz M, Vahlenkamp TW, Groschup MH, Ulbert S.West Nile virus (WNV), Usutu virus (USUV) and tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) are worldwide endemic zoonotic orthoflaviviruses, often co-circulating in the same areas. Serological studies in animals, mostly birds and horses, are important means to monitor the spread of these viruses and the infection risks for humans. However, cross-reactive antibodies to these structurally similar flaviviruses frequently impact serological differentiation in enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs), hence time-consuming virus neutralization tests (VNTs) have to be employed in laboratories with high bi...
Ganbaatar O, Ganzorig S, Tseren-Ochir EO, Suzuki Y, Takai S.In 2024, 90 soil samples and 11 fecal samples were collected from nine Mongolian provinces. Using NANAT selective agar, R. equi was successfully isolated from 23 soil samples (25.6%) across five provinces and from three fecal samples (27.3%) collected in two provinces. A total of 122 isolates were identified as R. equi via choE-targeted polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and subsequently screened for virulence-associated genes (vapA, vapB, and vapN) by PCR. Of these, 17 isolates tested positive for the vapA gene, while the remaining 105 isolates were negative for both vapB and vapN. Plasmid prof...
Symoens A, Gauthier ML, Paillette L, Allano M, Lavoie JP, Leclère M.This study aimed to document antimicrobial resistance patterns of bacteria frequently isolated at a referral equine hospital between 2020 and 2022 and to compare these results to those of studies carried out in previous decades at the same reference center. Unassigned: Using the Kirby-Bauer method, 340 tests were completed on bacterial isolates and compared to 233, 255, and 396 tests carried out in 1986 to 1988, 1996 to 1998, and 2007 to 2013, respectively. Data were analyzed with tests for trends, followed by pairwise Fisher tests and Bonferroni corrections. Unassigned: Increasing resistanc...
Roy CN, Wiechmann CE, Dev A, Walther BK, Musser JM, Olsen RJ, Beres SB, Axell-House DB. subsp. (SESZ) are zoonotic group C streptococci primarily acquired from contact with horses and other animals, such as llamas. They are unusual causes of infection in humans and rarely cause infective endocarditis. Unassigned: A 58-year-old woman presented with fever, malaise, and polyarthritis. Clinical evaluation diagnosed native tricuspid valve SESZ endocarditis. The SESZ isolate was genetically closely related to a clone causing an outbreak of post-streptococcal glomerulonephritis linked to the consumption of unpasteurized cheese in Brazil. The patient had no exposure to unpasteurized ch...
Iduu NV, Raiford D, Cohen ND, Landrock KK, Wang C.We developed a fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET)-based real-time PCR (qPCR) assay coupled with high-resolution melting (HRM) analysis to differentiate subsp. (SEE) from subsp. (SEZ), two closely related equine pathogens with distinct clinical implications. The assay targets a region of the 23S rRNA gene containing single-nucleotide polymorphisms that differentiate the subspecies. By combining subspecies-specific probes with melting temperature () analysis, the assay accurately distinguished SEE, SEZ, and mixed infections without the need for post-PCR processing. The entire work...
Wilson CS, Carrick J, Begg A, Shearer P, Stewart M, Brookes VJ.Despite emerging disease syndromes in Australian Thoroughbred horses in recent years, there is no formal surveillance for fetal loss in the industry. This study aimed to characterise the distribution of equine pregnancy loss > 45 days of gestation in a major Thoroughbred breeding region to provide insights into causes, prevention, and surveillance feasibility. Methods: Data were collected from 574 fetal loss submissions to veterinary pathology services between February 2015 and November 2021. Variables included date of fetal loss, gestational age, diagnosis, foal weight, and mare age. Dia...
Kurras S, Knottenbelt D, Schmelz U, Schaal T, Tischendorf T, Fuchs R, Schorling T, Koene MHW.Dermatophytosis is a common fungal skin infection in horses, particularly affecting young and immunocompromised animals. Traditional treatments often involve antifungal medications with potential side effects. Here, we present a case report that evaluated the efficacy of cold atmospheric plasma-aerosol (CAP-A) as a standalone treatment for equine dermatophytosis. Unassigned: A 2-year-old Westphalian warmblood stallion presented with confirmed dermatophyte lesions restricted to the left side of the mouth which were treated with CAP-A. Treatment was administered 2 times daily for 12 consecutive ...
Silva VVD, Leite DPSBM, Gonçalves LMT, Oliveira PRF, Junior JWP, Mota RA.Glanders, caused by Burkholderia mallei, is a zoonotic disease with profound socioeconomic and public health implications, affecting equines and humans. This study investigated glanders cases in Brazil from 2006 to 2023 to identify persistent clusters and analyze temporal trends, providing a foundation for the formulation of effective control policies. Official data were obtained from the National Animal Health Information System (SIZ) and Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE), encompassing case notifications and equine population statistics by state and year. The incidence ri...
Celik F, Karabulut B, Uslug M, Cankaya E, Eroksuz Y, Simsek S. is a parasitic cestode primarily maintained within an equine-canine life cycle, with horses, donkeys, mules, and other ungulates serving as intermediate hosts. Although has historically been considered non-zoonotic, recent molecular studies suggest that this assumption may need to be reevaluated. This study aimed to investigate the presence and molecular characterization of in equids from Türkiye. A retrospective analysis of 52 equine necropsies performed between 2020 and 2025 identified hydatid cysts in one Arabian horse and two donkeys. Gross and histopathological examination confirmed t...
Ghielmetti G, Stevens MJA, Schmitt S, Kittl S, Cernela N, Biggel M, Schulthess B, Keller PM, Schrenzel J, Stephan R.Rhodococcus equi is an intracellular bacterial pathogen that can cause infections in various hosts, including humans and animals. Host-associated virulence plasmids have been identified as key contributors to the pathogenicity of R. equi and potentially play a role in determining the host tropism of the bacteria. The investigation of additional clinical and environmental isolates is likely to provide novel insights into the population structure, infection pathways, and drug resistance of this important pathogen. We combined whole-genome sequencing and antimicrobial-susceptibility testing of 37...
Hildebrandt D, Venner M, Hart KA, Berghaus L.Early and specific diagnosis of bronchopneumonia in foals is important to prevent severe disease. In human medicine, C-reactive protein (CRP) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) are important diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers in neonatal pneumonia in other species. Evaluation of these markers in foals with naturally occurring respiratory diseases is lacking. Objective: To determine if CRP and IL-6 were useful predictors of respiratory disease in foals from birth to weaning. Methods: Prospective cohort study. Methods: Periodic blood samples from 200 initially healthy foals were collected from birth to ...
McGlennon AA, Verheyen KL, Newton JR, van Tonder A, Wilson H, Parkhill J, de Brauwere N, Frosth S, Waller AS.Strangles (Streptococcus equi infection) remains endemic in the UK, with ~300 laboratory diagnoses annually. Sub-clinically infected long-term carriers are considered a key driver of endemicity. Analysing genomes of circulating strains could provide valuable transmission insights of this pathogen. Objective: To determine the population structure and diversity of UK S. equi isolates and to model transmission using epidemiological and whole genome sequencing data. Methods: Retrospective cross-sectional epidemiological and genomic surveillance. Methods: A dated phylogenetic tree derived from 511...
Werle J, Nunes GT, Machado CS, Silva CBD, Vogel FSF, Vargas APC, Cargnelutti JF.The genus Corynebacterium encompasses versatile bacteria that act as natural microbiota or pathogens, causing infections in humans and animals, including equine reproductive disorders. Corynebacterium uterequi (C. uterequi) is a potential pathogen in mares, associated with reproductive disorders including endometritis, embryonic loss, and infertility, raising concerns for equine reproductive health. This study aimed to characterize C. uterequi isolates from mares in southern Brazil and deepen the understanding of this species. Phenotypic, molecular, and phylogenetic analyses were performed on ...
Kukurić T, Erdeljan M, Matthews JB, Lightbody KL, Austin CJ, Peczak N, Uzelac A, Klun I, Simin S. spp. are common equine tapeworm species in Europe, frequently found in grazing horses. is the most pathogenic, clinically significant species associated with gastrointestinal disorders, particularly colic, and can have a fatal outcome in some horses. The aim of this study was to determine the infection prevalence of spp. in Serbia and to identify relevant risk factors. A total of 173 horses from various regions were tested using a combination of diagnostic methods: coprological analysis via combined sedimentation-flotation and the Mini-FLOTAC technique, as well as serological testing using ...
Andreas C.The virus that causes African horsesickness does not affect any indigenous species, but produces high mortality among horses, a species introduced by the Dutch East India Company in 1653. While the insect-borne disease did not occur in the immediate vicinity of the Cape Peninsula, horsesickness could have constituted an endemic disease barrier to the horse-based expansion of the colonial sphere into the hinterland, where it was seasonally prevalent. That it did so to only a limited extent is due to a substantial alteration of the ecology of the disease that largely resulted from inadvertent si...
Mohamed E, Van Cleemput J, Şahin B, Van den Broeck W, Boyen F, Nauwynck H.The equine respiratory and reproductive tract microbiomes are complex and subject to constant fluctuations. Among the microbial inhabitants, subsp. (SEZ) is recognized as the dominant bacterium. It is an opportunistic pathogen that may occasionally lead to various types of infections. A key virulence factor of SEZ is the streptolysin S (SLS) toxin, which is responsible for the characteristic β-hemolysis on blood agar and tissue damage. Viruses and bacteria may interact and aggravate lesions and disease. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of an SLS-containing supernatant from SEZ on the...
Nemoto M, Kawanishi N, Kambayashi Y, Bannai H, Yamanaka T, Garvey M, Cullinane A, Yamayoshi S, Kawaoka Y, Tsujimura K.Reverse genetics (RG) technology is useful for quickly updating influenza vaccine strains. A high-yield backbone (i.e., six segments other than hemagglutinin and neuraminidase) derived from A/Puerto Rico/8/1934 (PR8) has been developed to improve the growth of avian and human influenza viruses. However, for equine influenza virus (EIV), an EIV-derived backbone may have better growth properties due to more-natural segment combinations. We compared the growth properties in eggs between the PR8 backbone and an EIV backbone from A/equine/Ibaraki/1/2007, a vaccine strain in Japan. The results showe...
Chatanga E, Ahedor B, Atabek B, Kainga H, Kapalamula T, Razemba T, Nakao R, Nonaka N, Sivakumar T, Yokoyama N.Equine piroplasmosis (EP) is a tick-borne disease caused by Theileria equi, Theileria haneyi, and Babesia caballi in equids, such as horses, donkeys, mules, and zebras. A comprehensive understanding of the epidemiology of T. equi and B. caballi is vital for EP management. The present study surveyed T. equi and B. caballi infections in donkeys and horses in Malawi. Blood samples were collected from 185 equines, including 178 donkeys in Lilongwe (n = 136) and Dedza (n = 42) districts, and seven horses in Lilongwe district. The blood samples were used to measure hematocrit values and prepare ...
Saraiva MMS, Rodrigues HLS, Benevides VP, de Leon CMCG, Santos SCL, Stipp DT, Givisiez PEN, Vieira RFC, Oliveira CJB. () is a major cause of opportunistic infections in humans and animals, leading to severe systemic diseases. The rise of MDR strains associated with animal carriage poses significant health challenges, underscoring the need to investigate animal-derived . Objective: This study examined the genotypic relatedness and phenotypic profiles of antimicrobial resistance in . , previously sampled from nostril swabs of healthy horses from two geographically distant Brazilian states (Northeast and South), separated by over 3700 km. The study also sought to confirm the presence of methicillin-resistant (M...
Puffer BA, Watkins SC, Montelaro RC.We have identified an interaction between the equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV) late assembly domain and the cellular AP-2 clathrin-associated adapter protein complex. A YXXL motif within the EIAV Gag late assembly domain was previously characterized as a sequence critical for release of assembling virions. We now show that this YXXL sequence interacts in vitro with the AP-50 subunit of the AP-2 complex, while the functionally interchangeable late assembly domains carried by the Rous sarcoma virus p2b protein and human immunodeficiency virus type 1 p6 protein, which utilize PPPY and PTAPP ...
Levy R, Forsyth CM, LaPorte SL, Geren IN, Smith LA, Marks JD.Botulinum neurotoxin (BoNT), the most poisonous substance known, causes naturally occurring human disease (botulism) and is one of the top six biothreat agents. Botulism is treated with polyclonal antibodies produced in horses that are associated with a high incidence of systemic reactions. Human monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) are under development as a safer therapy. Identifying neutralizing epitopes on BoNTs is an important step in generating neutralizing mAbs, and has implications for vaccine development. Here, we show that the three domains of BoNT serotype A (BoNT/A) can be displayed on the...
Nedland H, Wollman J, Sreenivasan C, Quast M, Singrey A, Fawcett L, Christopher-Hennings J, Nelson E, Kaushik RS, Wang D, Li F.Influenza D virus (IDV) is a newly described influenza type of the Orthomyxoviridae virus family that was first isolated from diseased swine in 2011 and has subsequently been detected in cattle around the world in 2014. In addition, serological evidence for IDV infection in humans has been recently established. Despite all the progress, the full range of susceptible hosts for this novel virus has yet to be determined, but includes swine, bovine, small ruminants and human. This study was designed to determine if equine is a possible host to this newly emerging influenza virus. Three hundred and...
Marfin AA, Gubler DJ.In 1999, an epidemic of West Nile virus (WNV) encephalitis occurred in New York City (NYC) and 2 surrounding New York counties. Simultaneously, an epizootic among American crows and other bird species occurred in 4 states. Indigenous transmission of WNV had never been documented in the western hemisphere until this epidemic. In 2000, the epizootic expanded to 12 states and the District of Columbia, and the epidemic continued in NYC, 5 New Jersey counties, and 1 Connecticut county. In addition to these outbreaks, several large epidemics of WNV have occurred in other regions of the world where t...
Mahalingam S, Herrero LJ, Playford EG, Spann K, Herring B, Rolph MS, Middleton D, McCall B, Field H, Wang LF.Hendra virus, first identified in 1994 in Queensland, is an emerging zoonotic pathogen gaining importance in Australia because a growing number of infections are reported in horses and people. The virus, a member of the family Paramyxoviridae (genus Henipavirus), is transmitted to horses by pteropid bats (fruit bats or flying foxes), with human infection a result of direct contact with infected horses. Case-fatality rate is high in both horses and people, and so far, more than 60 horses and four people have died from Hendra virus infection in Australia. Human infection is characterised by an a...
Asanovich KM, Bakken JS, Madigan JE, Aguero-Rosenfeld M, Wormser GP, Dumler JS.The agent of human granulocytic ehrlichiosis (HGE), Ehrlichia phagocytophila, and Ehrlichia equi are very similar. HGE is of variable severity. Genetic and antigenic differences among 3 human isolates (Webster, Spooner, and NY-8) and 1 horse isolate (MRK) were evaluated. The 16S rRNA gene sequences were identical in all human isolates. By use of 5 homologous antisera from these 3 humans and 1 horse and an additional 5 antisera in heterologous reactions, the immunodominant antigens of each isolate were noted to differ in molecular size: 43 kDa in the Webster (Wisconsin) isolate, 46 kDa in the S...
Dauphin G, Zientara S.West Nile virus (WNV) is a mosquito-borne flavivirus, native to Africa, Europe, and Western Asia. In many respects, WNV is an outstanding example of a zoonotic pathogen that has leaped geographical barriers and can cause severe disease in human and horse. Before the emergence of WNV in the USA, only few methods of diagnosis were available. Recently, many changes in the fields of WN diagnosis and prevention have happened. This paper will review all these new tools. After a description of the main concerns in WNV and West Nile (WN) disease in humans and animals, this review will present the main...
Hardefeldt LY, Gilkerson JR, Billman-Jacobe H, Stevenson MA, Thursky K, Bailey KE, Browning GF.Antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) programs are yet to be widely implemented in veterinary practice and medical programs are unlikely to be directly applicable to veterinary settings. Objective: To gain an in-depth understanding of the factors that influence effective AMS in veterinary practices in Australia. Methods: A concurrent explanatory mixed methods design was used. The quantitative phase of the study consisted of an online questionnaire to assess veterinarians' attitudes to antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and antimicrobial use in animals, and the extent to which AMS currently is implemente...
Paz S, Malkinson D, Green MS, Tsioni G, Papa A, Danis K, Sirbu A, Ceianu C, Katalin K, Ferenczi E, Zeller H, Semenza JC.In the summer of 2010, Europe experienced outbreaks of West Nile Fever (WNF) in humans, which was preceded by hot spells. The objective of this study was to identify potential drivers of these outbreaks, such as spring and summer temperatures, relative humidity (RH), and precipitation. Methods: Pearson and lag correlations, binary and multinomial logistic regressions were used to assess the relationship between the climatic parameters and these outbreaks. Results: For human morbidity, significant (<0.05) positive correlations were observed between a number of WNF cases and temperature, with...
Turton JF, Baklan H, Siu LK, Kaufmann ME, Pitt TL.A multiplex PCR using targets within the serotype-specific region of the capsular polysaccharide synthesis gene cluster of serotypes K1, K2 and K5 was evaluated using the 77 reference serotype strains of Klebsiella, and a panel of clinical isolates subjected previously to conventional serotyping. The PCR was highly specific for these serotypes, which are those most associated with virulence in humans and horses. PCR confirmed that isolates of the K5 serotype had cross-reacted with antiserum for other serotypes, particularly for K7. K5 isolates received by our laboratory were almost exclusively...
Rizzo C, Napoli C, Venturi G, Pupella S, Lombardini L, Calistri P, Monaco F, Cagarelli R, Angelini P, Bellini R, Tamba M, Piatti A, Russo F, Palù G....In Italy a national Plan for the surveillance of imported and autochthonous human vector-borne diseases (chikungunya, dengue, Zika virus disease and West Nile virus (WNV) disease) that integrates human and veterinary (animals and vectors) surveillance, is issued and revised annually according with the observed epidemiological changes. Here we describe results of the WNV integrated veterinary and human surveillance systems in Italy from 2008 to 2015. A real time data exchange protocol is in place between the surveillance systems to rapidly identify occurrence of human and animal cases and to de...
Alberti A, Zobba R, Chessa B, Addis MF, Sparagano O, Pinna Parpaglia ML, C뻝u T, Pintori G, Pittau M.The presence of Anaplasma phagocytophilum, a tick-transmitted zoonotic pathogen, was investigated in Sardinia using a molecular approach. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that Sardinian strains are genetically distinct from the two lineages previously described in Europe and are closely related to strains isolated in different areas of the United States.
Pérez DR, Damberger FF, Wüthrich K.The NMR structure of the horse (Equus caballus) cellular prion protein at 25 degrees C exhibits the typical PrP(C) [cellular form of prion protein (PrP)] global architecture, but in contrast to most other mammalian PrP(C)s, it contains a well-structured loop connecting the beta2 strand with the alpha2 helix. Comparison with designed variants of the mouse prion protein resulted in the identification of a single amino acid exchange within the loop, D167S, which correlates with the high structural order of this loop in the solution structure at 25 degrees C and is unique to the PrP sequences of e...
Khan I, Wieler LH, Melzer F, Elschner MC, Muhammad G, Ali S, Sprague LD, Neubauer H, Saqib M.Glanders or farcy, caused by Burkholderia mallei, is an infectious and zoonotic disease of solipeds. Horses, donkeys and mules are the only known natural reservoir of B. mallei. Although glanders has been eradicated from most countries, it has regained the status of a re-emerging disease because of the numerous recent outbreaks. Pre-symptomatic or carrier animals are the potential source of infection for the healthy equine population and play a crucial role in the spreading of the infectious agent. Glanders is characterized by ulcerating nodular lesions of the skin and mucous membrane. Genera...
de Waal DT.This review focuses on equine piroplasmosis with specific reference to its distribution, diagnosis and clinical and pathological signs. The more common used drugs are discussed both with reference to treatment and chemosterilization. Areas requiring further research are also briefly mentioned.
Ng T, Hathaway D, Jennings N, Champ D, Chiang YW, Chu HJ.To meet the urgent need of controlling West Nile virus (WNV) infection in the equine population, we have developed a killed WNV vaccine. A dose titration study in horses was first conducted to evaluate serum neutralization antibody responses against WNV in these animals. Horses were vaccinated intramuscularly twice with the test vaccine at low, medium and high dose, three weeks apart. Serum samples were collected periodically and were measured for serum neutralizing antibody using a plaque reduction neutralization test. Significant increases in serum neutralizing antibody were detected in all ...
Takai S.An overview of epidemiology of R. equi infection in foals is presented, emphasizing the importance of the virulence-associated antigens and plasmids as epidemiological markers. The monoclonal antibody-based colony blot test has been developed to identify rapidly and accurately virulent R. equi. Epidemiological studies conducted during the recent 5 years have revealed that: (1) avirulent R. equi are widespread in the feces of horses and their environment on every farm; (2) the feces of horses and the environment of the horse farms having endemic R. equi infections demonstrated heavy contaminati...
Ewers C, Stamm I, Pfeifer Y, Wieler LH, Kopp PA, Schønning K, Prenger-Berninghoff E, Scheufen S, Stolle I, Günther S, Bethe A.To investigate the clinical relevance and molecular epidemiology of extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Klebsiella species in animals. Methods: Antimicrobial susceptibilities and presence of ESBLs were examined among Klebsiella spp. (n = 1519) from clinical samples (>1200 senders from Germany and other European countries) mainly from companion animals and horses from October 2008 to March 2010. Multilocus sequence typing (MLST) and PFGE were performed including human isolates for comparative purposes. Results: The overall ESBL rate was 8% for Klebsiella pneumoniae subsp. pne...
Pacini S, Spinabella S, Trombi L, Fazzi R, Galimberti S, Dini F, Carlucci F, Petrini M.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...
van Aken D, Zevenhoven-Dobbe J, Gorbalenya AE, Snijder EJ.The positive-stranded RNA genome of the arterivirus Equine arteritis virus (order Nidovirales) encodes the partially overlapping replicase polyproteins pp1a (1727 aa) and pp1ab (3175 aa). Previously, three viral proteinases were reported to cleave these large polyproteins into 12 non-structural proteins (nsps). The chymotrypsin-like viral main proteinase residing in nsp4 is responsible for eight of these cleavages. Processing of the C-terminal half of pp1a (the nsp3-8 region) was postulated to occur following either of two alternative proteolytic pathways (the 'major' and 'minor' pathways). He...
Murcia PR, Wood JL, Holmes EC.Equine influenza viruses (EIVs) of the H3N8 and H7N7 subtypes are the causative agents of an important disease of horses. While EIV H7N7 apparently is extinct, H3N8 viruses have circulated for more than 50 years. Like human influenza viruses, EIV H3N8 caused a transcontinental pandemic followed by further outbreaks and epidemics, even in populations with high vaccination coverage. Recently, EIV H3N8 jumped the species barrier to infect dogs. Despite its importance as an agent of infectious disease, the mechanisms that underpin the evolutionary and epidemiological dynamics of EIV are poorly und...
Tell LA.Aspergillosis is relatively uncommon in mammals, but dogs, horses, cows and dolphins are susceptible. On the other hand, aspergillosis is a major cause of mortality in birds. This paper provides an overview of the manifestations of this disease in these animals. Treatment options are still lacking, but the increased incidence of the disease in humans has led to increased study, which may benefit both human and veterinary medicine.
Chermette R, Ferreiro L, Guillot J.Dermatophytoses are one of the most frequent skin diseases of pets and livestock. Contagiousness among animal communities, high cost of treatment, difficulty of control measures, and the public health consequences of animal ringworm explain their great importance. A wide variety of dermatophytes have been isolated from animals, but a few zoophilic species are responsible for the majority of the cases, viz. Microsporum canis, Trichophyton mentagrophytes, Trichophyton equinum and Trichophyton verrucosum, as also the geophilic species Microsporum gypseum. According to the host and the fungal spec...
McNulty SN, Tort JF, Rinaldi G, Fischer K, Rosa BA, Smircich P, Fontenla S, Choi YJ, Tyagi R, Hallsworth-Pepin K, Mann VH, Kammili L, Latham PS....Food borne trematodes (FBTs) are an assemblage of platyhelminth parasites transmitted through the food chain, four of which are recognized as neglected tropical diseases (NTDs). Fascioliasis stands out among the other NTDs due to its broad and significant impact on both human and animal health, as Fasciola sp., are also considered major pathogens of domesticated ruminants. Here we present a reference genome sequence of the common liver fluke, Fasciola hepatica isolated from sheep, complementing previously reported isolate from cattle. A total of 14,642 genes were predicted from the 1.14 GB gen...
Tobaly-Tapiero J, Bittoun P, Neves M, Guillemin MC, Lecellier CH, Puvion-Dutilleul F, Gicquel B, Zientara S, Giron ML, de Thé H, Saïb A.Foamy viruses (FVs) are complex retroviruses which have been isolated from different animal species including nonhuman primates, cattle, and cats. Here, we report the isolation and characterization of a new FV isolated from blood samples of horses. Similar to other FVs, the equine foamy virus (EFV) exhibits a highly characteristic ultrastructure and induces syncytium formation and subsequent cell lysis on a large number of cell lines. Molecular cloning of EFV reveals that the general organization is that of other known FVs, whereas sequence similarity with its bovine FV counterpart is only 40%...
Aguilar PV, Weaver SC, Basler CF.Eastern equine encephalitis virus (EEEV) causes sporadic but often severe cases of human and equine neurological disease in North America. To determine how EEEV may evade innate immune responses, we screened individual EEEV proteins for the ability to rescue the growth of a Newcastle disease virus expressing green fluorescent protein (NDV-GFP) from the antiviral effects of interferon (IFN). Only expression of the EEEV capsid facilitated NDV-GFP replication. Inhibition of the antiviral effects of IFN by the capsid appears to occur through a general inhibition of cellular gene expression. For ex...
Bryant NA, Rash AS, Russell CA, Ross J, Cooke A, Bowman S, MacRae S, Lewis NS, Paillot R, Zanoni R, Meier H, Griffiths LA, Daly JM, Tiwari A....Equine influenza virus (EIV) surveillance is important in the management of equine influenza. It provides data on circulating and newly emerging strains for vaccine strain selection. To this end, antigenic characterisation by haemaggluttination inhibition (HI) assay and phylogenetic analysis was carried out on 28 EIV strains isolated in North America and Europe during 2006 and 2007. In the UK, 20 viruses were isolated from 28 nasopharyngeal swabs that tested positive by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. All except two of the UK viruses were characterised as members of the Florida sublineage w...
Keel MK, Songer JG.Clostridium difficile is a confirmed pathogen in a wide variety of mammals, but the incidence of disease varies greatly in relation to host species, age, environmental density of spores, administration of antibiotics, and possibly, other factors. Lesions vary as well, in severity and distribution within individuals, and in some instances, age groups, of a given species. The cecum and colon are principally affected in most species, but foals and rabbits develop severe jejunal lesions. Explanations for variable susceptibility of species, and age groups within a species, are largely speculative. ...
