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Topic:Polymerase Chain Reaction
Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) is a molecular biology technique used to amplify specific DNA sequences, allowing for detailed genetic analysis in horses. This method enables the detection and quantification of genetic material, facilitating research in areas such as genetic disorders, infectious diseases, and population genetics in equine species. PCR applications in horses include identifying pathogens, verifying parentage, and studying genetic variations. The technique's sensitivity and specificity make it a valuable tool in equine veterinary diagnostics and research. This page compiles peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the applications, methodologies, and advancements of PCR in equine science.
Comparison of different molecular methods for assessment of equine arteritis virus (EAV) infection: a novel one-step MGB real-time RT-PCR assay, PCR-ELISA and classical RT-PCR for detection of highly diverse sequences of Slovenian EAV variants. In the present study, a new one-step real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) strategy with minor-groove-binder (MGB) technology for the detection of EAV from 40 semen samples of Slovenian carrier stallions was tested. A novel MGB probe (EAVMGBpr) and a reverse primer (EAV-R) based on the multiple sequence alignment of 49 different EAV strain sequences of the highly conserved ORF7 (nucleocapsid gene) were designed. The performance of the assay was compared with different molecular detection methods. Three different primer pairs targeting the ORF1b and ORF7 were used, ...
Detection and molecular characterization of Babesia caballi and Theileria equi isolates from endemic areas of Brazil. Blood samples were collected from 487 adult horses, including 83 pregnant mares, at a slaughterhouse located in Araguari, Minas Gerais State, Brazil. For each blood sample, the packed cell volume (PCV) was determined, and Giemsa-stained smears were microscopically examined for the presence of hemoparasites. The plasma was examined by the indirect fluorescent antibody test for detection of antibodies against Babesia caballi and Theileria equi. In addition, DNA was extracted and analyzed by a multiplex real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR), specific for B. caballi and T. equi. Products of PC...
Validation of quantitative polymerase chain reaction assays for measuring cytokine expression in equine macrophages. The study of the equine immune system and inflammatory responses, by measuring cytokine expression, can provide important insight into disease pathogenesis in the horse. A set of quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (QPCR) assays for the equine cytokines IL-1alpha, IL-1beta, IL-6, IL-8 and TNF-alpha were validated using QPCR primers and probes which were generated for the equine IL-1alpha, IL-1beta, IL-6, IL-8, TNF-alpha and 18S genes. Amplification efficiency, intra-assay and inter-assay variation were determined using 10-fold dilutions of plasmid for each gene. Under these condit...
Gag genetic heterogeneity of equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV) in naturally infected horses in Canada. Gag genetic heterogeneity of equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV) variants in naturally infected horses in Canada was studied since very limited information is available on the variability of EIAV Gag sequences in public database. A phylogenetic analysis based on 414nts of Gag gene sequences amplified by a nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) revealed the distinct divergence of these variants compared to other published strains in a corresponding region. Significant predicted amino acid sequence variations were also identified in an immunorelevant region within this fragment which correspon...
Molecular profiling of Lactobacillus, Streptococcus, and Bifidobacterium species in feces of active racehorses. Diversity and compositions of the Lactobacillus, Streptococcus, and Bifidobacterium group in the feces of six healthy, actively racing horses (Thoroughbreds) were analyzed by using PCR-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) and real-time PCR with primer sets specific for each group. PCR-DGGE analysis of the feces showed that Lactobacillus equi, Lactobacillus johnsonii, a phylogenetic relative of Lactobacillus salivarius, a phylogenetic relative of Lactobacillus gastricus, and Weissella confusa were predominant in almost all of the feces tested, and Streptococcus bovis/Streptococcus equ...
Acute in vivo interactions of Helicobacter equorum with its equine host. A novel urease-negative Helicobacter species has been isolated from faecal samples of clinically healthy horses, but no information is available about the main sites of colonisation in the equine gastrointestinal tract nor is the pathogenic potential of this microorganism known. An experimental infection in horses was therefore carried out. Methods: Four horses were infected with H. equorum strain CCUG 52199T and subjected to euthanasia at 10 (n = 2) and 30 days (n = 2) post inoculation. A fifth animal was inoculated with phosphate buffered saline and used as control. Gastrointestinal samples ...
Seasonal relationships between dopamine D1 and D2 receptor and equine FSH receptor mRNA in equine ovarian epithelium. Dopamine (DA) blockade during anestrus or early spring transition can facilitate ovarian recrudescence and advance the timing of the first ovulation of the season. Some laboratories have reported variable results using DA antagonists to stimulate follicular growth during the mid-portion of the anestrual period. Differences in DA antagonist efficacy may be due to the FSH secretory status of the anestrous mare and the presence or absence of functional ovarian FSH receptors. We hypothesize that direct ovarian dopaminergic input can affect follicular growth through regulation of FSH receptor (FSHr...
Prevalence of equine herpesvirus-1 infection among Thoroughbreds residing on a farm on which the virus was endemic. To determine the incidence of equine herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1) infection among Thoroughbreds residing on a farm on which the virus was known to be endemic. Methods: Prospective cohort study. Methods: 10 nonpregnant mares, 8 stallions, 16 weanlings, 11 racehorses, and 30 pregnant mares and their foals born during the 2006 foaling season. Methods: Blood and nasopharygeal swab samples were collected every 3 to 5 weeks for 9 months, and placenta and colostrum samples were collected at foaling. All samples were submitted for testing for EHV-1 DNA with a PCR assay. A type-specific EHV-1 ELISA was used t...
Molecular typing of Sarcocystis neurona: current status and future trends. Sarcocystis neurona is an important protozoal pathogen because it causes the serious neurological disease equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM). The capacity of this organism to cause a wide spectrum of neurological signs in horses and the broad geographic distribution of observed cases in the Americas drive the need for sensitive, reliable and rapid typing methods to characterize strains. Various molecular methods have been developed and used to diagnose EPM due to S. neurona, to identify S. neurona isolates and to determine the heterogeneity and evolutionary relatedness within this specie...
Detection and semi-quantification of Strongylus vulgaris DNA in equine faeces by real-time quantitative PCR. Strongylus vulgaris is an important strongyle nematode with high pathogenic potential infecting horses world-wide. Several decades of intensive anthelmintic use has virtually eliminated clinical disease caused by S. vulgaris, but has also caused high levels of anthelmintic resistance in equine small strongyle (cyathostomin) nematodes. Recommendations aimed at limiting the development of anthelmintic resistance by reducing treatment intensity raises a simultaneous demand for reliable and accurate diagnostic tools for detecting important parasitic pathogens. Presently, the only means available t...
Matrix-encapsulation cell-seeding technique to prevent cell detachment during arthroscopic implantation of matrix-induced autologous chondrocytes. The goal of this study is to evaluate the efficiency of obtaining a large number of viable cells within a construct that will not be detached by high fluid flow during arthroscopic implantation. Methods: Arthroscopic osteochondral biopsy specimens were obtained from the medial femoral trochlea of 8 horses. Chondrocytes were isolated by collagenase digestion and expanded in M199 media until confluency. After 10 to 12 days, cultures were trypsinized and cells resuspended in culture media. Then, 5 x 10(6) cells x mL(-1) were seeded on a culture dish and the same amount in a flask. Once extracellu...
Detection of equine herpesviruses in aborted foetuses by consensus PCR. The major role of EHV-1 in equine abortion is widely reported in the literature but the contribution of EHV-2, EHV-3, EHV-4 or EHV-5 remains less well documented. The objective of this study is to evaluate the contribution of these five different EHVs to equine abortion in a variety of biological tissues using a consensus polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The test was validated for specificity and sensitivity in horses before screening specimens from 407 foetuses, stillbirths and premature foals collected over a 2.5-year interval. Positive results obtained with this assay were compared to other...
[Detection of Babesia caballi (Nuttall, 1910) and Theileria equi (Syn. Babesia equi , Laveran, 1901) by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in show and sport horses in the region of Ankara]. The aim of this study was to compare the diagnosis of Babesia caballi and Theileria equi by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and microscopic examination of blood specimens collected from show and sport horses in the region of Ankara in 2004. The blood specimens were collected from randomly selected 200 show and sport horses in the region of Ankara during the tick season as well as before and after the tick season for PCR testing. At the same time, Giemsa stained peripheral blood smears were examined for the presence of Babesia spp. and also the horses were examined for the presence of ticks...
Genetic modification of chondrocytes with insulin-like growth factor-1 enhances cartilage healing in an equine model. Gene therapy with insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) increases matrix production and enhances chondrocyte proliferation and survival in vitro. The purpose of this study was to determine whether arthroscopically-grafted chondrocytes genetically modified by an adenovirus vector encoding equine IGF-1 (AdIGF-1) would have a beneficial effect on cartilage healing in an equine femoropatellar joint model. A total of 16 horses underwent arthroscopic repair of a single 15 mm cartilage defect in each femoropatellar joint. One joint received 2 x 10(7) AdIGF-1 modified chondrocytes and the contralateral...
Recurrent uveitis in horses: vitreal examinations with ultrastructural detection of leptospires. This study documents the examination of 17 horses (both sexes, 3-18 years old) suffering from spontaneous equine recurrent uveitis (ERU). Vitreal samples obtained by pars plana vitrectomy were examined macroscopically and ultrastructurally, and in most cases also by cultural examination, by microscopic agglutination test (MAT) and by polymerase chain reaction. In 24% (4/17) of the animals, ultrastructural examination by electron microscopy revealed intact leptospiral bacteria in the vitreous. The leptospires were detected freely in the vitreous and also incorporated by a phagocyte. They were s...
Real-time quantitative RT-PCR and PCR assays for a novel European field isolate of equine infectious anaemia virus based on sequence determination of the gag gene. In 2006, an outbreak of equine infectious anaemia (EIA) occurred in Ireland. The initial source of the outbreak is believed to have been contaminated plasma imported from Italy. This paper presents the nucleotide sequence of the gag gene of the virus identified in Ireland (EIAV(Ire)), the first for a European strain of EIAV. Comparison of the gag gene with North American and Asian strains of the virus showed that the gag gene is less well conserved than previously believed, and that EIAV strains can have similar phenotypes despite considerable variations in genotype. On the basis of the deduce...
Genetic relationships of five Indian horse breeds using microsatellite markers. The genetic relationships of five Indian horse breeds, namely Marwari, Spiti, Bhutia, Manipuri and Zanskari were studied using microsatellite markers. The DNA samples of 189 horses of these breeds were amplified by polymerase chain reaction using 25 microsatellite loci. The total number of alleles varied from five to 10 with a mean heterozygosity of 0.58 ± 0.05. Spiti and Zansakari were the most closely related breeds, whereas, Marwari and Manipuri were most distant apart with Nei's DA genetic distance of 0.071 and 0.186, respectively. In a Nei's DA genetic distances based neighbour joining...
Infections caused by pathogenic free-living amebas (Balamuthia mandrillaris and Acanthamoeba sp.) in horses. This article describes amebic infections in 4 horses: granulomatous amebic encephalitis caused by Balamuthia mandrillaris and Acanthamoeba culbertsoni and systemic infections caused by Acanthamoeba sp. The former infection occurred in 1 of 4 horses spontaneously without any underlying conditions; the latter amebic infection was perhaps "opportunistic" considering the visceral involvement by this protozoan in association with Aspergillus sp. and/or Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas sp. The clinicopathologic findings and demonstration of the amebic organisms using immunohistochemical techniques, ...
Investigation of the molecular detection of vaccine-derived equine herpesvirus type 1 in blood and nasal secretions from horses following intramuscular vaccination. The objective of this study was to investigate whether intramuscular vaccination of healthy adult horses with a killed or a modified live equine herpesvirus type 1 (EHV-1) vaccine could induce transient positive PCR results in either blood or secretions collected on a nasopharyngeal swab. Four horses in each group received either a single killed or a modified-live vaccine intramuscularly. Two local commingled and 2 distant nonvaccinated controls were included for each group. All horses were observed daily for evidence of clinical abnormalities throughout the study periods. Blood and nasopharyn...
Potential risk of equine herpes virus 1 (EHV-1) transmission by equine embryo transfer. The objective of this study was to determine whether the 10 wash cycles proposed by the International Embryo Transfer Society (IETS) for bovine embryos efficiently decontaminated equine embryos exposed to equine herpes virus 1 (EHV-1) in vitro. Donor mares and stallions were individually screened and shown to be negative for the virus by PCR detection of EHV-1 DNA in blood leukocytes, semen, and uterine lavages in which embryos were recovered. Twenty embryos were recovered and randomly assigned to one of two groups: 10 embryos were exposed for 24h to infectious EHV-1 at 10(6)TCID(50)/ml, and 1...
Clinical and epidemiological investigation of chronic upper respiratory diseases caused by beta-haemolytic Streptococci in horses. An outbreak of strangle-like disease involving 26 horses farmed in central Italy was investigated by clinic examination, endoscopy, cytology, bacteriology and polymerase chain reaction (PCR). At weekly interval, a total of three nasal swabs and one guttural pouches lavage fluid (GPLF) were collected, and no Streptococcus equi subsp. equi carrier was found. Some horses showed upper airways disease and endoscopic signs of pharyngeal lymphoid hyperplasia of different grade and/or abnormal endoscopic appearance of guttural pouches. Streptococcus dysgalactiae subsp. equisimilis was isolated from 14...
[Detection of rhodococcus equi by microbiological culture and by polymerase chain reaction in samples of tracheobronchial secretions of foals]. The goal of the present study was to investigate whether new PCR-methods would improve diagnostic of R. equi. In a first step, sensitivity and specificity of the PCR-methods in respect to the"gold standard" microbiological culture were determined. Secondly, sensitivity and specificity of both microbiological methods were evaluated in respect to the clinical diagnosis. The tracheobronchial secretions of 48 foals with pulmonary abscesses and of 37 healthy foals were evaluated by bacteriological culture as well as by four PCR-methods: aceA-, ideR-, vapA- and VP-PCR. In respect to the"gold standar...
Lawsonia intracellularis proliferative enteropathy in a foal. A weanling foal was diagnosed with proliferative enteropathy caused by Lawsonia intracellularis based on history, clinical findings of depression, anorexia, weight loss, colic, diarrhea, and ventral edema, and a combination of serology and fecal PCR. An epidemiological investigation on the premises revealed that many of the other foals and adult horses were seropositive for L. intracellularis, despite being clinically normal, and identified a dog as a potential carrier and source of infection for the foal. The foal was successfully treated with a combination of azithromycin and rifampin.
Observed prevalence of tick-borne pathogens in domestic animals in Sicily, Italy during 2003-2005. The objective of this study was to characterize the observed prevalence of tick-borne pathogens (TBP) in domestic animals in Sicily, Italy during 2003-2005. Serological (competitive ELISA and indirect immunofluorescence antibody, n = 3299) and DNA tests (polymerase chain reaction and reverse line blot, n = 2565) were conducted on horse, donkey, cattle, sheep, goat, pig and dog samples. Pathogens analysed included Anaplasma, Ehrlichia, Rickettsia, Babesia and Theileria species, and Coxiella burnetii. The most prevalent TBP were Anaplasma and Babesia species. The results reported herein suggeste...
Sarcoids in captive zebras (Equus burchellii): association with bovine papillomavirus type 1 infection. Sarcoids were diagnosed in two captive zebras from different facilities. Zebra 1 (Equus burchellii boehmi) was a 4.5-yr-old, captive-born male that presented with a 9- by 7-cm inguinal mass. Seven months after surgical excision of the inguinal mass, the zebra presented with a similar lesion in the right upper eyelid that has relapsed repeatedly and has not responded to treatment including local cisplatin injections and cryosurgery. Zebra 2 (of undetermined taxon) was housed at a private wild animal farm. The zebra presented with a single, raised, 2.5- by 2.0- by 2.0-cm, ulcerated mass on the n...
Age-dependent dynamics of Theileria equi and Babesia caballi infections in southwest Mongolia based on IFAT and/or PCR prevalence data from domestic horses and ticks. Epidemiological factors of tick-borne equine piroplasmoses, caused by Theileria equi and Babesia caballi, were investigated using logistic regression (GLM) and general additive models (GAM) based on the prevalences determined in 510 domestic horses and in ticks in S.W. Mongolia by indirect immunofluorescence antibody test (IFAT) and/or multiplex PCR. Prevalences of T. equi and B. caballi in horses were 66.5% (95% CI: 62.1-70.7) and 19.1% (15.6-22.9), respectively by PCR and 78.8% (74.9-82.3) and 65.7% (61.3-69.9) by IFAT. Of 166 ticks analysed from PCR- and IFAT-negative horses 1 was PCR posit...
Detection of viruses in nasal swab samples from horses with acute, febrile, respiratory disease using virus isolation, polymerase chain reaction and serology. To examine the association of viruses with acute febrile respiratory disease in horses. Design Nasal swab and serum samples were collected from 20 horses with acute febrile upper respiratory disease that was clinically assessed to have a viral origin. Methods: Each of the samples was inoculated onto equine fetal kidney, RK13 and Vero cell cultures, and viral nucleic acid was extracted for polymerase chain reaction (PCR) or reverse transcription PCR. PCR primers were designed to amplify nucleic acid from viruses known to cause or be associated with acute febrile respiratory disease in horses in...
Multiplex real-time PCR for the detection and differentiation of equid herpesvirus 1 (EHV-1) and equid herpesvirus 4 (EHV-4). A multiplex real-time PCR was designed to detect and differentiate equid herpesvirus 1 (EHV-1) and equid herpesvirus 4 (EHV-4). The PCR targets the glycoprotein B gene of EHV-1 and EHV-4. Primers and probes were specific to each equine herpesvirus type and can be used in monoplex or multiplex PCRs, allowing the differentiation of these two closely related members of the Alphaherpesvirinae. The two probes were minor-groove binding probes (MGB) labelled with 6-carboxy-fluorescein (FAM) and VIC for detection of EHV-1 and EHV-4, respectively. Ten EHV-1 isolates, six EHV-1 positive clinical samples...
A novel Salmonella genomic island 1 and rare integron types in Salmonella Typhimurium isolates from horses in The Netherlands. To investigate the genotypic resistance of integron-carrying Salmonella Typhimurium isolates from horses and their genetic relationship. Methods: Sixty-one Salmonella isolates were screened for the presence of class 1 integrons by PCR. The gene cassettes of integron-positive isolates were detected by PCR, restriction fragment length polymorphism typing, and sequencing. The potential for the transfer of resistance determinants was investigated by conjugation experiments. The presence of Salmonella genomic island 1 (SGI1) or its variants was studied by PCR and nucleotide sequencing. PFGE was use...
Survey of the large-animal diplomates of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine regarding knowledge and clinical use of polymerase chain reaction: implications for veterinary education. A questionnaire was developed to document the knowledge base of large-animal diplomates of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM) regarding polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technology and to identify the common use of this technology in equine practice. Ninety-three of the 278 mailed questionnaires were returned, for an overall response rate of 33.4%. Ninety respondents (99%) reported being familiar with the general principles of nucleic acid probe technology; however, only 52 (57%) knew the difference between conventional (traditional) and real-time (second-generation) PC...
