Prevalence in horses refers to the proportion of a specific population affected by a particular disease or condition at a given time. Understanding prevalence is essential for assessing the health status of equine populations and for guiding disease management strategies. It involves the collection and analysis of data to determine how widespread a condition is within different groups of horses, considering factors such as age, breed, and geographic location. Prevalence studies can provide insights into disease patterns, risk factors, and the effectiveness of control measures. This page compiles peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the prevalence of various diseases and conditions in horses, highlighting methodological approaches, findings, and implications for equine health management.
Spoormakers TJP, Veraa S, Graat EAM, van Weeren PR, Brommer H.Data on equine lumbar pathology hardly exist in breeds other than Thoroughbreds. Objective: To describe pathological changes of the osseous lumbar vertebral column in Warmblood horses, Shetland ponies and Konik horses. Methods: Descriptive post-mortem study. Methods: The lumbar vertebral columns of 34 Warmblood horses, 28 Shetland ponies, and 18 Konik horses were examined by computed tomography (CT). Osteoarthritis (OA) of articular processes (APJs), OA of intertransverse joints (ITJs), intervertebral disc (IVD) mineralisation, impingement of spinous (SPs) and transverse (TPs) processes and sp...
Kaps M, Wenderoth J, Aurich J, Aurich C.Equine viral arteritis (EVA) can induce a persistent carrier state in stallions which then shed the virus via semen. About 30 years ago, obligatory EVA testing of stallions used for artificial insemination (AI) was implemented in the European Union. Information on the efficacy of these regulations on the prevalence of EVA in stallions are not yet available. Therefore, we retrospectively analyzed results of serological and virus antigen testing for EVA in sires of different age and breed referred to Vetmeduni Vienna for semen preservation or veterinary diagnostic procedures between 2001 and 202...
Herman M, Caceres AM, Albuquerque ALH, Leite RO, Araújo CET, Delfiol DJZ, Curi RA, Borges AS, Oliveira-Filho JP.In Brazil, the production of mules with a comfortable gait primarily involves the breeding of marching saddle mules. This is achieved by crossing gaited Pêga donkeys with horses from the Mangalarga Marchador and Campolina breeds. The :g.22999655C>A SNP is implicated in regulating gait phenotypes observed in various horse breeds, including the batida (CC) and picada (CA) gaits found in these horse breeds. We aimed to determine if genotypes influenced gait type in 159 mules and 203 donkeys genotyped for the SNP by PCR-RFLP analysis. About 47% of mules had the CC-genotype, while 53% had the ...
White SJ, Couetil L, Richard EA, Marti E, Wilson PB.Severe asthma (SA) in horses, resembling human asthma, is a prevalent, debilitating allergic respiratory condition marked by elevated allergen-specific immunoglobulin E (IgE) against environmental proteins; however, research exploring the exposome's influence on IgE profiles is currently limited but holds paramount significance for diagnostic and therapeutic developments. Methods: Thirty-five sports horses were analyzed, consisting of environmentally matched samples from France (5 SA; 6 control), the United States (6 SA; 6 control), and Canada (6 SEA; 6 control). Methods: This intentional cros...
Scilimati N, Beccati F, Pepe M, Angeli G, Dall'Aglio C, Di Meo A.Transrectal ultrasonography is the best technique for evaluating the ventral aspect of the lumbosacral and sacroiliac regions yet this diagnostic technique does not always lead to a final diagnosis of back pain in horses. Objective: To describe anatomical variations and acquired pathological bony changes (APBCs) in the lumbosacral and sacroiliac regions detected by ultrasonography (US) and computed tomography (CT) examinations on specimens. We hypothesised that age, body mass, previous use and anatomical variations may be correlated with the presence and/or severity of APBCs. Methods: Descript...
Abbas G, Ghafar A, Beasley A, Stevenson MA, Bauquier J, Koehler AV, Wilkes EJA, McConnell E, El-Hage C, Carrigan P, Cudmore L, Hurley J, Gauci CG....This study reports the spatial and temporal distribution of ascarid and strongylid nematodes in Thoroughbred horses by age category across different climatic zones in Australia over an 18-month period. Faecal samples (n = 2046) from individual horses were analysed using the modified McMaster technique for faecal egg counts (FECs). Strongylids were identified using PCR-directed next-generation sequencing of the second internal transcribed spacer (ITS-2) of the nuclear ribosomal DNA. Yearlings had the highest prevalence (82%) of strongyle eggs followed by weanlings (79%), foals (58%), wet mares ...
Leleu C, Couroucé A.Equine squamous gastric disease (ESGD), as part of the equine gastric ulcer syndrome (EGUS), are common in racing horses. The use of buffering feed supplements to treat and/or prevent gastric ulcers is an option to control this condition. Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of a 30-day supplementation with a blend of magnesium oxide (MgO) on ESGD scores in trotters under training. Methods: Forty-two young trotters were submitted to a gastroscopic evaluation to assess their ESGD score and were randomly assigned in a group supplemented with MgO or in a control group. ...
Tinsley T, Fogle C, Means E, Robertston J.Dental disease is a common condition affecting horses. Its prevalence and characteristics among most of the common breeds of horses and donkeys have been investigated and described in the literature, but information about the prevalence and etiology of dental disease of miniature horses is sparse. Unassigned: To determine the prevalence and characteristics of dental disease of miniature horses, we performed oral and dental radiographic examinations on 100 miniature horses. The findings of these examinations were analyzed to determine the prevalence of dental disease and its correlation to age,...
Abbas G, Ghafar A, McConnell E, Beasley A, Bauquier J, Wilkes EJA, El-Hage C, Carrigan P, Cudmore L, Hurley J, Gauci CG, Beveridge I, Ling E....This study quantified the extent of anthelmintic resistance (AR) in ascarid and strongylid nematodes against commonly used anthelmintics in Australian Thoroughbred horses. Faecal egg count reduction tests (FECRTs, n = 86) and egg reappearance period (ERP) tests were conducted on 22 farms across Australia. Faecal egg counts (FECs) were determined using the modified McMaster technique, and percent faecal egg count reduction (%FECR) was calculated using the Bayesian hierarchical model and hybrid Frequentist/Bayesian analysis method. The results were interpreted using old (published in 1992) and...
Jager MC, Choi E, Tomlinson JE, Van de Walle G.Equine parvovirus-hepatitis (EqPV-H) is the causative agent of Theiler's disease, or severe acute hepatic necrosis, in horses. However, it is poorly understood whether EqPV-H is associated with other histologic findings in horses with clinical liver disease. The objective of this study was to examine the prevalence and severity of EqPV-H infections in diagnostic liver samples. Archived formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) liver samples (n = 98) from Cornell University and University of California, Davis, collected between 2007 and 2022 were evaluated for 15 individual histologic features a...
Connolly K, Ekholm Fry N.An increasing number of universities and colleges in the United States are offering coursework on adaptive/therapeutic riding and the incorporation of horses in human service areas such as psychotherapy, education, occupational therapy, physical therapy, and speech-language pathology. The first study to identify coursework in these areas was published in 2018. In order to track development over time, we conducted a replication study to determine the prevalence of coursework on horses in human services at higher education institutions. Information gathered for the 2021-2022 academic year includ...
Martineau M, Kokabi E, Taiebi A, Lefebvre S, Pradier S, Jaÿ M, Tardy F, Leon A.Mycoplasmas are pathogens involved in respiratory disorders of various animal hosts. In horses, Mycoplasma (M.) equirhinis is the species most frequently detected in clinical respiratory specimens, with a prevalence of 12-16%, but its clinical implication in equine respiratory disorders remains unclear. Here we screened 1948 clinical specimens for the presence of M. equirhinis. The samples were both tracheal washes (TW) and bronchoalveolar lavages (BAL) collected by veterinarians in France in day-to-day work between 2020 and 2022. The samples were associated with a standardized form that serve...
Al-Ansari AS, Golding E, Walshe N, Mooney CT, Duggan V.Equine obesity combined with insulin dysregulation (ID) is a major risk factor associated with laminitis. Some pony breeds appear to be at increased risk. However, little is known regarding the prevalence of obesity or hyperinsulinaemia as evidence of ID in Irish ponies. Objective: To investigate the prevalence of obesity and associated endocrine/metabolic disease conditions in Connemara ponies and to determine if hyperinsulinaemia in these ponies could be predicted by morphometric or metabolic markers. Methods: Cross-sectional study. Methods: The study population included registered Connemara...
Alshammari A, Gattan HS, Marzok M, Selim A.Neospora infections in equine are associated with reproductive disorders and neurological diseases. Nevertheless, Egypt has no epidemiological information on this parasite in equine. This study determined the prevalence of Neospora spp. infection in 325 equines from three Egyptian governorates located at Northern Egypt using cELISA. The prevalence of antibodies against Neospora spp. was 19% (95% CI: 14.09-25.05) in horse, 34.1% (95%CI: 24.92-44.69) in donkey and 26.7% (95% CI: 15.97-41.04) in mule. In comparison to horse, donkey had a considerably higher chance of contracting Neospora spp. in...
Luthersson N, Þorgrímsdóttir ÚÝ, Harris PA, Parkin T, Hopster-Iversen C, Bennet ED.A high prevalence of both squamous (ESGD) and glandular (EGGD) ulcers was previously found in, mainly young, Icelandic horses coming into training for the first time. This study evaluated risk factors for gastric ulcers in Icelandic riding horses at various ages and stages of training. The horses (n = 211) were gastroscoped from 21 equine establishments across Iceland. A variety of morphometric, clinical, behavioural and management factors were evaluated as potential risk factors for gastroscopically significant (grade ≥ 2/4: found in 27% of horses) or gastroscopically severe (grade 3 or 4/4...
Ripollés-Lobo M, Perdomo-González DI, Azor PJ, Valera M.Abnormalities in hoof shape are usually connected with limb conformation defects. The role of angular hoof deviations is important for longevity in sports competitions and is increasingly recognized as a factor associated with lameness in performance horses. In this paper, we measured the prevalence of four defects related to the angulation of the hoof in the Pura Raza Española horse (PRE): splay-footed forelimb (SFF), pigeon-toed forelimb (PTF), splay-footed rear limb (SFR), and pigeon-toed rear limb (PTR). A total of 51,134 animals were studied, of which only 15.75% did not have any of the ...
Grönthal TSC, Lehto AK, Aarnio SS, Eskola EK, Aimo-Koivisto EM, Karlsson T, Koskinen HI, Barkoff AM, He Q, Lienemann T, Rimhanen-Finne R, Mykkänen A.Corynebacterium diphtheriae and Corynebacterium ulcerans, when producing toxin, are the cause of diphtheria, a potentially life-threatening illness in humans. Horses (Equus ferus caballus) are known to be susceptible to infection that may manifest clinically on rare occasions. In late 2021 and early 2022, specimens from five horses suffering from pastern dermatitis were cultured at the Laboratory of Clinical Microbiology at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, Finland. C. diphtheriae and/or C. ulcerans were recovered from all of these. This study aimed to (1) analyse the...
Zimmermann E, Ros KB, Pfarrer C, Distl O.Malformations of the equine cervicothoracic junction affect the C6 and C7 cervical vertebrae, the T1 thoracic vertebra and in variable extent the first and second sternal ribs. To date, the clinical impact of this malformation, its prevalence and mode of inheritance in equine populations are not yet determined. We examined five skeletons for signs of malformation of the cervicothoracic junction, including three skeletons from widely used Thoroughbred stallions affected with the malformation and two skeletons serving as a comparison. The three affected historical horses were the Thoroughbred st...
Mellish MA, Lucas Z, Lancaster L, Stull JW, Floyd A.To visually evaluate and morphometrically describe a sample of abnormal hooves from Sable Island horses that died between 2007 and 2013. Equine. An opportunistic sample of 356 abnormal hooves from horses inhabiting Sable Island National Park Reserve (Canada) was collected postmortem between 2007 and 2013 from 101 Sable Island horses. These hooves were assessed for abnormalities in conformation through visual and morphometric evaluation. On visual and morphometric evaluation, 100% of horses (101/101) had abnormal hoof conformation when compared to a domestic horse hoof model. Specific abnormali...
Morgan RE, Fiske-Jackson A, Chang YM.Osteoarthritis of the equine thoracolumbar articular process joints (APJs) has been linked to back pain. Changes are commonly diagnosed through nuclear scintigraphy, radiography and ultrasonography (US). Objective: (1) To assess the agreement of APJ grades between US and computed tomography (CT) images; (2) to assess the effect of location on the agreement of APJ grades between US and CT images. It was hypothesised that: (1) Periarticular modelling and modification of the joint space would have the highest and lowest agreement between US and CT images, respectively; (2) Caudal thoracolumbar AP...
Chien RC, Mingqun L, Yan Q, Randolph N, Huang W, Wellman M, Toribio R, Rikihisa Y.The tick-borne obligatory intracellular bacterium Anaplasma phagocytophilum infects humans as well as domesticated and wild animals, causing a febrile disease collectively called granulocytic anaplasmosis. The epidemiology and the host species specificity and zoonotic potential of A. phagocytophilum strains remain unclear. In this study, ankA (encoding ankyrin A) and p44 gene sequences of A. phagocytophilum were determined in clinical specimens from horses in Ohio and compared with those found in A. phagocytophilum strains from various hosts and geographic regions. With increasing numbers of s...
Lim SI, Kim MJ, Kim MJ, Lee SK, Yang HS, Kwon M, Lim EH, Ouh IO, Kim EJ, Hyun BH, Lee YH.Equine influenza virus (EIV) causes acute respiratory disease in horses and belongs to the influenza A virus family , genus . This virus may have severe financial implications for the horse industry owing to its highly contagious nature and rapid transmission. In the Republic of Korea, vaccination against EIV has been practiced with the active involvement of the Korea Racing Authority since 1974. In this study, we monitored the viral RNA for EIV using PCR, as well as the antibody levels against 'A/equine/South Africa/4/03 (H3N8, clade 1)', from 2020 to 2022. EIV was not detected using RT-PCR. ...
Christoffersen M, Nielsen SB, Madvig CB, Agerholm JS.Equine pregnancy failure can occur throughout gestation with etiologies varying by region. In Europe, umbilical cord torsion (UCT) has been reported to account for up to 52% of abortions and stillbirths. Little is known about what causes excessive twisting of the umbilical cord (UC), and up till now, only the length of the UC has been identified as a risk factor for UCT. The aim of the present study was to determine the association of potential maternal and fetal risk factors with UCT and umbilical cord length (UCL). A retrospective cohort study was performed on aborted or prematurely delivere...
Massie SL, Léguillette R.Barrel racing involves sprinting through a cloverleaf pattern in under 20 s. The prevalence of upper airway obstructions (UAO) in barrel racers is unknown, thus a retrospective analysis of 164 client-owned horses referred for overground endoscopy (OGE) between 2014 and 2022 was performed. Referring complaints included respiratory noise, cough, epistaxis, behaviour (owner reported stress/anxiety, refusal to enter arena, excessive head shaking), and/or poor performance. Horses performed a standardized exercise test with low and high-speed components. Videoendoscopic recordings were systematical...
Salem SE, Abd El-Ghany AM, Elsheikh HA, Abdel-Ghany EM, Ras R.Working horses support the livelihoods of smallholder farmers in Egypt. No previous study has investigated the prevalence of cryptosporidiosis in working horses in Egypt. Faecal samples were collected from 607 working horses recruited from thirty-seven villages/areas in two Egyptian governorates and examined for Cryptosporidium spp. infection using the modified Zielh-Neelsen staining technique. Data on signalment, history of recent diarrhoea, and strongyle burden were collected. The prevalence of Cryptosporidium spp. infection was calculated using a bootstrap method and potential risk factors ...
Phetkarl T, Fungwithaya P, Udompornprasith S, Amendt J, Sontigun N. and tabanid flies are of medical and veterinary importance because they play crucial roles in disease transmission as mechanical vectors of various hemopathogens. However, its role as a hemoprotozoan parasite vector in horse farms has not been studied. Therefore, we investigated the occurrence of hemoprotozoan parasites belonging to the genera , , and in and tabanid flies using conventional polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and DNA sequencing. Unassigned: All samples ( and tabanid flies) were collected using an Nzi trap for three consecutive days each month from November 2022 to March 2023. T...
Abbas G, Ghafar A, Bauquier J, Beasley A, Ling E, Gauci CG, El-Hage C, Wilkes EJA, McConnell E, Carrigan P, Cudmore L, Hurley J, Beveridge I....The study presents the results of a cross-sectional survey to describe the epidemiology of ascarid and strongylid nematodes in horses, the impact of diverse climatic conditions on parasite diversity and the levels of faecal egg shedding in different age groups of managed Thoroughbred horses. Individual faecal samples (n = 1377) collected from 62 Thoroughbred farms across four climatic zones in Australia were analysed using the modified McMaster technique for faecal egg counts (FECs) and strongylid nematodes were identified utilising PCR-directed next-generation sequencing (NGS) of the second...
Burcáková L, Königová A, Kuzmina TA, Austin CJ, Matthews JB, Lightbody KL, Peczak NA, Syrota Y, Várady M.A lack of accurate information on the prevalence and distribution of Anoplocephala spp. infections on horse farms has led to insufficient attention to tapeworm control and increasing horse anoplocephaloses in Europe. Our study aimed to examine the occurrence of Anoplocephala spp. infection using coprological, serum- and saliva-based antibody detection methods and to analyze the risk factors associated with tapeworm infection in domestic horses in Slovakia. Fecal, serum, and saliva samples were collected from 427 horses from 31 farms in Slovakia. Additionally, a questionnaire study was conducte...
Carvalho Seabra J, Martinez do Vale M, Spercoski KM, Hess T, Patricio Viviani de Moura P, Dittrich JR.Keeping horses in single stalls can lead to the development of abnormal and stereotypic behaviors (ASB). Opportunities for social interactions and stall architecture can influence behavior. The current study aimed to identify how three different stall architectures influenced time-budget and physiological parameters in horses. Stall types included: (1) 3.2 × 3.7 m with tactile contact between horses (B1); (2) 2.6 × 3.5 m with visual contact between horses and outside view (B2); (3) 2.3 × 3.4 m with visual contact and outside view (B3). Ten horses from B1 and B3, and nine from B2 were ...
Menzies-Gow NJ, Banse HE, Duff A, Hart N, Ireland JL, Knowles EJ, McFarlane D, Rendle D.Pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID) is a prevalent, age-related chronic disorder in equids. Diagnosis of PPID can be challenging because of its broad spectrum of clinical presentations and disparate published diagnostic criteria, and there are limited available treatment options. Objective: To develop evidence-based primary care guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of equine PPID based on the available literature. Methods: Evidence-based clinical guideline using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) framework. Methods: Research questions ...
Shan R, Steel CM, Sykes B.The impact of recommended withholding periods (RWPs) for omeprazole on the recurrence of Equine Gastric Ulcer Syndrome (EGUS) is unknown. The study was designed to compare the effect of two RWPs on EGUS recurrence post-omeprazole treatment and to determine if a nutraceutical supplement would reduce EGUS recurrence when administrated during an RWP. The study was a blinded, randomized clinical trial. Part 1: Horses were allocated to an RWP0 or RWP2 and crossed over after 4-weeks. Horses received oral omeprazole once daily, except during the RWPs at the end of the treatment periods. Part 2: Horse...
Al-Ansari AS, Golding E, Walshe N, Mooney CT, Duggan V.Equine obesity combined with insulin dysregulation (ID) is a major risk factor associated with laminitis. Some pony breeds appear to be at increased risk. However, little is known regarding the prevalence of obesity or hyperinsulinaemia as evidence of ID in Irish ponies. Objective: To investigate the prevalence of obesity and associated endocrine/metabolic disease conditions in Connemara ponies and to determine if hyperinsulinaemia in these ponies could be predicted by morphometric or metabolic markers. Methods: Cross-sectional study. Methods: The study population included registered Connemara...
Scilimati N, Beccati F, Pepe M, Angeli G, Dall'Aglio C, Di Meo A.Transrectal ultrasonography is the best technique for evaluating the ventral aspect of the lumbosacral and sacroiliac regions yet this diagnostic technique does not always lead to a final diagnosis of back pain in horses. Objective: To describe anatomical variations and acquired pathological bony changes (APBCs) in the lumbosacral and sacroiliac regions detected by ultrasonography (US) and computed tomography (CT) examinations on specimens. We hypothesised that age, body mass, previous use and anatomical variations may be correlated with the presence and/or severity of APBCs. Methods: Descript...
Spoormakers TJP, Veraa S, Graat EAM, van Weeren PR, Brommer H.Data on equine lumbar pathology hardly exist in breeds other than Thoroughbreds. Objective: To describe pathological changes of the osseous lumbar vertebral column in Warmblood horses, Shetland ponies and Konik horses. Methods: Descriptive post-mortem study. Methods: The lumbar vertebral columns of 34 Warmblood horses, 28 Shetland ponies, and 18 Konik horses were examined by computed tomography (CT). Osteoarthritis (OA) of articular processes (APJs), OA of intertransverse joints (ITJs), intervertebral disc (IVD) mineralisation, impingement of spinous (SPs) and transverse (TPs) processes and sp...
Köhne M, Hegger A, Tönissen A, Heusinger A, Hader C, Görgens A, Sieme H.Antimicrobial-resistant bacteria pose a serious threat to the wellbeing of animals and humans. In equine reproduction, endometritis caused by facultative microbial pathogens is a condition, which is usually treated with antibiotics. Data from Germany on prevalence of facultative pathogenic microorganisms cultured in samples from the equine uterus and the frequency of multi-drug resistant (MDR) bacteria is lacking. The aim of the study was to provide representative numbers for both. Microbiological culture results (n = 28,887) of endometrial samples submitted to a large veterinary diagnostic ...
Altay K, Erol U, Sahin OF, Ulucesme MC, Aytmirzakizi A, Aktas M.Tick-borne pathogens (TBP) are an important group of organisms that can affect animals and humans all over the world. Equine piroplasmosis (EP), caused by and , is considered one of the most important tick-borne diseases and can cause significant clinical symptoms and mortality in horses. Moreover, EP plays a restrictive role in international horse traditions and transportation. Although these species can cause similar symptoms, there are different 18S rRNA genotypes of (five genotypes) and (three genotypes). Besides piroplasma species, and hemotropic mycoplasmas (HM) are known as other im...
McCue ME, Valberg SJ.To estimate the prevalence of polysaccharide storage myopathy (PSSM) among Quarter Horses in the United States and evaluate possible relationships between muscle glycogen concentration, turnout time, and exercise level. Methods: Cross-sectional study. Methods: 164 overtly healthy Quarter Horses > 2 years old from 5 states. Methods: Horses with a history of exertional rhabdomyolysis or any other muscular disease were excluded. Muscle biopsy specimens were examined histologically for evidence of PSSM and were submitted for determination of muscle glycogen concentration. A diagnosis of PSSM wa...
Attia MM, Khalifa MM, Mahdy OA. larvae are of veterinary and medical importance caused specific equine intestinal myiasis. (Botfly larvae) had a wide geographical distribution. The present study explores the prevalence rate of 3 stage larvae in Egypt from January- December 2017; besides, in vitro trials to control of this larvae and evaluation of this trial using Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) and histopathology of treated larvae. In the present study, the 3 larval stage of was found in clusters in the epithelium of the investigated stomach and infested with prevalence rate 97.2%. The highest collected numbers of lar...
Lemonnier LC, Couroucé A, Cessans M, Petit L, Cardwell JM, Barbazanges P, Toquet M-, Richard EA.Fungal detection in equine airways may be performed on either tracheal wash (TW) or bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) by either cytology or culture. However, method comparisons are sparse. Our objective was to determine the prevalence of fungi in airways of horses according to the sample site and laboratory methodology. Sixty-two adult horses, investigated in the field or referred for respiratory disease, were included. Tracheal wash, and BALF collected separately from both lungs, were collected using a videoendoscope. Fungi were detected in cytologic samples examined by light microscopy, an...
Zimmermann E, Ros KB, Pfarrer C, Distl O.Malformations of the equine cervicothoracic junction affect the C6 and C7 cervical vertebrae, the T1 thoracic vertebra and in variable extent the first and second sternal ribs. To date, the clinical impact of this malformation, its prevalence and mode of inheritance in equine populations are not yet determined. We examined five skeletons for signs of malformation of the cervicothoracic junction, including three skeletons from widely used Thoroughbred stallions affected with the malformation and two skeletons serving as a comparison. The three affected historical horses were the Thoroughbred st...
Ripollés-Lobo M, Perdomo-González DI, Azor PJ, Valera M.Abnormalities in hoof shape are usually connected with limb conformation defects. The role of angular hoof deviations is important for longevity in sports competitions and is increasingly recognized as a factor associated with lameness in performance horses. In this paper, we measured the prevalence of four defects related to the angulation of the hoof in the Pura Raza Española horse (PRE): splay-footed forelimb (SFF), pigeon-toed forelimb (PTF), splay-footed rear limb (SFR), and pigeon-toed rear limb (PTR). A total of 51,134 animals were studied, of which only 15.75% did not have any of the ...
Grazing equids are constantly exposed to three clinically important gastrointestinal parasites (small strongyles/cyathostomins, Anoplocephala spp. and Parascaris spp.). Knowledge of the local seasonal dynamic of these parasitic infections is important for constructing a sustainable parasite control program with a rational number of anthelmintic treatments. However, studies describing these patterns are sparse in France. In this context, a two-year study was carried out to assess i) the seasonal dynamic and variability of strongyle faecal egg counts (FEC) and infective larvae (L3) counts on pas...
Merlin A, Larcher N, Vallé-Casuso JC.This study assessed the anthelmintic resistance in strongylid nematodes against commonly used anthelmintic (AH) drugs in a French galloping racehorse stud farm from March to December 2023. Faecal egg count reduction tests (FECRTs) were conducted in three different groups of Thoroughbred yearlings (a group of 6 males, a group of 13 females and a group of 8 females and 3 males) following the new World Association for the Advancement of Veterinary Parasitology (WAAVP) guidelines. The efficacy of fenbendazole was tested in two groups once during the monitoring period (in March), the efficacy of iv...
Mohammad-Naseri A, Shokrani H, Rahmani-Shahraki A.Piroplasmosis is responsible for anemia, fever, loss of physical activity and even death in equines. In epidemiological studies, accurate diagnostic tests are essential for detecting asymptomatic carriers. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of infection in asymptomatic horses from Lorestan province, western Iran by developing a multiplex PCR. Results: Blood samples were examined by microscopy and multiplex PCR targeting the SSU rRNA gene of Theileria equi and Babesia caballi. Out of the total of 165 horses, 19 (11.51%) and 31 (18.78%) cases were positive for piroplasms by microscop...
Byrne O, Gangotia D, Crowley J, Zintl A, Kiser L, Boxall O, McSweeney D, O'Neill F, Dunne S, Lamb BR, Walshe N, Mulcahy G.Cyathostomins are globally important equine parasites, responsible for both chronic and acute pathogenic effects. The occurrence of mixed infections with numerous cyathostomin species hinders our understanding of parasite epidemiology, host-parasite dynamics, and species pathogenicity. There have been few studies of cyathostomin species occurring in horses in Ireland, where temperate climatic conditions with year-round rainfall provide suitable conditions for infection of grazing animals with bursate nematodes. Here, we amplified and sequenced the ITS-2 region of adult worms harvested at post-...
Wylie CE, Newton JR, Bathe AP, Payne RJ.The electronic patient records of all equine patients of Rossdales Equine Practice between January 1, 2005 and November 1, 2013 were reviewed to determine the number of cases of supporting limb laminitis (SLL) in a large equine practice and referral hospital setting in the UK and to discuss the implications for future epidemiological studies. The clinical notes were searched electronically for a combination of 'laminitis AND (contralateral OR supporting OR overload OR weight bearing)'. The prevalence of SLL within each identified denominator population and the corresponding 95% CI were calcu...
Ribeiro MF, Costa JO, Guimarães AM.The prevalence of Babesia equi in two climatic regions of Minas Gerais state was determined using the indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT) with blood samples obtained from horses in two slaughterhouses. Of 399 samples, 241 (60.4%) showed a positive reaction. Anti-B. equi antibody was detected in every county studied, the prevalence being 59.7% for horses in the area where the temperature rises above 18 degrees C in winter and 61.4% in the area where it remains below 18 degrees C, indicating that climatic variation has no substantial effect on the prevalence of the infection in Brazil. Blo...
Boado A, López-Sanromán FJ.Articular osteochondrosis (OC) is commonly reported in horses but there are no reports of its prevalence in the Spanish Purebred (SP). The objective of this study was to assess the prevalence and characteristics of OC of the tarsocrural, dorsal metacarpo-metatarsophalangeal and femoropatellar joints in the SP in a retrospective study. The data were obtained from the radiographs of 309 SP horses and the prevalence and characteristics of lesions were calculated. Osteochondral lesions at predilected sites were diagnosed in 48.8% of the horses. It was more common to find the presence of fragments ...
Martínez-Sáez L, Dulac Q, Montaner-Angoiti E, Marín-García PJ, Llobat L.Leishmaniosis is a zoonosis caused by spp., an intracellular protozoan parasite. This parasite is transmitted by sandflies, and the disease is endemic in the Mediterranean basin. In recent years, the number of species which could be a reservoir of the parasite is increased. One of the most relevant species is the horse, due to their contact with humans and ability to control the disease, thus being a possible silent reservoir. In this study, we have analyzed the prevalence and factors related to infection in healthy horses in the Mediterranean region. Epidemiological data and serum samples w...
Ramirez M, Duncan C, Schaffer PA, Wobeser B, Magzamen S.Ultraviolet light (UV) is a risk factor for the development of cutaneous neoplasia in many mammalian species. This study evaluated UV exposure as a risk factor of concern for the development of cutaneous neoplasia in equine species due to the significant UV exposure that may accrue over their lifetimes. Neoplastic biopsy specimens from 3272 horses that were submitted over a 10-year period to the Colorado State University Diagnostic Medicine Center and to the University of Saskatchewan Western College of Veterinary Medicine and Prairie Diagnostic Services were evaluated. This retrospective stud...
Carvalho Seabra J, Martinez do Vale M, Spercoski KM, Hess T, Patricio Viviani de Moura P, Dittrich JR.Keeping horses in single stalls can lead to the development of abnormal and stereotypic behaviors (ASB). Opportunities for social interactions and stall architecture can influence behavior. The current study aimed to identify how three different stall architectures influenced time-budget and physiological parameters in horses. Stall types included: (1) 3.2 × 3.7 m with tactile contact between horses (B1); (2) 2.6 × 3.5 m with visual contact between horses and outside view (B2); (3) 2.3 × 3.4 m with visual contact and outside view (B3). Ten horses from B1 and B3, and nine from B2 were ...
Chien RC, Mingqun L, Yan Q, Randolph N, Huang W, Wellman M, Toribio R, Rikihisa Y.The tick-borne obligatory intracellular bacterium Anaplasma phagocytophilum infects humans as well as domesticated and wild animals, causing a febrile disease collectively called granulocytic anaplasmosis. The epidemiology and the host species specificity and zoonotic potential of A. phagocytophilum strains remain unclear. In this study, ankA (encoding ankyrin A) and p44 gene sequences of A. phagocytophilum were determined in clinical specimens from horses in Ohio and compared with those found in A. phagocytophilum strains from various hosts and geographic regions. With increasing numbers of s...
Christoffersen M, Nielsen SB, Madvig CB, Agerholm JS.Equine pregnancy failure can occur throughout gestation with etiologies varying by region. In Europe, umbilical cord torsion (UCT) has been reported to account for up to 52% of abortions and stillbirths. Little is known about what causes excessive twisting of the umbilical cord (UC), and up till now, only the length of the UC has been identified as a risk factor for UCT. The aim of the present study was to determine the association of potential maternal and fetal risk factors with UCT and umbilical cord length (UCL). A retrospective cohort study was performed on aborted or prematurely delivere...
Grönthal TSC, Lehto AK, Aarnio SS, Eskola EK, Aimo-Koivisto EM, Karlsson T, Koskinen HI, Barkoff AM, He Q, Lienemann T, Rimhanen-Finne R, Mykkänen A.Corynebacterium diphtheriae and Corynebacterium ulcerans, when producing toxin, are the cause of diphtheria, a potentially life-threatening illness in humans. Horses (Equus ferus caballus) are known to be susceptible to infection that may manifest clinically on rare occasions. In late 2021 and early 2022, specimens from five horses suffering from pastern dermatitis were cultured at the Laboratory of Clinical Microbiology at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, Finland. C. diphtheriae and/or C. ulcerans were recovered from all of these. This study aimed to (1) analyse the...
Luthersson N, Þorgrímsdóttir ÚÝ, Harris PA, Parkin T, Hopster-Iversen C, Bennet ED.A high prevalence of both squamous (ESGD) and glandular (EGGD) ulcers was previously found in, mainly young, Icelandic horses coming into training for the first time. This study evaluated risk factors for gastric ulcers in Icelandic riding horses at various ages and stages of training. The horses (n = 211) were gastroscoped from 21 equine establishments across Iceland. A variety of morphometric, clinical, behavioural and management factors were evaluated as potential risk factors for gastroscopically significant (grade ≥ 2/4: found in 27% of horses) or gastroscopically severe (grade 3 or 4/4...
Martineau M, Kokabi E, Taiebi A, Lefebvre S, Pradier S, Jaÿ M, Tardy F, Leon A.Mycoplasmas are pathogens involved in respiratory disorders of various animal hosts. In horses, Mycoplasma (M.) equirhinis is the species most frequently detected in clinical respiratory specimens, with a prevalence of 12-16%, but its clinical implication in equine respiratory disorders remains unclear. Here we screened 1948 clinical specimens for the presence of M. equirhinis. The samples were both tracheal washes (TW) and bronchoalveolar lavages (BAL) collected by veterinarians in France in day-to-day work between 2020 and 2022. The samples were associated with a standardized form that serve...
Pusterla N, Lawton K, Barnum S.Adult horses are susceptible to equine coronavirus (ECoV) and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), although, only ECoV has been linked to clinical disease. Little information is available regarding the seroprevalence against ECoV and SARS-CoV-2 in adult healthy horses. The goal of the present study was to determine the seroprevalence against two coronaviruses known to infect horses using convenience samples collected from horses recently imported from Europe to the United States from 2019 to 2023. A total of 385 banked serum samples were tested against ECoV and SARS-Co...
Jager MC, Choi E, Tomlinson JE, Van de Walle G.Equine parvovirus-hepatitis (EqPV-H) is the causative agent of Theiler's disease, or severe acute hepatic necrosis, in horses. However, it is poorly understood whether EqPV-H is associated with other histologic findings in horses with clinical liver disease. The objective of this study was to examine the prevalence and severity of EqPV-H infections in diagnostic liver samples. Archived formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) liver samples (n = 98) from Cornell University and University of California, Davis, collected between 2007 and 2022 were evaluated for 15 individual histologic features a...
Olivo G, Zakia LS, Ribeiro MG, da Cunha MLRS, Riboli DFM, Mello PL, Teixeira NB, de Araújo CET, Oliveira-Filho JP, Borges AS.Staphylococci are well-known opportunistic pathogens associated with suppurative diseases in humans and animals. Antimicrobial resistance is an emergent threat to humans and animals worldwide. This study investigated the prevalence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus spp. (MRS) in hospitalized horses and contacting personnel (veterinarians and staff), and assessed possible interspecies transmission in a teaching veterinary hospital. Nasal swabs from horses (n = 131) and humans (n = 35) were collected. The microorganisms were identified by traditional biochemical tests and genotypic methods...
Shoemaker S, Wang Y, Sellon D, Gold J, Fisher A, Bagshaw J, Leguillette R, Sanz M, Bayly W.Little has been reported regarding the prevalence and severity of exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage (EIPH) in 2-year-old Thoroughbred racehorses. Objective: Evaluate EIPH prevalence and severity and its association with performance, speed index, furosemide administration, race distance, and track surface. Methods: A total of 830 2-year-old Thoroughbreds. Methods: Prospective blinded observational study. Videoendoscopy was performed 30 to 60 minutes postrace at 15 American racetracks. Three blinded observers independently assigned an EIPH grade (0-4) to each video, and prevalence and seve...
