The topic of Public Health and horses encompasses the study of interactions between equine populations and human health systems. It involves examining the transmission of zoonotic diseases, which are diseases that can be transferred between animals and humans, as well as the role of horses in the epidemiology of such diseases. This field also considers the impact of equine-related activities on public health, including injuries and environmental effects. Research in this area often explores preventive measures, management strategies, and policies to mitigate health risks associated with horses. This page compiles peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that investigate the intersection of equine and public health, focusing on disease transmission, risk assessment, and health management strategies.
Kung N, Mackenzie S, Pitt D, Robinson B, Perkins NR.An outbreak of equine influenza (EI) caused by influenza A H3N8 subtype virus occurred in the Australian states of Queensland and New South Wales in August 2007. Infection in the Australian horse population was associated with the introduction of infection by horses from overseas. The first case of EI in Queensland was detected on 25 August 2007 at an equestrian sporting event. Infection subsequently spread locally and to other clusters through horse movements prior to the implementation of an official standstill. There were five main clusters of infected properties during this outbreak and se...
Moloney BJ.This overview of the equine influenza (EI) epidemic as it occurred in two Australian states, New South Wales and Queensland, in 2007 describes the functions and activities of the epidemiology teams that were engaged during the outbreak and also identifies key features of the epidemiology of EI during the outbreak.
Paskin R.The equine influenza outbreak detected in August 2007 in New South Wales and Queensland did not enter Victoria, which was, however, considered at risk because of its sizable border with New South Wales. Accordingly, Victoria implemented a response plan to prevent disease entry and enable early detection of any disease. Horse movement restrictions, surveillance strategies and public awareness formed a large part of this response.
Scott-Orr H.The challenges faced in demonstrating Australia's freedom from equine influenza following the outbreak in 2007-08 and the responding strategy developed by the Proof of Freedom Working Group are presented.
Glanville RJ, Christie B.The equine influenza (EI) outbreak presented many challenges that required high-level coordination and decision making, as well as the development of new approaches for satisfactory and consistent resolution. This paper outlines the elements of the national coordination arrangements, preparatory arrangements in place prior to the outbreak that facilitated national coordination, and some of the issues faced and resolved in the response.
Watson J, Halpin K, Selleck P, Axell A, Bruce K, Hansson E, Hammond J, Daniels P, Jeggo M.Before 2007, equine influenza had never been diagnosed in Australia. On 22 August 2007, infection was confirmed in horses at Eastern Creek Animal Quarantine Station near Sydney. The virus subsequently isolated (A/equine/Sydney/2888-8/2007) was confirmed by sequence analysis of the haemagglutinin (HA) gene as an H3 virus of the variant American Florida lineage that is now referred to as Clade 1. The HA sequence of the virus was identical to that of a virus isolated from a contemporaneous outbreak in Japan and showed high homology to viruses circulating in North America.
Drury M.Participants in the 1- and 2-day Tamworth Dressage Club (TDC) annual dressage championships arrived in Moonbi, New South Wales (NSW) as reports of the equine influenza outbreak surfaced on 25 August 2007. Three horses who had attended a competition in Maitland the weekend before had been showing flu-like symptoms and the next day the site was declared a suspect premise. On 27 August, infection was confirmed and the site was placed in total quarantine. Although most participants had travelled long distances to compete and did not have provisions for them or their horses, the quarantine was not ...
Arthur RJ, Suann CJ.Three biosecurity and relief-and-recovery initiatives adopted by the NSW horse racing industries reduced the economic and social disruption caused by the disease and subsequent movement controls during the 2007 Australian equine influenza (EI) incursion. The first was the creation of biosecure horse training and racing precincts around the Sydney area to permit racing to continue with healthy horses. Infection was excluded for 3-5 weeks and race meetings were conducted safely during this period. The second was a vaccination program of racehorses at these and other precincts to maintain an ongo...
Wong D.The clinical signs of horses diagnosed with equine influenza (EI) at Centennial Parklands Equestrian Centre (CPEC) and the events surrounding their diagnosis are described. This was the site of the first case of EI diagnosed outside of the Eastern Creek Animal Quarantine Station. The clinical data demonstrate the rapid spread of the disease after a sufficient viral load had developed from the initial cases within CPEC.
Hoare R.The equine influenza (EI) outbreak occurred at the worst time of the year as far as the horse industry was concerned. All horse sports and horse breeds had events planned in the spring, including those relating to qualification for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. These were all disrupted and many were cancelled. The social and industry impacts were extensive, and included difficulties related to communication, animal welfare, vaccination, movement restrictions, economics, as well as the psychological stresses experienced by those involved, especially those for whom their primary source of inco...
Frazer JL, Perkins NR, Pitt D.During the 2007 equine influenza (EI) outbreak, infected horses were quarantined at Morgan Park Recreational Grounds (MPRG) near Warwick, Queensland. Some individuals caring for horses were reported to have made return journeys between MPRG and home properties containing other horses during the time there was active infection at MPRG. Objective: A retrospective cohort study to assess the biosecurity and hygiene measures undertaken and their outcomes. Methods: All individuals recorded as being responsible for caring for one or more horses at MPRG, and who were also recorded on entry and exit lo...
Garner MG, Cowled B, East IJ, Moloney BJ, Kung N.To use modelling and epidemiological analyses to assess the effectiveness of control strategies employed during the equine influenza outbreak and determine if early vaccination might have had a beneficial effect. Methods: Transmission of infection was modelled using stochastic, spatial simulation, based on data from 16 regions in New South Wales and Queensland over the first month of the outbreak. Results: The model accurately represented the spread of infection in both space and time and showed that vaccination strategies would have reduced new infections by ∼60% and reduced the size of the...
Happold J, Rubira R.This study included 10 large Thoroughbred horse studs in the upper Hunter Valley of New South Wales and in southeast Queensland, Australia. The aims were to describe the EI epidemic in studs in the Special Restricted Area (Purple Zone) of NSW, to estimate seroprevalence among different groups of horses on these studs and to look for evidence of exposure to EI virus in horses on 'vaccinated' studs in southeast Queensland that were thought to have remained free of infection. As serology results from Queensland suggest that vaccination may have reduced the sensitivity of clinical surveillance to ...
Perkins NR, Webster WR, Wright T, Denney I, Links I.At the time of the initial notification of the occurrence of equine influenza (EI) in Australia in August 2007, vaccination was restricted to horses for which it was an import requirement and only with the approval of the state or territory Chief Veterinary Officer. This paper describes the complexities involved in the selection of a vaccine and its distribution. A combination of ring, predictive and blanket vaccination was implemented during the response. The specific vaccination programs, including its use in buffer zones and for movement of horses, the performance of the vaccine, any advers...
Smyth GB, Dagley K, Tainsh J.We estimate and describe the financial costs of the equine influenza (EI) outbreak in Australia, including the costs of emergency response measures and lost income/assets to businesses, associations and private horse owners. Costs to associations, governments and industry are discussed. We identify a lack of reliable data about the financial costs of the EI outbreak to the non-racing sectors of the horse industry.
Bell IG, Drury-Klein C.To analyse horse event and horse movement registration data collected between September 2007 and December 2008 during the outbreak of equine influenza in New South Wales, Australia. Results: A total of 9356 events were registered, involving 504,382 horses and 242,952 riders. Registered horse movements totalled 224,084, involving 349,327 horses (excluding mobs) travelling 34.4 million km with an average of 154 km per journey. The number of recorded events and movements were low while movement controls were most stringent, then increased from December 2007 as restrictions were eased, to peak in ...
Kirkland PD.During the 2007 equine influenza (EI) outbreak in Australia, diagnostic laboratories and the use of appropriate tests played a pivotal role in the response to the crisis. This role began with the detection of EI virus in New South Wales (NSW) on the evening of 24 August 2007 and culminated in providing the final 'proof of freedom' from EI in March 2008. The tests that were used during the EI response were able to provide results quickly, and with high sensitivity and specificity. This section of the supplement describes the roles and functions of the Australian laboratories; tests used and the...
Dhand NK, Sergeant ES.The aim of this preliminary study was to estimate the proportions of seropositive horses on infected premises (IPs) in order to assess the attack risk of the disease. Logistic regression analyses were conducted to evaluate the differences in attack risks between enterprise sizes and predefined spatial clusters/regions. The average attack risk experienced during the outbreak was 96.88% (median 100%), but it differed according to the size of the enterprise and other geographic and demographic conditions. The highest attack risks were observed in the Dubbo cluster/region and the lowest in the Nar...
Brown L, Townsend W, Waltisbuhl D.The unique challenges that laboratories in Queensland and New South Wales faced during the response to the 2007 equine influenza outbreak and how these were managed are described.
Crispe E, Finlaison DS, Hurt AC, Kirkland PD.During the equine influenza (EI) outbreak, respiratory disease was observed in dogs that were in close proximity to infected horses. Investigations were undertaken to exclude influenza virus infection. Of the 23 dogs that were seropositive in tests using the influenza A/Sydney/2007 virus as the test antigen, 10 showed clinical signs. EI virus appeared to be readily transmitted to dogs that were held in close proximity to infected horses, but there was no evidence of lateral transmission of the virus to other dogs that did not have contact with or were not held in close proximity to horses.
Croft MG, Fraser GC, Gaul WN.A Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) was used to manage the laboratory data and support planning and field activities as part of the response to the equine influenza outbreak in Australia in 2007. The database structure of the LIMS and the system configurations that were made to best handle the laboratory implications of the disease response are discussed. The operational aspects of the LIMS and the related procedures used at the laboratory to process the increased sample throughput are reviewed, as is the interaction of the LIMS with other corporate systems used in the management...
Webster WR.In August 2007 equine influenza (EI) was diagnosed in Australia's horse population following the failure to contain infection in quarantine after the importation of one or more infected horses. The response had many unique features, and addressed financial, social, economic, human and animal health, trade and recovery issues. The outbreak and the associated control measures had a vast impact on individual horse owners, the horse industry and associated sectors in both infected and uninfected states.
Morton JM, Dups JN, Anthony ND, Dwyer JF.The risk of individuals becoming infected during an epidemic of infectious disease can vary as the disease progresses. Monitoring this risk may provide information about the dynamics of transmission. This study describes the epidemic curve for an epidemic of equine influenza (EI) in a closed population of horses predominantly immunologically naïve to EI at a 3-day event at Morgan Park in southern Queensland, Australia. The hazard function suggested that a subset of horses were at reduced risk of becoming infected. This highlights the importance, when modelling infectious disease in population...
Moloney B, Sergeant ES, Taragel C, Buckley P.Equine influenza (EI) was first diagnosed in the Australian horse population on 24 August 2007 at Centennial Park Equestrian Centre (CPEC) in Sydney, New South Wales (NSW), Australia. By then, the virus had already spread to many properties in NSW and southern Queensland. The outbreak in NSW affected approximately 6000 premises populated by approximately 47,000 horses. Analyses undertaken by the epidemiology section, a distinct unit within the planning section of the State Disease Control Headquarters, included the attack risk on affected properties, the level of under-reporting of affected pr...
Mutebi JP, Lubelczyk C, Eisen R, Panella N, Macmillan K, Godsey M, Swope B, Young G, Smith RP, Kantar L, Robinson S, Sears S.Serum from 226 free-ranging white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) was screened for Eastern Equine Encephalitis Virus (EEEV) antibodies using plaque reduction neutralization tests. EEEV antibodies were detected in 7.1% of samples. This is the first time EEEV antibodies have been detected in O. virginianus populations in the state of Maine (ME). The highest percentage of EEEV positive sera was in Somerset County (19%) in central ME, and this is the first time that EEEV activity has been detected in that County. EEEV RNA was not detected in any of the 150 harvested deer brain samples submitt...
Endimiani A, Hujer KM, Hujer AM, Bertschy I, Rossano A, Koch C, Gerber V, Francey T, Bonomo RA, Perreten V.We investigated whether Acinetobacter baumannii isolates of veterinary origin shared common molecular characteristics with those described in humans. Methods: Nineteen A. baumannii isolates collected in pets and horses were analysed. Clonality was studied using repetitive extragenic palindromic PCR (rep-PCR) and multilocus sequence typing (MLST). PCR and DNA sequencing for various β-lactamase, aminoglycoside-modifying enzyme, gyrA and parC, ISAba1 and IS1133, adeR and adeS of the AdeABC efflux pump, carO porin and class 1/2/3 integron genes were performed. Results: Two main clones [A (n =...
Pallister J, Middleton D, Wang LF, Klein R, Haining J, Robinson R, Yamada M, White J, Payne J, Feng YR, Chan YP, Broder CC.The henipaviruses, Hendra virus (HeV) and Nipah virus (NiV), are two deadly zoonotic viruses for which no vaccines or therapeutics have yet been approved for human or livestock use. In 14 outbreaks since 1994 HeV has been responsible for multiple fatalities in horses and humans, with all known human infections resulting from close contact with infected horses. A vaccine that prevents virus shedding in infected horses could interrupt the chain of transmission to humans and therefore prevent HeV disease in both. Here we characterise HeV infection in a ferret model and show that it closely mirror...
Erdman MM, Creekmore LH, Fox PE, Pelzel AM, Porter-Spalding BA, Aalsburg AM, Cox LK, Morningstar-Shaw BR, Crom RL.Contagious equine metritis (CEM) is a highly contagious venereal disease of horses caused by Taylorella equigenitalis. During testing for semen export purposes, a stallion in Kentucky was found to be T. equigenitalis culture positive in December of 2008. This finding triggered an extensive regulatory investigation to search for additional positive horses, determine the extent of the outbreak, identify the potential source of the outbreak, and ultimately return the United States to CEM-free status. The investigation included over 1000 horses located in 48 states. Diagnostic testing found a tota...
White RT, Jelocnik M, Klukowski N, Haque MH, Sarker S.Chlamydia psittaci is a zoonotic pathogen that infects birds, humans, and other mammals. Notably, recent studies suggested the human-to-human transmission of C. psittaci, and this pathogen also causes equine reproductive loss in Australia. Molecular studies in Australia to date have focused on and described clonal sequence type (ST)24 strains infecting horses, wild psittacine, and humans. In contrast, the genetic identity of C. psittaci strains from captive psittacine hosts is scarce. In 2022, C. psittaci was detected in the faeces of a healthy captive blue-fronted parrot (Amazona aestiva). Ge...
Joongpan W, Tongsangiam P, Poochipakorn C, Charoenchanikran P, Chanda M.Horses were provided full-time housing in unfamiliar vector-protected facilities during the African horse sickness (AHS) outbreak in Thailand. This study aimed to investigate the impact of this housing arrangement on the equine stress response. Nine healthy horses were housed in both a traditional barn and a vector-protected barn. Equine behavior and stress response data were collected in association with the housing environment and time of day. The mean behavioral score of horses housed in the vector-protected barn was lower at night than during the day. In addition, the horses' mean heart ra...
Holcomb KE, Stull CL, Kass PH.Nonprofit equine rescue organizations in the United States provide care for relinquished horses and may offer adoption programs. With an estimated 100,000 "unwanted" horses per year and few municipal shelters providing wholesale euthanasia, there is a need to minimize the number of unwanted horses and maximize their successful transition to new caregivers. This study's objectives were to characterize the relinquishing and adoptive owners interacting with nonprofit rescue organizations. Nonprofit organizations (n = 144) in 37 states provided information by survey on 280 horses relinquished betw...
Zhou P, Luo A, Xiao X, Hu X, Shen D, Li J, Wu X, Xian X, Wei C, Fu C, Zhang G, Sun L, Li S.Currently, Canine influenza virus (CIV) H3N2 is continuously circulating in dog populations in China, Korea, and the United States (US). Both influenza SA-α-2,3-Gal and SA-α-2,6-Gal receptors have been observed in the respiratory tracts of both horses and dogs. Hence, the increasing number of CIV H3N2 cases in the world indicates a potential risk for transspecies transmission to horses with dog exposure. Here, a seroepidemiological survey of CIV H3N2 infections in horses was conducted using hemagglutination inhibition (HI), microneutralization (MN) and the chicken embryo neutralization test ...
Hayama Y, Kobayashi S, Nishida T, Nishiguchi A, Tsutsui T.For determining surveillance programs or infectious disease countermeasures, risk evaluation approaches have been recently undertaken in the field of animal health. In the present study, to help establish efficient and effective surveillance and countermeasures for equine infectious diseases, we evaluated the potential risk of equine infectious disease transmission in non-race horses from the viewpoints of horse movements and health management practices by conducting a survey of non-race horse holdings. From the survey, the non-race horse population was classified into the following five secto...
Hwang JM, Seo MJ, Yeh JY.Proliferative enteropathy is a global enteric disease of particular importance in pigs. The causative bacterium, Lawsonia intracellularis, has a wide range of susceptible host species. Recently, L. intracellularis has been recognized as an etiologic agent of an emerging enteric disease in foals called equine proliferative enteropathy (EPE). The presence of L. intracellularis in nonruminant wildlife has raised questions regarding the role of these species in EPE transmission. Results: This study investigated exposure to L. intracellularis in wild rodents and feral cats from eight farms with con...
Burgess BA, Bauknecht K, Slovis NM, Morley PS.Salmonella enterica is an important cause of healthcare-associated infections in veterinary hospitals - with outbreaks of multi-drug resistant (MDR) Salmonella among equine cases resulting in high case fatality rates and substantial financial cost. Objective: Study objectives were to 1) investigate factors associated with shedding of MDR-Salmonella enterica and 2) evaluate the effect shedding may have on health outcomes of previously hospitalised horses and their stablemates. Methods: Retrospective case-control study with prospective cohort study. Methods: Analysis of medical records (N = 37...
Sedlák K, Zelená H, Křivda V, Šatrán P.The West Nile virus (WNV) is an important mosquito-borne flavivirus occurring around the world. Occasionally found in Central Europe, the virus spread massively through whole Hungary between 2008 and 2009. The aim of our study was to determine the recent prevalence of the WNV infection in horses in the Czech Republic. Methods: Overall, 2349 serum samples, collected from healthy unvaccinated adult horses in the Czech Republic between 2011 and 2013, were tested. A commercially available competitive ELISA kit (cELISA) was used for this purpose and positive samples were confirmed by virus neutrali...
Dick L, Yule M, Green J, Young J.Horse riding carries risk of injury which can result in fatality. The majority of published literature describes major trauma centre experience. We aimed to characterise injury patterns following equine trauma at a Scottish district general hospital. Methods: A retrospective review of admissions following equine trauma was undertaken from 2014 to 2019. Mechanism and nature of injuries were noted. Patient management and outcomes were recorded and analysed to determine correlation. Results: Of the 162 patients identified, 121 (74.7 per cent) were female. The commonest mechanism and injury sustai...
Bażanów B, Pawęska JT, Pogorzelska A, Florek M, Frącka A, Gębarowski T, Chwirot W, Stygar D.Huculs () are an old breed of primitive mountain horses, originating from the Carpathian Mountains. To the best of our knowledge, data concerning the epidemiology of viral infections observed within this breed are sparse. The objective of this study was to estimate the serological status of a semi-isolated, unvaccinated Hucul herd, with respect to both common equine viral infections and horse-infecting arboviruses, the presence of which was previously reported in Poland. Twenty horses of the Hucul breed, living in a remote area in Poland, were studied in 2018 from March to May. Using nasal sec...
Dittmann MT, Latif SN, Hefti R, Hartnack S, Hungerbühler V, Weishaupt MA.The use of horses in competitive sports receives increasing criticism from the public, mainly due to the potential for injury. However, it is unclear if orthopedic and other health issues are more common in competition horses than those in leisure horses. The aim of this study was to assess husbandry, use, and orthopedic health in Swiss riding horses and to compare these aspects between horses owned by self-identified competitive riders (CR) and leisure riders (LR) in Switzerland. A total of 237 owners completed an online survey providing information on their athletic ambitions, their horse's ...
Higgins SN, Howden KJ, James CR, Epp T, Lohmann KL.This retrospective study was undertaken to estimate i) the surveillance coverage for equine infectious anemia (EIA) based on owner-requested testing, and ii) the incidence of case detection from this surveillance activity to inform a review of Canada's national disease control strategy. Based on sample submissions by accredited veterinarians to laboratories CFIA-approved for EIA testing between 2009 and 2012, the estimated national surveillance coverage was 14% for all years, and 72 cases of EIA were detected. The annual national incidence of EIA detection ranged from 0.03 to 0.08 cases/1000 h...
Petzinger E.Pyrrolizidine alkaloids belong to a class of phytotoxins which are present in more than 6000 plant species. The disease seneciosis in farm animals represents the severe poisoning by pyrrolizidine alkaloids from plants of the genus Senecio. This form of poisoning has been known since the end of the 19th century in Germany, the USA, Canada and New Zealand, and is mainly caused by Senecio jacobaea and related Senecio spp. in farm animals, including poultry. Animal poisoning by pyrrolizidine alkaloids is of worldwide importance. In Germany poisoning of horses and cattle by Senecio jacobaea, which ...
Wang JL, Zhou DH, Chen J, Liu GX, Pu WB, Liu TY, Qin SY, Yin MY, Zhu XQ.Toxoplasmosis is a worldwide zoonosis caused by Toxoplasma gondii, which can infect warm-blooded animals and humans. The present study was performed to investigate the seroprevalence of T. gondii in horses in Xinjiang, northwestern China. A total of 637 blood samples were collected from seven regions in Changji Hui Autonomous Prefecture, Xinjiang in 2011 and assayed for T. gondiiantibodies using the modified agglutination test (MAT). Risk factors (age, gender, and region) related to seroprevalence were determined by a multivariate logistic regression analysis. A total of 200 horses (31.4%, 95%...
Li Y, Yao J, Chang M, Nikolic D, Yu L, Yager JD, Mesecar AD, van Breemen RB, Bolton JL.Catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) plays an important role in the inactivation of biologically active and toxic catechols. It has been shown that COMT is genetically polymorphic with a wild-type and variant form where a valine has been substituted with a methionine. Several, but not all, epidemiological studies have shown that women, homozygous with the variant form, have an increased risk of developing breast cancer. Previously, we showed that 4-hydroxyequilenin (4-OHEN), a cytotoxic/genotoxic equine catechol estrogen metabolite, is both a substrate of COMT and an irreversible inhibitor of t...
Ward MP.Using reports of clinical West Nile virus (WNV) encephalomyelitis in Texas equids during 2002, the distribution of disease was analyzed using cluster statistics and spatial modeling to develop hypotheses of disease spread during the first year of its detection. Significant (P < 0.05) clusters of cases reported early during the outbreak were identified in east, northcentral, and north Texas, and significant (P < 0.05) clusters late during the outbreak were detected in central, south, and west Texas. Two counties on the south Texas coast first reported disease significantly (P < 0.05) e...
Brasch J, Fölster-Holst R, Christophers E.We report on the first human infection with Trichophyton equinum in Germany, which was transmitted from an infected pony to a 12-year old girl. Trichophyton equinum was identified by its morphology, dependency on nicotinic acid, hair perforation, and enzyme production. A noteworthy new observation was the development of white pleomorphic tufts on the surface of thalli grown on potatoe-dextrose agar. The girl's tinea was non-inflammatory and responded promptly to topical treatment, whereas the pony's strongly inflammatory lesions persisted for months. In supernatants of cultures supplemented wi...
Cano-Terriza D, Franco JJ, Jose-Cunilleras E, Buono F, Almería S, Veneziano V, Alguacil E, García J, Villena I, Dubey JP, Jiménez-Martín D....Toxoplasmosis, caused by the obligate intracellular protozoan Toxoplasma gondii, is a worldwide parasitic zoonosis. A cross-sectional study was carried out to determine the exposure to T. gondii in equids in Europe. Serum samples from 1399 equids (1085 horses, 238 donkeys, and 76 mules/hinnies) bred in four European countries (Italy, Spain, United Kingdom [UK], and Ireland) were collected during the period of 2013-2021. The overall seroprevalence of T. gondii was 18.9% (95% Confidence Interval [CI]: 16.9-21.0) by using the modified agglutination test (MAT) at a cut-off of 1:25. Seropositivity ...
Zhang XX, Ren WX, Hou G, Liu Q, Yu TQ, Zhao Q, Ni HB.Toxoplasmosis is caused by the protozoon Toxoplasma gondii that can infect almost all warm-blooded hosts including horses and humans. Horse meat is one of the most important meat products for human consumption. However, data on seroprevalence of T. gondii in horses intended for human consumption in Northern China is scarce. Thus, a total of 614 serum samples were collected from Jilin Province and Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region (IMAR) between 2015 and 2017, and were detected the seroprevalence for T. gondii by indirect hemagglutination assay test. In the prevalence study, the overall seroprev...
Carmichael RC, Duell JR, Holbrook TC, Herrin BH, Leutenegger CM, O'Connor TP, Little SE.Abstract Tick infestations and infection with tick-borne agents are commonly recognized in horses in North America, but equine infection with true Ehrlichia spp. has not been described. To determine the degree to which horses in the south-central United States are naturally exposed to and infected with tick-borne disease agents, serum samples were collected at random (n=240) or from horses with active tick infestations (n=73) and tested by immunofluorescence antibody assay (IFA) and/or enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for evidence of antibodies reactive to Ehrlichia spp., Anaplasma sp...
Medica P, Giacoppo E, Fazio E, Aveni F, Pellizzotto R, Ferlazzo A.Trekking is a noncompetitive sport, involving maximal skeletal muscle effort. Exercise and transport may involve significant energy expenditure and give rise to substantial stress. Few studies have examined the combined effect of exercise and additional preliminary transport on adrenocortical and haematochemical responses in horses during trekking. Objective: To ascertain whether exercise and additional preliminary transport before trekking would affect the circulating cortisol levels and haematochemical variables of horses during a 2 day trekking event. Methods: Twenty-nine healthy horses wer...
Benvin I, Perko VM, Maljković MM, Habuš J, Štritof Z, Hađina S, Perharić M, Zečević I, Cvetnić M, Turk N.Leptospirosis is re-emerging zoonotic bacterial disease of global importance that affects domestic and wild animals and humans. Due to the public health importance, control of disease in Croatia is being implemented by monitoring the seroprevalence of equine leptospirosis and it is regulated by the law. In the period from 2012 to 2022, a total of 61,724 serum samples from apparently healthy horses were admitted to the Laboratory for leptospires, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine University of Zagreb. Serum samples were tested for Leptospira spp. antibodies using the microscopic agglutination test...
Felici M, Cogger N, Riley CB, Padalino B.There is a lack of information on the number of horses shipped globally by air annually, the purpose of air travel and the routes of their journeys. This pilot study aimed to collect retrospective data on the international movements of horses by air from 2018 to 2021, describe their routes, and identify the possible effects of the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic. Equine transport data was gathered from 7 of 15 international shipping companies (ISCs) and 5 of 8 airlines contacted by email. The seven ISCs performed a median of 10,401 horse movements annually, ranging from a few hundre...
Pollard D, Grewar JD.Over 60% of UK horse riders report having experienced a road-related near-miss or accident. The aim of this study was to describe horse-related road incidents ( = 4107) reported to the British Horse Society (2010-2020) and to identify factors associated with higher odds of collisions with another vehicle and horse fatalities using multivariable logistic regression modelling. Drivers passed the horse too closely in 84.2% of incidents while road rage and speeding were reported in 40.3% and 40.1% of incidents, respectively. Close passing distance alone (odds ratio [OR] 18.3, 95% confidence interv...
Talafha AQ, Abutarbush SM, Rutley DL.This study aimed to determine the seroprevalence and to identify risk factors associated with Neospora spp. infection in horses in Jordan. Management related data were collected from each farm and individual horses. Sera from 227 horses from 5 of 6 climatic regions in Jordan were analyzed for the presence of antibodies to Neospora spp. by ELISA kit. The study was performed during spring of 2010. The association between seropositivity and risk factors was analyzed. A total of 7 (3%) of 227 sera had antibodies for Neospora spp. There was a significant regional difference (P=0.018) between the 5 ...
Robertson E, Abera C, Wood K, Deressa K, Mesfin S, Scantlebury C.Antifungal medications are vital in combatting fungal diseases that affect over a billion people annually. Antifungal medications for people and equids are scarce in Ethiopia, where lack of resources to treat fungal infection, in particular histoplasmosis, is a major health challenge. Histoplasmosis is endemic within the equine population in Ethiopia, where it is estimated that one in five horses are infected. This disease has far reaching impacts on equine welfare and the socio-economic wellbeing of families. The burden of histoplasmosis in people in Ethiopia is currently unknown, representin...
Yamazaki A, Suganuma K, Kayano M, Acosta TJ, Saitoh T, Valinotti MFR, Sanchez AR, Inoue N.Animal trypanosomosis, caused by Trypanozoon trypanosomes (Trypanosoma evansi and T. equiperdum), and Trypanosoma vivax, is endemic to South American countries and has a negative impact on the livestock industry. However, the risk factors for trypanosomosis in Paraguay remain unknown. This study aimed to determine the risk factors for equine trypanosomosis in Paraguay based on a PCR-based molecular survey and individual horse sampling data. In this study, 739 blood samples were collected from horses in 16 departments of Paraguay between August 2019 and November 2020. To elucidate the risk fact...
Velineni S, Desoutter D, Perchec AM, Timoney JF.Streptococcus equi subspecies zooepidemicus (Sz) is a tonsillar and mucosal commensal of healthy horses with the potential to cause opportunistic infections of the distal respiratory tract stressed by virus infection, transportation, training or high temperature. The invasive clone varies from horse to horse with little evidence of lateral transmission in the group. Tonsillar isolates are non-mucoid although primary isolates from opportunist lower respiratory tract infections may initially be mucoid. In this study, a novel stably mucoid Sz (SzNC) from a clonal epizootic of respiratory disease ...
Shmalberg J, Hill RC, Scott KC.Many Chinese herbs and herbal mixtures are fed to domestic animals for their reputed medicinal properties. These herbs could contribute to the intake of essential nutrients and toxic metals, but their composition is mostly unknown. The purpose of this study was to measure major nutrient (crude protein, crude fat, carbohydrate, fibre) and mineral (Ca, P, Mg, K, Na, Fe, Zn, Cu, Mn, Mo, S, Al, Cd, Ni, Pb) concentrations in samples of fourteen combination formulas labelled for veterinary use and commonly administered to horses and dogs. Three single herbs, Bupleurum chinense, Curcuma zedoaria and ...
Maciel JF, Gressler LT, da Silveira BP, Dotto E, Balzan C, Matter LB, Siqueira FM, de Vargas APC.Data about phylogenetic classification of Escherichia coli colonizing calves, lambs and foals are routinely neglected and restricted to outdated methodologies, even in the context of antimicrobial susceptibility (AS) testing. Thus, the aim of this study was to determine the phylogenetic diversity and the AS profile of E. coli colony-forming units (CFUs) from faecal samples of healthy animals. Five CFUs of E. coli were randomly selected from each faecal culture of calves (n = 13), foals (n = 13) and lambs (n = 13), totalizing 195 CFUs phylo-typed by quadruplex PCR. The AS profile of five ...
