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.
Cole DJ, Cohen ND, Snowden K, Smith R.To determine prevalence of and risk factors for fecal shedding of Cryptosporidium parvum oocysts among 3 populations of horses. Methods: Cross-sectional study. Methods: 152 horses participating in the 1996 Texas State 4-H Horse Show, 144 horses examined by the veterinary teaching hospital, and 70 broodmares and their 10- to 21-day-old foals. Methods: Information on signalment and potential risk factors for fecal shedding of oocysts was obtained. Fecal samples were evaluated for oocysts by means of acid-fast (AF) staining, immunofluorescence assay (IFA), and, for selected samples, flow cytometr...
Mumford EL, McCluskey BJ, Traub-Dargatz JL, Schmitt BJ, Salman MD.To determine potential risk factors for vesicular stomatitis (VS) in Colorado livestock in 1995 and evaluate VS virus (VSV) exposure of Colorado livestock in 1996. Methods: Retrospective case-control study of VS risk factors and seroprevalence evaluation. Methods: Premises included 52 that had VS-positive animals and 33 that did not have VS-positive animals during the 1995 epidemic, and 8 in the vicinity of premises that had VS-positive animals during the 1995 epidemic. Methods: Layout and management data for premises were collected during site visits in 1996. Signalment and management data we...
Ward CL, Wood JL, Houghton SB, Mumford JA, Chanter N.Seventy-three bacterial isolates from 65 horses with and without evidence of lower airway disease were identified to assess whether the association with disease was accounted for by a small or large number of species. Just over half (50.5 per cent were Actinobacillus equuli, 17.8 per cent were A suis-like, 11 per cent were Pasteurella pneumotropica, 8.2 per cent were A lignieresii, 6.8 per cent were P haemolytica and 5.5 per cent were P mairii. These results suggest that a range of Actinobacillus and Pasteurella species can be isolated from the lower airways of horses, with many of the isolate...
Meiswinkel R.During the 1996 summer season (January-April) in South Africa an estimated 500 horses died of African horse sickness (AHS); 80% of deaths were due to AHS virus serotypes 2 and 4. Nearly all cases occurred in the northern, north-eastern and central parts of South Africa. This study reports the first attempt to verify the involvement of the biting midge Culicoides imicola in a field outbreak of AHS in southern Africa. In light-trap collections made at 47 sites over 12 weeks, C. imicola comprised 94.2% of 4.78 million Culicoides. Culicoides imicola was the most prevalent of 34 species captured an...
Barnard BJ.Zebra are the only equine species native to South Africa. These animals roamed over much of the country in the 17th century when horses and donkeys were first imported. The first cases of African horse sickness (AHS) then occurred in the horses of hunters who entered zebra territory. AHS continued to occur on a country-wide basis until the beginning of the 20th century, though the number of outbreaks decreased as the populations of zebra collapsed through overhunting. For most of the 20th century almost all free-living zebra have been confined to the north-eastern parts of South Africa which a...
House JA.Three types of African horse sickness (AHS) vaccine, namely adult mouse brain, modified live vaccine and inactivated viral vaccine (IVV) are reviewed. The results of efficacy trials carried out with each vaccine type highlight the advantages of the IVV. Vaccination with African horse sickness virus serotype 4 IVV, given as 2 separate doses, provided full protection against subsequent, homologous challenge. The absence of any detectable viraemia after challenge would also prevent infection of insect vectors. The advantages of establishing international vaccine banks for AHS are discussed.
Rubio C, Cubillo MA, Hooghuis H, Sanchez-Vizcaino JM, Diaz-Laviada M, Plateau E, Zientara S, Crucière C, Hamblin C.The mortality rate in susceptible populations of horses during an epizootic of African horse sickness (AHS) may be in excess of 90%. Rapid and reliable assays are therefore essential for the confirmation of clinical diagnoses and to enable control strategies to be implemented without undue delay. One of the major objectives of a recent European Union funded project was the validation of newly developed diagnostic assays which are rapid, sensitive, highly reproducible and inexpensive, for the detection of African horse sickness virus (AHSV) antigens and antibodies. The Laboratorio de Sanidad y ...
Lord CC, Woolhouse ME, Mellor PS.Factors affecting epidemics of African horse sickness in Spain were studied using a mathematical model. The model examined the likelihood of an epidemic after the introduction of the virus, and the effectiveness of vaccination strategies. Two host species (horses and donkeys) and one vector species (the biting midge Culicoides imicola) were included. A stratified random sampling method (Latin hypercube sampling) was used for sensitivity analysis of the likelihood of an epidemic. Systematic variation of vaccination parameters was used to consider alternative control strategies. In general, when...
Anderson RC, Linder KE, Peregrine AS.Although the original description given by Stefanski (1954) was satisfactory, Anderson & Bemrick (1965), in describing H. deletrix (= Micronema deletrix), claimed Stefanski's description was "inadequate" and the species a "species inquirenda". Thus, infections in horses and humans have been assigned to H. deletrix. We believe the species reported in horses and humans is H. gingivalis and that H. deletrix is its synonym. H. gingivalis is separated herein from forms found free-living. The genital tract in the advanced fourth stage of H. gingivalis is didelphic and amphidelphic and terminal e...
McGorum BC, Ellison J, Cullen RT.The concentrations of total and respirable airborne endotoxin in the breathing zone of a pony in 3 different management systems, on 8 occasions, are reported. Airborne endotoxin concentrations in all 3 systems were lower than those reported for many other agricultural environments. However, total airborne endotoxin concentrations in many of the conventional stables exceeded those which can induce pulmonary inflammation and bronchial hyper-responsiveness in normal human subjects, and exceeded those which can induce bronchoconstriction in humans with pre-existing pulmonary inflammation. Therefor...
Holly EA, Bracci PM, Mueller BA, Preston-Martin S.Nineteen counties from San Francisco and Los Angeles, California and Seattle, Washington were the United States sites for a large population-based case-control study of childhood brain tumors (CBTs), sponsored by the National Cancer Institute. CBT patients who were 1 year and were first on a farm when they were < 6 months of age also had increased risk for CBTs (OR = 3.9, 95% CI = 1.2-13). A somewhat increased risk for CBTs was found for children of mothers who ever had worked on livestock farms compared with mothers who never had worked on a farm (OR = 7.4, 95% CI = 0.86-64, based on five...
Huovinen S, Tunnela E, Huovinen P, Kuijpers AF, Suhonen R.We report fingernail onychomycosis caused by Trichophyton equinum in a farmer who breeds racehorses. In addition to the thumbnail, T. equinum had infected one of the racehorses. Oral terbinafine cured the infection in the farmer.
Horstmann T, Heitkamp HC, Mayer F, Hermann M, Küsswetter HW, Dickhuth H.The objective of this study was to compile knowledge of athletic injuries and complaint patterns related specifically to equestrian acrobatics (e.a.). A 20-page standardized questionnaire was sent to 114 e.a. participants. The mean age of the participants in e.a. groups was 15 +/- 3 years, that of independent participants 21 +/- 3 years. A total of 489 injuries was reported, mainly to muscles and tendons (35%), skin (33%) and joints and ligaments (25%). Bone injuries (6%) and head injuries (2%) were infrequent. Analysis of the localization showed that the head-face-neck region was involved in ...
Chang YF, Novosel V, Dubovi E, Wong SJ, Chu FK, Chang CF, Del Piero F, Shin S, Lein DH.Human blood collected from two patients from Westchester County, New York with human granulocytic ehrlichia (HGE) infection was inoculated into two ponies. Inoculated ponies developed clinical signs similar to a previous report (Madigan et al., 1995). Histopathological changes involved follicular hyperplasia of lymphoid tissues. HGE DNA was detected by PCR in muscle, fascia, peritoneum, and adrenal gland after the ponies produced a high level of antibodies to HGE. We suggest that HGE may reside in poorly vascularized connective tissues, where the antibodies may have some difficulties to penetr...
Feder HM, Nelson RS, Cartter ML, Sadre I.A survey was performed to identify people who were exposed to a rabid pony and determine whether or not they received rabies postexposure prophylaxis (PEP). Sixty-one visitors who came in contact with the rabid pony were identified. These visitors heard about the rabid pony via the news media. Forty-five visitors were exposed during the 2 weeks before the pony died. Thirty-two of these 45 visitors received PEP. Thirty-one visitors had or may have had saliva contact to an open wound or mucosa and all 31 received PEP. Fourteen visitors had no saliva contact to a wound or mucosa and one received ...
Heneine LG, Carvalho AD, Barbosa CF, Arávjo dos Santos MR.The objective of this study was the search for a suitable venom antigen to be used in an in vitro alternative immunoassay, to the standard antivenom neutralization assay using mice. Bothrops jararaca venom was fractionated in DEAE-Sephacel columns and the fractions were tested for a correlation between antibody capture enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) absorbance values and the 'in vivo' antivenom potency. Individual antivenoms from 14 horses and 15 separate FUNED polyspecific Bothrops ampouled antivenoms (final product) were used. Fractions showing the higher correlations were further...
Paterson DL, Murray PK, McCormack JG.Twenty-three horses and three humans in Queensland, Australia, were infected with a novel member of the Paramyxoviridae family of viruses in two geographically distinct outbreaks. Two of the humans died-one died of rapid-onset respiratory illness, and the other died of encephalitis. The third infected human developed an influenza-like illness and made a complete recovery. All infected humans had close contact with sick horses. Since the two outbreaks occurred at sites 1,000 km apart and no known contact between the two groups of humans and horses occurred, extensive testing of animals and bird...
Wilsdorf G, Graf G.Since the early twenties several institutes of the Veterinary College in Berlin were involved in the development of microchemical analyzing methods for doping-alkaloids and clinical studies in doped race horse. This research made it possible to build national acting structures against the abuse of doping in race horses, which soon became a model for similar activities in other countries, for instance Greece, Japan and the United States. Concerning the results of their research, the scientists of the Veterinary College in Berlin have got an enormous part in fighting against doping in race horse...
Dahl E.During a 2-year period all Casualty Department data charts with the diagnosis "animal bite" were reviewed as part of internal quality control. Of 1,051 recorded episodes, 503 (48%) were women and 147 (14%) children under 16 years of age. 951 (90%) wounds were treated without closure. Half of the patients were not given antibiotics on the first visit, whereas one third were given penicillin. Tetanus status had been evaluated on 1,015 (97%) charts. Most bites were caused by dogs (76%), cats (17%), and horses (2%). Children were the victims of 118 (15%) dog bites, eight (4%) cat bites, and ten (5...
Arboviruses include mosquitoborne and tickborne agents that persist in nature in complex cycles involving birds or mammals, including humans. Arboviral infection can cause fever, headache, meningitis, encephalitis, and sometimes death. During 1996-1997, health departments in 19 states reported to CDC 286 confirmed or probable cases (eight fatal) of arboviral encephalitis in humans (132 cases in 1996 and 154 provisionally in 1997). Surveillance programs in 18 states detected enzootic arboviral activity in mosquito or sentinel or wild bird populations, and cases of arboviral disease were recogni...
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...
Moretti A, Boncio L, Pasquali P, Fioretti DP.Ringworm infections in the principal domestic animals are a major public and veterinary health problem. The aetiology, epidemiology and symptomatology of these mycoses are quite heterogeneous and complex. In this context, the AA carried out an epidemiological study to investigate the prevalence of dermatophytes in two different animal species, horses (n = 200) belonging to 10 private stables and cattle (n = 1900) belonging to farms with different breeding purposes and management. With regard to horses the results showed a positive level of 9% and Trichophyton equinum was the major organism iso...
Brightwell G, Brown JM, Coates DM.Rt-PCR probes targeted to different gene sequences of VEE (Venezuelan equine encephalitis) virus strain TC-83 were assessed for their sensitivity, specificity and non-specific cross-reactivity. A generic VEE virus amplimer (VNSP4F2/VNSP4R2), targeted against nsP4 was identified, which was sensitive (detected at least 10 pfu) and robust (worked over a wide range of salt concentrations and annealing temperatures). An E2 amplimer designed against TC-83, (VE2F/VE2R), identified VEE strains TRD (1AB), P676 (1C), 3880 (1D) Everglades (2) vRNA whilst a second E2 primer pair designed against strain 68...
Rawlings P, Snow WF, Boorman J, Denison E, Hamblin C, Mellor PS.Twelve light trap collections made near overnight shelters of horses and donkeys in four villages in the Central River Division of The Gambia captured fourteen species of biting midge of the genus Culicoides. Five species new to The Gambia were identified. This brought the number of recognized species of Culicoides (after a revision of C. schultzei) to twenty-nine in The Gambia. Species known or suspected as vectors of African horse sickness virus (AHSV) and bluetongue virus (BTV) comprised 83% of female captures, 65% of captures being C. imicola or its sibling species, C. miombo. Captures of ...
Short CR, Sams RA, Soma LR, Tobin T.The primary reason for developing the ARCI Uniform Classification of Foreign Substances was to give stewards and other racing regulators guidelines to assist them in understanding the relative performance effects and general offensiveness to the Rules of Racing of various drugs and medications. As such, these guidelines have been very useful in the world of racing regulation--officially or unofficially--because this classification system, for the first time, places a relative number on the inappropriateness of any one of more than 750 agents appearing in forensic samples taken from racing hors...
Düe M.A survey is given about the situation of "doping" of horses. A definition of the term "doping" is delivered which is up to date and considers the matters of animal welfare. Existing regulations will be discussed in view of recent results of research. Different regulations for horses as well as humans in sports will be compared. Also different attempts of solutions for the regulatory body will be presented, which may change the regulatory significance. Finally a preview about actual questions related to doping is given.
White NA, Flynn K.The purpose of the study was to assess the challenges faced by state animal health officials (SAHOs) when managing equine disease outbreaks. Methods: A survey was conducted to assess SAHOs' collaboration with horse owners and practicing veterinarians to provide biosecurity and infection disease control. It was sent to 180 email addresses listed in the Equine Disease Communication Center website database. The responses in each category for each question were tabulated and reported as a percentage. Results: There were 72 survey responses from 45 states. The number of states responding suggested ...
Elzahaby D, Mirra A, Levionnois OL, Spadavecchia C.Inhalational anaesthetic agents are routinely used in veterinary anaesthesia practices, yet their consumption contributes significantly to greenhouse gas emissions and environmental impact. We conducted a 55-day observational study at a veterinary teaching hospital in Switzerland, monitoring isoflurane and sevoflurane consumption across small, equine and farm animal clinics and analysed the resulting environmental impact. Results revealed that in total, 9.36Â L of isoflurane and 1.27Â L of sevoflurane were used to anaesthetise 409 animals across 1,489Â h. Consumption rates varied among species...
Lacante SA, Jiang C, Mustamir AA, Mizuno T, Bi X, Syafruddin D, Tokoro M., a human intestinal protozoan parasite of the diplomonad group, has been overlooked because of its commensal features; therefore, molecular studies on this parasite are limited. To address this gap, we designed a molecular screening protocol using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and DNA sequencing targeting the 18S small subunit ribosomal RNA gene and applied this screening method to the molecular epidemiological analysis of spp. in humans and various livestock. We validated our methodology using stool samples collected from 215 humans and 270 animal hosts (buffaloes, pigs, dogs, goats, hors...
Kim LD, Kreitner K, Scott DM, Seabaugh K, Duncan CG, Magzamen S.Limited research exists on impacts of air pollution on non-human mammals, particularly animal athletes such as Thoroughbred racehorses. Athletes have a greater risk of exposure as heightened exertion and increased airflow carry more pollutants deeper into the respiratory tract. Objective: To provide insights into the impact of ambient air pollution, particularly fine particulate matter (PM), on race speed. Methods: Retrospective observational study. Methods: Data were obtained from The Jockey Club Information Systems, covering 31 407 winning races by Thoroughbred horses in California spannin...
MartÃnez-Sáez L, Pala S, MarÃn-GarcÃa PJ, Llobat L.Toxoplasmosis is one of the most common parasitic zoonoses and represents a significant health risk for humans, especially for immunodeficient patients. The main transmission route is by oral uptake of oocysts and consumption of undercooked meat of infected animals. Different species have been evaluated as possible reservoirs of the parasite, but few studies have been carried out to examine the role of horses in transmission of the disease. Given the proximity of these animals to humans and the widespread consumption of their meat in many countries, including the Mediterranean basin, it is imp...
Eskola K, Aimo-Koivisto E, Heikinheimo A, Mykkänen A, Hautajärvi T, Grönthal T.Extended-spectrum β-lactamase -producing Enterobacterales (ESBL-E) are important zoonotic pathogens that can cause serious clinical infections, also in horses. Preventing the spread of ESBL-E, especially in the equine hospital environment, is key to reducing the number of difficult-to-treat infections. Estimating the local prevalence of ESBL-E in horses is crucial to establish targeted infection control programs at equine hospitals. We conducted a prevalence and risk factor study in equine patients on admission to an equine teaching hospital in Finland through a rectal ESBL-E screening specim...
Tyrnenopoulou P, Tsilipounidaki K, Florou Z, Gkountinoudis CG, Tyropoli K, Starras A, Peleki C, Marneris D, Arseniou N, Lianou DT, Katsarou EI....The objectives of this study were (a) to detect zoonotic gastrointestinal pathogens in faecal samples of horses using the FilmArray GI Panel and (b) to identify variables potentially associated with their presence. Faecal samples collected from 224 horses obtained during a countrywide study in Greece were tested by means of the BioFire FilmArray Gastrointestinal (GI) Panel, which uses multiplex-PCR technology for the detection of 22 pathogens. Gastrointestinal pathogens were detected in the faecal samples obtained from 97 horses (43.3%). Zoonotic pathogens were detected more frequently in samp...
Ali YH, Mohieddeen TAG, Abdellatif MM, Ahmed BM, Saeed IK, Attaalfadeel HM, Ali AA.Rabies is endemic in Sudan with continuing outbreaks occurring annually, the most common animals affected are dogs, followed by goats and equids. This work focused on equid rabies, to elucidate the current situation of the disease through analysis of reports of equid rabies outbreaks in Sudan during 2010-2022 supported by laboratory confirmation of the disease. During the study period, 66 animals were affected during 35 equid rabies outbreaks. The highest incidences were found in Al Gezira (30.3%), followed by Darfur (24.2%) and Kordofan (15.2%). The highest incidence rate was observed during ...
The objective of the present study was to characterize the nutritional composition, fatty acid profile, and IgG concentration of the milk produced by Chilean Corralero horse (CCH) mares from breeding farms located in southern Chile. Forty-five milk samples were collected from three of the biggest breeding farms (coded as A, B and C) specialized in breeding and selection of CCH in Chile (15 mares sampled per farm). Farms differed in days in milk (DIM). A negative association between DIM and ash, milk protein, milk solids, saturated fatty acids (SFA), and gross energy (GE) was found, whereas DIM...
Hepworth-Warren KL, Love K.Bacterial pneumonia is a common disease in adult horses, but there are no guidelines for practitioners regarding risk factors, diagnosis, and management of the disease. The objectives of this study were to describe how a group of equine veterinarians diagnose and treat bacterial pneumonia in adult horses. A 22-question survey was distributed via multiple platforms to equine veterinarians asking questions regarding the frequency with which they identified specific clinical findings and used certain diagnostic modalities, and the approach to antimicrobial and adjunct therapy. Three hundred nine ...
Kordowitzki P.Eastern equine encephalitis virus (EEEV) is a mosquito-transmitted alphavirus that, among humans, can cause a severe and often fatal illness. The zoonotic EEEV enzootic cycle involves a cycle of transmission between and avian hosts, frequently resulting in spillover to dead-end vertebrate hosts such as humans and horses. Interestingly, it has been described that the W132G mutation of the very low-density lipoprotein receptor (VLDLR), the receptor of EEEV, significantly enhanced the VLDLR-mediated cell attachment of EEEV. The patient's metabolism plays a pivotal role in shaping the complex lan...
Nemoto M, Kawanishi N, Kambayashi Y, Bannai H, Yamanaka T, Tsujimura K.Equine influenza virus (EIV) can be transmitted by inhalation of aerosolized droplets, direct contact, and contaminated fomites. However, to our knowledge, there are no reports of the recovery of EIV from the air surrounding infected horses. Here, we evaluated whether EIV can be recovered from the air in the stalls of experimentally infected horses by using an air sampler. Furthermore, we examined whether rapid molecular test kits with reaction times of less than 30 min can detect EIV from air samples for potential field application. Two horses kept in individual stalls were experimentally i...
de Oliveira UV, Varjão JL, de Jesus Deiró AG, Maciel BM, Silva FL, Pinheiro AM, Gondim LFP, Munhoz AD.The aim of this study was to isolate from equids destined for slaughter in a Brazilian slaughterhouse. A total of 354 equids were analyzed, with blood samples collected from all the animals and samples of masseter muscle and brain tissue collected from 319 animals. A serological test was conducted to detect equids with specific antibodies for . Molecular detection of by nested PCR was performed on the tissue samples collected. Tissue samples were tested by murine bioassay in an attempt to isolate either the parasite or the parasite DNA. Real-time PCR was performed on the brain samples from 1...
Marsella R.Antibiotic resistance is a growing concern worldwide and across species. This is especially important in horses with skin infections, as many of them are infected with Staphylococcus aureus, which can also colonize people. An increasing body of literature has documented colonization of horses with methicillin-resistant S aureus (MRSA) and transmission of MRSA between horses and veterinarians and vice versa. Colonization with MRSA does not always result in disease but has a potential impact on other horses, owners, handlers, and especially veterinarians. The WHO has published criteria to determ...
Kuhn KG, Shelton K, Sanchez G, Zamor R, Bohanan K, Nichols M, Morris L, Robert J, Austin A, Dart B, Bolding B, Maytubby P, Vogel J, Stevenson B.West Nile Virus (WNV) is the most widespread and frequently reported mosquito-borne disease in the US, with a high risk of outbreaks. Accurate surveillance of WNV is complicated by many mild or asymptomatic infections, resulting in human cases being under-reported and disease distribution and transmission not being well understood. In this study, we investigated how wastewater surveillance can be used for monitoring WNV in Oklahoma. We analyzed samples collected from wastewater treatment facilities in 16 counties during July 1 to September 31, 2023, for the presence of WNV genetic material and...
Franco JJ, Gonzálvez M, Cano-Terriza D, Barbero-Moyano J, Jose-Cunilleras E, Alguacil E, GarcÃa J, GarcÃa-Bocanegra I.Equine viral arteritis is a notifiable infectious disease with sanitary and economic implications at a global scale. A cross-sectional serosurvey was performed to determine the exposure of equids to the Alphaarterivirus equid [Equine Arteritis Virus (EAV)] in three regions in western Europe. Serum samples from 1425 equids (1196 horses, 104 donkeys, and 125 mules/hinnies) from Catalonia (northeastern Spain), Andalusia (southern Spain) and southeastern United Kingdom (UK) were collected during the period 2011-2023. The overall EAV seroprevalence in EAV-unvaccinated equids was 9.7 % (138/1425; 9...
Tian Y, Su Y, Jiang X, Su L, Zhang B, Lv F.The zoonotic pathogen subspecies (SEZ) frequently colonizes equines harmlessly but can occasionally cause disease or cross species barriers. Currently, growing evidence suggests SEZ can lead to severe clinical manifestations in horses and other animals, posing a threat to human and companion animal health. In this study, we sequenced the complete genome of the SEZ strain HT321, a novel sequence type 420 isolated from a donkey with a respiratory infection in China. Subsequently, we conducted comparative genomics, core genome single nucleotide polymorphisms (cgSNP), phylogenetic analysis multi...
Payette-Stroman A, Ross Y, Ma X, Boutelle C, Holschbach C, Blanton JD, Wallace R.Rabies in livestock in the United States (US) poses a significant public health concern due to the potential for human exposure and economic losses to producers. Understanding the epidemiology of rabies in livestock supports broader One Health goals by enhancing early detection of viral incursions and protecting both animal and human health. This study assessed the epidemiology of rabies in livestock in the US from 2012 to 2021 using surveillance data reported to the National Rabies Surveillance System. A sensitivity analysis was conducted to estimate economic losses, including livestock value...
McGlennon AA, Verheyen KL, Newton JR, van Tonder A, Wilson H, Parkhill J, de Brauwere N, Frosth S, Waller AS.Strangles (Streptococcus equi infection) remains endemic in the UK, with ~300 laboratory diagnoses annually. Sub-clinically infected long-term carriers are considered a key driver of endemicity. Analysing genomes of circulating strains could provide valuable transmission insights of this pathogen. Objective: To determine the population structure and diversity of UK S. equi isolates and to model transmission using epidemiological and whole genome sequencing data. Methods: Retrospective cross-sectional epidemiological and genomic surveillance. Methods: A dated phylogenetic tree derived from 511â...
Firdausy LW, Fikri F, Wicaksono AP, Çalışkan H, Purnama MTE.Equine infectious anemia (EIA) is a lentiviral disease affecting members of the Equidae family, with global distribution and significant implications for animal health and biosecurity. Despite numerous individual reports, a comprehensive synthesis of its global prevalence and risk factors remains lacking. This study aimed to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis to estimate the global prevalence of EIA, identify diagnostic trends, and evaluate factors associated with heterogeneity across studies. Unassigned: A systematic search was conducted in six major databases (PubMed, Scopus, Web ...
Ghielmetti G, Stevens MJA, Schmitt S, Kittl S, Cernela N, Biggel M, Schulthess B, Keller PM, Schrenzel J, Stephan R.Rhodococcus equi is an intracellular bacterial pathogen that can cause infections in various hosts, including humans and animals. Host-associated virulence plasmids have been identified as key contributors to the pathogenicity of R. equi and potentially play a role in determining the host tropism of the bacteria. The investigation of additional clinical and environmental isolates is likely to provide novel insights into the population structure, infection pathways, and drug resistance of this important pathogen. We combined whole-genome sequencing and antimicrobial-susceptibility testing of 37...
Smith R, Perkins E, Pinchbeck G, Ireland J.Poor pain management in horses is a welfare concern. The 'diagnosis' of pain cannot be separated from the broader set of interactions through which it emerges. The interactions that take place during veterinary consultations shape the ways in which, or whether, pain management is discussed. Objective: To understand owners' and veterinarians' decision making in relation to chronic pain and its management. Methods: Qualitative ethnographic study. Methods: Data were collected from four veterinary practices in Great Britain between May 2023 and April 2024. Around 200 h of ethnographic observatio...
Imandar M, Javadi A, Abdollahpour G, Mahale PRS, Qanbari A, Mirzaalimohammadi M, Taherkhani E, Olfatifar M, Nikkhahi F, Eslahi AV, Badri M.Leptospirosis, a global zoonotic disease caused by pathogenic Leptospira spp., poses significant health risks to both animals and humans. This study aimed to assess the seroprevalence of antibodies against Leptospira interrogans serovars in stabled horses in Qazvin province, Northwest Iran. From January 2023 to April 2024, a total of 83 blood samples were collected from asymptomatic horses using the microscopic agglutination test (MAT). Results indicated a seroprevalence of 40.96% (95% CI: 31-52), with notable variations among regions: 38.89% (95% CI: 27-52) in Qazvin, 38.46% (95% CI: 18-64) i...
Pusterla N, Lawton K, Barnum S, Vitomirov A, Anaya S, Naranatt P, Swadia H, Mendonsa E.The objective of this study was to evaluate a point-of-care (POC) PCR assay for the detection of Salmonella spp. in pooled environmental samples collected at an equine veterinary hospital. A total of 945 environmental samples were collected from high-risk areas, including ICU and isolation stalls, high-traffic areas, treatment rooms, and surgical suites. The environmental samples were collected using drag swabs placed in selenite broth and individually incubated at 35 °C for 20 h. Following the incubation period, 1 mL of up to 10 individual environmental samples were pooled together. Each poo...
subsp. (SEZ) is a bacterium that primarily affects horses but can also infect other animals and humans. In 2021-2022, two SEZ outbreaks occurred in Abruzzo, Italy: one in humans linked to unpasteurized cheese (37 cases) and another in donkeys (4 deaths). These events led researchers to investigate SEZ in horses, donkeys, and a mule in the regions of Abruzzo and Molise, focusing on antibiotic resistance and genetic traits. A total of 490 nasal and genital swabs were collected from equids and analyzed for SEZ presence, with 61 positive samples. Isolated strains underwent antimicrobial suscepti...
Oztas T, Akar M, Virkanen J, Beier C, Goericke-Pesch S, Peltoniemi O, Kareskoski M, Björkman S.Heavy metal contamination poses significant environmental and health risks to both humans and animals. This study investigates the concentrations of arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), and lead (Pb) in blood, hair, and semen samples collected from 16 breeding stallions in Western Finland to assess whether concentrations in hair and serum samples represent concentrations in semen. The analysis was conducted using an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) system. Results showed that hair samples exhibited the highest concentrations of heavy metals, particularly Pb and As, while semen show...
Meyer C, Gabriel F, Schrum K, Hollis M, Short M, Gould S.Airbag vests (AV) are increasingly popular in equestrian sports. The efficacy of AV in protecting against serious injury has not been adequately analyzed, nor have product testing standards been established. This study provides an overview of current research to understand AV efficacy and future areas of improvement. A systematic review applying the PRISMA framework, NIH Study Quality Assessment, and CEBM Level of Evidence was conducted. Employing variations of "equestrian sport," "powered two-wheeled vehicle," "thoracic injury," "chest deflection," "airbag vest," and "safety vest," 18 article...
Modrý D, Hainisch EK, Fuehrer HP, Kniha E, Unterköfler MS, Sádlová J, Jahn P, Řeháková K, Sedlák K, Votýpka J.We report 4 cases of equine cutaneous leishmaniasis caused by Leishmania martiniquensis in Czech Republic and Austria, outside the known endemic range of leishmaniases. The parasite should be considered as a potential cause of cutaneous lesions in horses; the risk for zoonotic transmission to immunocompromised humans is anticipated throughout central Europe.
Janshoff S, Plümers R, Ramsauer AS, Cavalleri J, Vollmer T, Todt D, Brown RJP, Steinmann E, Gömer A.The emergence of new pathogens poses a significant threat to global health, exacerbated by climate change, biodiversity loss, and increased globalization. Ticks, as vectors for various pathogens, contribute to the rising incidence of diseases. Surveillance programs are crucial for identifying and controlling emerging pathogens. This study focuses on the Alongshan virus (ALSV), a segmented flavi-like virus first identified in humans in China in 2017. Despite its ability to infect a wide range of mammals, the natural hosts and transmission pathways of ALSV remain poorly understood. Therefore, we...
