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.
Simonato G, Danesi P, Frangipane di Regalbono A, Dotto G, Tessarin C, Pietrobelli M, Pasotto D.Animal-assisted interventions (AAIs) are based on the establishment of a therapeutic relationship between animals and beneficiaries that is certain to provide positive effects, while currently, it reads as if AAIs aim at exposing stakeholders to potential risk of infection. The surveillance of zoonotic pathogens is necessary for guaranteeing common health. This study investigated the presence of potentially zoonotic parasites, including dermatophytes, in animals involved in AAIs. Between 2015 and 2017, 190 animals (equids, dogs, cats, birds, rabbits, rodents, and goats) were investigated. Anam...
Morel AP, Webster A, Zitelli LC, Umeno K, Souza UA, Prusch F, Anicet M, Marsicano G, Bandarra P, Trainini G, Stocker J, Giani D, Fortes FB, Goenaga S....West Nile virus (WNV) is a mosquito-borne Flavivirus that can affect birds, horses, and humans, and is the only zoonotic Flavivirus that has been identified in six continents. In Brazil, until 2010, there was no evidence of WNV circulation. Recently, the virus was isolated from a horse with encephalitis, and the first human cases were registered in Brazil. Despite that, there is still no information on the enzootic cycle of this virus in birds or wildlife. This study aimed to investigate whether there is evidence of WNV circulation among wild birds from Southern Brazil. For this, we used free-...
Kinoshita Y, Niwa H, Uchida-Fujii E, Nukada T.The incidence of equine proliferative enteropathy, caused by Lawsonia intracellularis, is increasing around the world. To investigate the relationships of variable-number tandem repeat (VNTR) patterns with host species and clinical status in horses, multilocus VNTR analysis (MLVA) was applied to 98 L. intracellularis samples collected from horses, seven from pigs, seven from wildlife, one vaccine strain, and 17 public strains. The VNTR patterns were highly diverse: a total of 130 samples identified 99 distinct patterns, and the 98 horses were classified into 71 different patterns. A phylogen...
Schvartz G, Farnoushi Y, Berkowitz A, Edery N, Hahn S, Steinman A, Lublin A, Erster O.In this report we describe the molecular and pathological characteristics of West Nile virus (WNV) infection that occurred during the summer and fall of 2018 in avian species and equines. WNV is reported in Israel since the 1950s, with occasional outbreaks leading to significant morbidity and mortality in birds, high infection in horses and humans, and sporadic fatalities in humans. Methods: Animal and avian carcasses in a suitable condition were examined by post-mortem analysis. Tissue samples were examined for WNV by RT-qPCR and the viral load was quantified. Samples with sufficient material...
Gazzonis AL, Bertero F, Moretta I, Morganti G, Mortarino M, Villa L, Zanzani SA, Morandi B, Rinnovati R, Vitale F, Manfredi MT, Cardoso L, Veronesi F.Leishmania infantum is a vector-borne pathogen endemic in countries in the Mediterranean basin, including Italy. Dogs act as the primary reservoir for this parasite, but other animal species may also be infected. Low-to-moderate seroprevalence levels of infection have been reported in apparent healthy equine populations in southern Europe, reinforcing the importance of exploring those species, including horses, that act as a food source for vectors and may thus participate in the epizoological scenario of canine leishmaniosis (CanL) and zoonotic visceral leishmaniosis (ZVL). Since little is kn...
This study was conducted to assess the presence of West Nile virus (WNV) in Kosovo by serological testing of apparently healthy local horses and free-range chicken, and it attempted to detect viral nucleic acid in birds and mosquitoes. Between January 2018 and June 2019, 260 equine serum samples were collected, additionally 580 adult mosquitoes (53 pools) were grouped in for genera, including spp. (226 individuals; 26 pools), spp. (136 individuals; 16 pools), spp. (184 individuals; 7 pools), and spp. (34 individuals; 4 pools). Fifty domestic birds and 51 wild birds were collected from diff...
Bermúdez C S, Zaldívar Y, Domínguez A L, Hernández M, de Antinori MEB, Krawczak FS.Rickettsia amblyommatis is widely distributed in the Americas, and has been reported to infect different species of ticks within its distribution. In Panama, R. amblyommatis is the most common Rickettsia and its presence was molecularly detected in nine species of ticks and one flea species. This work described the isolation of R. amblyommatis in Vero cells by shell vial technique, from Amblyomma mixtum ticks collected from a captive tapir from Gamboa (Colon province), and a horse from El Valle de Antón (Cocle province). These represent the first isolations of R. amblyommatis in Panama.
Fuehrer HP, Alho AM, Kayikci FN, Shahi Barogh B, Rosa H, Tomás J, Rocha H, Harl J, Madeira de Carvalho L.Vector-borne diseases of zoonotic and/or veterinary relevance have been increasingly reported in horses globally, although data regarding working and military horses is lacking. Portuguese military horses may constitute a risk group for these pathogens, as they frequently work outdoors in various regions of the country. This study included 101 apparently healthy horses belonging to the Portuguese National Republican Guard. Blood samples were analyzed to determine the presence and prevalence of piroplasms, Anaplasmataceae, Rickettsia spp., and filarioid helminths. Overall 32.7% of the horses ga...
Metz MBC, Olufemi OT, Daly JM, Barba M.There is some evidence that West Nile virus (WNV), which causes encephalomyelitis in equids, is an emerging disease in Europe. The aim of this study was to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis to analyse seroprevalence studies of WNV in equids in European countries between 2001 and 2018. Two electronic databases, PubMed and Scopus, were searched for relevant publications published from 2001 to 2018 using predetermined keywords. A total of 1,484 papers were initially found. After applying the eligibility criteria, 39 papers were finally included in the systematic review. Analysis of 28...
Cohen ND, Cywes-Bentley C, Kahn SM, Bordin AI, Bray JM, Wehmeyer SG, Pier GB.Strangles is a common disease of horses with worldwide distribution caused by the bacterium Streptococcus equi subspecies equi (SEE). Although vaccines against strangles are available commercially, these products have limitations in safety and efficacy. The microbial surface antigen β 1→6 poly-N-acetylglucosamine (PNAG) is expressed by SEE. Here we show that intramuscular (IM) injection alone or a combination of IM plus intranasal (IN) immunization generated antibodies to PNAG that functioned to deposit complement and mediate opsonophagocytic killing of SEE ex vivo. However, immunization st...
Williams JM, Randle H, Marlin D.COVID-19 was declared a global pandemic on 11 March 2020; the United Kingdom (UK) implemented quarantine measures shortly afterward, resulting in rapid changes in how owners managed and interacted with their horses. This study provides a rapid analysis of the initial impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on the management of UK leisure and competition horses. A 17 question online survey was distributed via equestrian social media sites to ascertain the impact of COVID-19 on horse and yard management and on human-horse interactions. Frequency analysis combined with Chi-squared and thematic analyses i...
Hovey MR, Davis A, Chen S, Godwin P, Porr CAS.Stress can impact the health and well-being of animals negatively. Behavioral and physiological changes, particularly serum cortisol, offer objective and easy-to-use methods of evaluating stress in horses. However, limited studies support a positive relationship between changes in stress-related serum cortisol concentrations and stress-related behaviors in horses. This study assessed differences in stress-related behaviors and serum cortisol concentrations in horses used in a therapeutic riding program (TRH) or university riding program (UNI). Riders were grouped by disability type (TRH) or by...
Ekruth J, Gottschalk C, Ulrich S, Gareis M, Schwaiger K.Stachybotrys (S.) chartarum is a cellulolytic mould with the ability to produce highly cytotoxic macrocyclic trichothecenes. Two chemotypes are defined according to their ability to produce either atranones or satratoxins. S. chartarum has been well known as the causative agent of the lethal disease stachybotryotoxicosis in horses. Further investigations revealed that this disease is strictly correlated with the presence of macrocyclic trichothecenes. Furthermore, their occurrence in water-damaged buildings has been linked to adverse health effects such as the sick building syndrome. As the ch...
Journal of proteomicsOctober 8, 2020
Volume 231 104007 doi: 10.1016/j.jprot.2020.104007
Donkey's milk (DM) has been extensively investigated as a valuable substitute of breast milk, often suitable to manage cow's milk protein allergy in infants. DM exhibits potent inhibitory properties against numerous microbial species. Although oligosaccharides and lipids might contribute to the antimicrobial potential, the current inventory of proteins is not able to justify the low count of microorganisms generally observed in DM. The shotgun proteomic analysis of fractionated DM disclosed a set of 94 gene products, 41% of which have documented antimicrobial activity or are involved in transf...
Serag RM, Abu-Seida AM, Abdelrahman HA, Samir A, Ibrahim IM, AbdElkader NA.Orodental disorders are common in equidae and can lead to serious clinical complications. This study determines the prevalence rate (PR) of orodental disorders in working donkeys in Egypt and their potential risk factors. During 4 years, 3,791 donkeys were examined in six Egyptian governorates. Full case history and thorough clinical and oral examinations were performed. Radiography and oroendoscopy were undertaken whenever possible. All data were statistically analyzed using Poisson generalized linear models to compare PR among governorates, sex, years, body condition score, and age groups an...
Hadush B, Michaelay M, Menghistu HT, Abebe N, Genzebu AT, Bitsue HK, Afera B, Duguma BE, Gugsa G, Ameni G.Epizootic lymphangitis (EL), caused by Histoplasma capsulatum variety farciminosum (HCF) is a contagious, chronic disease of equines, characterized by development of nodular lesions in the lymph nodes, lymphatic vessels and skin. It is one of the most important diseases of equines in Ethiopia, causing significant economic loss, particularly in the livelihood of carthorse owners. To date there is neither effective diagnostic nor control measure implemented in the country. Furthermore, there is a shortage of data on the epidemiology of the disease in different regions of this country. The aim of...
Abreu DC, Gomes AS, Tessler DK, Chiebao DP, Fava CD, Romaldini AHCN, Araujo MC, Pompei J, Marques GF, Harakava R, Pituco EM, Nassar AFC.Glanders is an equine zoonosis caused by Burkholderia mallei that is responsible for considerable economic loss. Complement fixation testing (CFT) using warm or cold incubation are recommended by the OIE, but many routinely used detection tests may present misleading results. To increase accuracy of glanders diagnosis and establish an appropriate protocol in collaboration with the National Equine Health Program, seven horses positive for glanders kept in isolation in Brazil were examined fortnightly by CFT, microbiological screening, and molecular testing. Warm and cold serologies with USDA an...
Goodrich EL, McLean A, Guarino C.Recent removal and relocation of feral donkeys from vast public lands to more concentrated holding pens, training facilities, and offsite adoption locations raises several health and welfare concerns. Very little is known regarding the common equid pathogens that are circulating within the feral donkey population in and around Death Valley National Park, California, USA. The aim of this study was to utilize serologic assays to assess previous exposure of these donkeys to equine herpesvirus 1 (EHV-1), equine influenza (EIV), West Nile virus (WNV), and (the causative agent of Lyme disease). The...
Laing G, Christley R, Stringer A, Ashine T, Cian F, Aklilu N, Newton R, Radford A, Pinchbeck G.Respiratory disease is a common cause for presentation of working horses to clinics in Ethiopia and a priority concern for owners. Objective: To identify risk factors for and association of pathogens with respiratory signs in working horses. Methods: Unmatched case-control study. Methods: Cases were those animals recently coughing (last 7 days) or observed with coughing, nasal discharge or altered respiration at the time of examination. A physical exam and respiratory endoscopy were performed including a tracheal wash sample to detect the presence of pathogens and serology performed on blood....
Camino E, Buendia A, Dorrego A, Pozo P, de Juan L, Dominguez L, Cruz-Lopez F.Theileria equi and Babesia caballi cause equine piroplasmosis (EP), one of the most important tick-borne diseases of horses due to its high negative impact to the equine industry. Although infections with these parasites have been reported for decades in Spain, epidemiological studies have only been carried out in certain regions. Objective: To determine the (sero)prevalence of these parasites in asymptomatic horses nationwide in Spain and to identify potential individual and environmental factors associated with seropositivity to EP. Methods: Sample size was calculated according to the horses...
de Roodt AR, Lanari LC, Lago NR, Bustillo S, Litwin S, Morón-Goñi F, Gould EG, van Grootheest JH, Dokmetjian JC, Dolab JA, Irazú L, Damin CF.Samples of Apis mellifera mellifera venom from different hives in two regions of the Buenos Aires province and its pool were analyzed for their lethal potency, myotoxic, defibrinogenating, hemolytic and inflammatory-edematizing activity and for the histological alterations they produce in the heart, lungs, kidneys, skeletal muscle and liver of mice. In vitro studies focused on the venom's hemolytic activity in different systems and species (horse, man, sheep and rabbit), the cytotoxicity in cellular lines, and on the proteolytic and coagulant activity in plasma and fibrinogen. Hemolytic activi...
Schvartz G, Tirosh-Levy S, Erester O, Shenhar R, Levy H, Bazanow B, Gelman B, Steinman A.West Nile virus (WNV) and Usutu virus (USUV) are arboviruses transmitted by mosquito vectors. Whereas WNV is endemic in Israel, the Middle East, Europe, and in the Americas, data regarding the prevalence of USUV in the Middle East is limited. While both viruses share similar reservoirs and vectors, exposure of horses in the area to USUV have never been assessed. The aim of this study was to estimate the seroprevalence and co-exposure of WNV and USUV in horses in Israel. A total of 327 serum samples from healthy unvaccinated horses in Israel collected in 2018 were tested for neutralizing antibo...
Daddy KK, Mwanza M, Oguttu JW, Ngoma L.Leptospirosis is one of the major emerging global economic and health problems affecting donkeys, thereby reducing their work output. Furthermore, the disease has public health importance because of its zoonotic nature. Despite the significant contribution donkeys make to the national economy, less attention is given to diseases that afflict donkeys and reduce their productivity and performance. A cross-sectional study was conducted to investigate the seroprevalence of Leptospira and identify risk factors associated with the occurrence of the disease among donkeys in the study area. Methods: A...
Petry S, Sévin C, Kozak S, Foucher N, Laugier C, Linster M, Breuil MF, Dupuis MC, Hans A, Duquesne F, Tapprest J.Study of the rifampicin resistance of Rhodococcus equi strains isolated from French horses over a 20-year period. Rifampicin susceptibility was tested by disk diffusion (DD) and broth macrodilution methods, and rpoB gene sequencing and MLST were performed on 40 R. equi strains, 50.0% of which were non-susceptible to rifampicin. Consistency of results was observed between rifampicin susceptibility testing and rpoB sequencing. Strains non-susceptible to rifampicin by DD had a substitution at one of the sites (Asp516, His526 and Ser531) frequently encountered and conferring rifampicin resistance....
Fenner K, Hyde M, Crean A, McGreevy P.Owner-reported behavioural observations form an essential part of the veterinarians' diagnosis and treatment plan. The way we train and manage horses affects their behaviour and, in turn, their health and welfare. Current horse training and management practices are largely driven by traditional techniques and longstanding methodologies. These approaches generally lack an evidence base for evaluation purposes. The absence of evidence and evaluation contributes to the persistent use of risky practices and this, in turn, increases risk of potential harms for both horse and rider, and fuels questi...
Törmälehto E, Korkiamäki R.Previous research has shown features of an attachment bond to be fulfilled in, for instance, human-dog dyads; however, there is a considerable lack of research on the potential attachment in human-horse relationships. Employing Bowlby's criteria of an attachment bond and Pierce's model of therapeutically powerful activity, this article studies whether short-term exposure to horses brings about elements of emerging attachment for adolescents and if this interaction holds potential in creating a favorable early-stage setting for professional care. It draws from group discussions carried out with...
Da Silva AS, Jaguezeski AM, Laber IF, von Laer AE, Lovato LT, da Silva MO, de Moura AB.Leptospirosis in horses is often associated with reproductive disorders. In the southern states of Brazil, horses are used for various jobs and cultural practices; nevertheless, serological surveillance for Leptospira is rare. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine the seroprevalence of Leptospira spp. in horses in southern Brazil, as well as to identify the risk factors for infection and its impacts on reproduction. We performed microscopic agglutination tests for 12 serovars that corresponding 9 serogroup (Sejroe, Icterohaemorrhagiae, Australis, Pyrogenes, Pomona, Canicola, ...
Alvarado TD, Mariezcurrena Berasain MD, Salem AZM, Pinzón Martínez DL.Functional biocompounds beneficial for animals and humans are in Mexican folk herbs. Cuphea and Eryngium species presented antimicrobial potential. Natural antibiotic uses by ethnoveterinary research with medicinal plants in equine infection or digestive diseases need more scientific evidence. Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Salmonella enterica serotype Enteritidis are etiological agents in horses responsible for stable infections, abortions, fetal or perinatal deaths, and resistant intrahospital infections. The main objective of the present research was to evaluate the potential of a...
Del Piero F, Wilkins PA, Dubovi EJ, Biolatti B, Cantile C.Natural eastern equine encephalitis alphavirus (EEEV) infection was diagnosed in two adult horses with anorexia and colic, changes in sensorium, hyperexcitability, and terminal severe depression. Myocardium, tunica muscularis of stomach, intestine, urinary bladder, and spleen capsule had coagulative necrosis and perivascular lymphocytic infiltrate. Central nervous system (CNS) lesions were diffuse polioencephalomyelitis with leptomeningitis characterized by perivascular T lymphocyte cuffing, marked gliosis, neuronophagia, and multifocal microabscesses. Lesions were more prominent within cerebr...
Karakulska J, Fijałkowski K, Nawrotek P, Pobucewicz A, Poszumski F, Czernomysy-Furowicz D.The aim of this study was an analysis of the staphylococcal flora of the nasal cavity of 42 healthy horses from 4 farms, along with species identification of CoNS isolates and determination of resistance to 18 antimicrobial agents, particularly phenotypic and genotypic methicillin resistance. From the 81 swabs, 87 staphylococci were isolated. All isolates possessed the gap gene but the coa gene was not detected in any of these isolates. Using PCR-RFLP of the gap gene, 82.8% of CoNS were identified: S. equorum (14.9%), S. warneri (14.9%), S. sciuri (12.6%), S. vitulinus (12.6%), S. xylosus (11....
Netolitzky DJ, Schmaltz FL, Parker MD, Rayner GA, Fisher GR, Trent DW, Bader DE, Nagata LP.The complete nucleotide sequence of the 71V-1658 strain of western equine encephalitis virus (WEE) was determined (minus 25 nucleotides from the 5' end). A 5' RACE reaction was used to sequence the 5' terminus from WEE strain CBA87. The deduced WEE genome was 11508 nucleotides in length, excluding the 5' cap nucleotide and 3' poly(A) tail. The nucleotide composition was 28% A, 25% C, 25% G and 22% U. Comparison with partial WEE sequences of strain 5614 (nsP2-nsP3 of the nonstructural region) and strain BFS1703 (26S structural region) revealed comparatively little variation; a total of 149 nucl...
Bourély C, Cazeau G, Jarrige N, Haenni M, Gay E, Leblond A.Horses are one of the potential reservoirs of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) determinants that could be transferred to human subjects. Objective: To describe the AMR patterns of major bacteria isolated from diseased horses in France. Methods: Retrospective observational study. Methods: Data collected between 2012 and 2016 by RESAPATH, the French national surveillance network for AMR, were analysed. Only antimicrobials relevant in veterinary and human medicine for the isolated bacteria were considered. Mono- and multidrug resistance were calculated. The resistance proportions of major equine di...
Gill GS, Singh BB, Dhand NK, Aulakh RS, Sandhu BS, Ward MP, Brookes VJ.Rabies is a devastating zoonotic disease of mammals that causes encephalitis and death. It is endemic in India, with an estimated annual 20,000 human deaths (one-third of the global rabies burden). The magnitude of animal rabies incidence is unknown. In four sub-districts of Punjab, India, we monitored canine and livestock populations from August 15, 2016 to August 14, 2017. Demographic, clinical and rabies diagnostic laboratory (RDL) data were collected from suspected cases of rabies. The annual incidence rate / 10,000 animal years at risk (95% CI) in each sub-district was estimated for each ...
Lees P, Toutain PL.The presence of horse meat in food products destined for human consumption and labelled as beef has raised several concerns of public interest. This review deals solely with one aspect of these concerns; samples of equine tissue from horses destined for the human food chain have tested positive for the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, phenylbutazone. The safety of some or all such foods for human consumers is a major concern, because it was shown many years ago that phenylbutazone therapy in humans can be associated with life threatening blood dyscrasias. As an initial basis for assessing...
Kim HJ, Yong TS, Shin MH, Lee KJ, Park GM, Suvonkulov U, Kovalenko D, Yu HS.Echinococcosis occurs mainly in areas with heavy livestock farming, such as Central Asia, America, and Australia. Echinococcus granulosus sensu lato (s.l.) infection causes echinococcosis in intermediate hosts, such as sheep, cattle, goats, camels, and horses. Numerous cases of echinococcosis occur in Uzbekistan as stock farming is a primary industry. Epidemiological and genetic studies of E. granulosus s.l. are very important for mitigating its impact on public health and the economy; however, there are no such studies on E. granulosus s.l. in Uzbekistan. In the present study, to determine wh...
Del Piero F.Equine viral arteritis (EVA) can cause prominent economic losses for the equine industry. The purpose of this review is to provide the pathologist some familiarity with the clinical history, lesions, pathogenesis, and diagnosis of EVA. EVA is caused by an arterivirus (equine arteritis virus, EAV), and the vascular system is the principal but not unique viral target. EVA has variable presentations, including interstitial pneumonia, panvasculitis with edema, thrombosis and hemorrhage, lymphoid necrosis, renal tubular necrosis, abortion, and inflammation of male accessory genital glands. EAV anti...
McFrederick QS, Haselkorn TS, Verocai GG, Jaenike J.Parasites in the genus Onchocerca infect humans, ruminants, camels, horses, suids, and canids, with effects ranging from relatively benign to debilitating. In North America, Onchocerca cervipedis is the sole species known to infect cervids, while at least 5 Onchocerca species infect Eurasian cervids. In this study, we report the discovery of a cervid-parasitizing Onchocerca only distantly related to O. cervipedis. To reconstruct the phylogenetic history of the genus Onchocerca, we used newly acquired DNA sequence from O. cervipedis (from moose in Northwest Territories, Canada) and from the new...
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...
Vincze S, Brandenburg AG, Espelage W, Stamm I, Wieler LH, Kopp PA, Lübke-Becker A, Walther B.Increasing numbers of companion animals suffering from infections with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) have been reported in the recent past. These infections are of particular concern because of the limited treatment options for MRSA and their transferability to humans. Since MRSA lineages isolated from infected companion animals often mirror typical human epidemic strains circulating in the same region, successful strategies to combat MRSA need strong and coordinated efforts from both, the human and the veterinary field according to the "One Health" concept. Hence, to iden...
Ramsauer AS, Badenhorst M, Cavalleri JV.Equine parvovirus hepatitis (EqPV-H) was first described in 2018 in a fatal case of Theiler's disease which followed the administration of an equine-origin biological product. The virus has since been frequently identified in serum and liver tissue of horses affected by Theiler's disease-an acute, severe hepatitis characterised by fulminant hepatic necrosis with a fatal outcome in most cases. EqPV-H is hepatotropic, appears to be associated with subclinical to severe hepatitis in horses, and is a likely cause of Theiler's disease. Although this disease is most frequently reported following the...
Grady GF, Maxfield HK, Hildreth SW, Timperi RJ, Gilfillan RF, Rosenau BJ, Francy DB, Calisher CH, Marcus LC, Madoff MA.Reappearance of eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) in Massachusetts residents in the 1970's provided an opportunity to assess the predictive value of data on rainfall, EEE in horses, and carriage of EEE virus (EEEV) by mosquitoes, factors which had been studied annually since the last EEE outbreak in 1955-1956. The cycle of multiple cases during 1973-1975 started in a second consecutive year of rainfall that exceeded the annual mean by more than 20 cm, conditions recapitulating the 1955-1956 experience. In 1973, widespread EEE fatalities in horses presaged human cases, another recapitulation of...
Pusterla N, Sandler-Burtness E, Barnum S, Hill LA, Mendonsa E, Khan R, Portener D, Ridland H, Schumacher S.The objective of this study was to determine detection frequency of respiratory viruses (equine influenza virus [EIV], equine herpesvirus-1 [EHV-1], EHV-2, EHV-4, EHV-5, equine rhinitis A virus [ERAV], ERBV) and bacteria (Streptococcus equi ss. equi[S. equi], S. equi ss. zooepidemicus[S. zooepidemicus]) in 162 nasal secretions and 149 stall swabs from healthy sport horses attending a spring show in California. Nasal and stall swabs were collected at a single time point and analyzed using qPCR. The detection frequency of respiratory pathogens in nasal secretions was 38.9% for EHV-2, 36.4% for E...
Abutarbush SM, Al-Majali AM.The objectives of this study are to report clinical WNV infection in horses and to determine the seroprevalence of and risk factors for WNV infection in horses in Jordan. In late summer and early fall of 2012, two mares were presented for evaluation of neurological signs. The first mare had hind-limb ataxia. The second mare was slightly depressed and lethargic. She had ataxia in her four limbs and cranial nerves deficits. Both horses were found positive for WNV IgM antibodies using commercial IgM-capture ELISA test. Both horses were treated symptomatically and recovered uneventfully. The occur...
Mattar S, Komar N, Young G, Alvarez J, Gonzalez M.We prospectively sampled flavivirus-naïve horses in northern Colombia to detect West Nile virus (WNV) and St. Louis encephalitis virus (SLEV) seroconversion events, which would indicate the current circulation of these viruses. Overall, 331 (34.1%) of the 971 horses screened were positive for past infection with flaviviruses upon initial sampling in July 2006. During the 12-month study from July 2006-June 2007, 33 WNV seroconversions and 14 SLEV seroconversions were detected, most of which occurred in the department of Bolivar. The seroconversion rates of horses in Bolivar for the period of M...
Burgess EC, Gillette D, Pickett JP.Infection with Borrelia burgdorferi caused panuveitis and arthritis in a pony. Spirochetes were detected by direct immunofluorescence in the anterior chamber of the eye. The carpal joints had severe degenerative joint disease, with synovial proliferation. The synovium and serum had B burgdorferi antibody titers of 1:1024. The pony lived in an area of Wisconsin where infection with B burgdorferi is endemic in human beings. Previously, serum antibodies to B burgdorferi had been found in horses, but disease had not been reported.
Mands V, Kline DL, Blackwell A.Examples of the commercial trap Mosquito Magnet Pro (MMP emitting attractant 1-octen-3-ol in carbon dioxide 500 mL/min generated from propane fuel), were run 24 h/day on the Isle of Skye, Scotland, during June-August 2001 and evaluated for catching Culicoides biting midges (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae). From 30 days trapping, the catch averaged 2626 +/- 1358 Culicoides females/trap/day (mean +/- SE, range 558 +/- 139 to 6088 +/- 3597, for five sets of six consecutive nights), predominantly the pest Culicoides impunctatus Goetghebuer (68% overall), plus C. vexans (Staeger) > C. delta Edwards &g...
Rzekęć A, Vial C, Bigot G.Despite the decline of equine populations in the middle of the 20th century, the European horse industry is growing again thanks to economic alternatives found in the diversification of the uses of equines (sports, racing, leisure, etc.). Equines have many environmental advantages, but the fragmentation of the sector and the lack of synthetic knowledge about their environmental impacts do not enable the promotion of these assets and their effective inclusion in management practices and European policies. To highlight the equine environmental impacts, a literature review was carried out to cove...
Abdullah HHAM, Aboelsoued D, Farag TK, Abdel-Shafy S, Abdel Megeed KN, Parola P, Raoult D, Mediannikov O.Equine vector-borne diseases (EVBDs) are emerging and re-emerging diseases, and most of them are zoonotic. This study aimed to investigate EVBDs in equines and associated arthropods (ticks and flies) from Egypt using molecular analyses, in addition to a preliminary characterization of associated ticks and flies by the matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time of flight (MALDI-TOF) and molecular techniques. In this study, 335 blood samples were obtained from equines that appeared to be in good health (320 horses and 15 donkeys) in Cairo and Beni Suef provinces, Egypt. From the same anima...
Pupo M, Guzmán MG, Fernández R, Llop A, Dickinson FO, Pérez D, Cruz R, González T, Estévez G, González H, Santos P, Kourí G, Andonova M....A surveillance system to detect West Nile virus (WNV) was established in Cuba in 2002. WNV infection was confirmed by serologic assays in 4 asymptomatic horses and 3 humans with encephalitis in 2003 and 2004. These results are the first reported evidence of WNV activity in Cuba.
Wang X, Ji Y, Su J, Xue Y, Xi H, Wang Z, Bi L, Zhao R, Zhang H, Yang L, Guo Z, Guan Y, Feng X, Sun C, Lei L, Ur Rahman S, Dong J, Han W, Gu J. subsp. serovar Abortusequi is a frequently reported pathogen causing abortion in mares. In this study, the preventive and therapeutic effects of phage P SAE-01E2 against Abortusequi in a mouse model of abortion were investigated. Phage P SAE-01E2 was stable at different temperatures (4 to 70°C) and pH values (pH 4 to 10) and could lyse the majority of the serogroup O:4 and O:9 strains tested (25/28). There was no lysogeny-related, toxin, or antibiotic resistance-related gene in the genome of P SAE-01E2. All of these characteristics indicate that P SAE-01E2 has the potential for use in pha...
Prescott JF, Travers M, Yager-Johnson JA.Corynebacterium equi was cultured from manure or soil on five horse-breeding farms in Ontario at monthly intervals on three occasions during the summer of 1982. The organism was widespread. Contamination by C. equi of the loafing paddock and pasture areas was significantly greater in a farm established 30 years than in two established for four and six years and there was a significant correlation between the C. equi burden in stables, paddocks and pastures and the length of use of the five farms for horses. In all farms, numbers of C. equi in pasture soil exceeded numbers in fresh manure, sugg...
Badenhorst M, de Heus P, Auer A, Rümenapf T, Tegtmeyer B, Kolodziejek J, Nowotny N, Steinmann E, Cavalleri JV.Prevalence studies have demonstrated a global distribution of equine hepacivirus (EqHV), a member of the family Flaviviridae. However, apart from a single case of vertical transmission, natural routes of EqHV transmission remain elusive. Many known flaviviruses are horizontally transmitted between hematophagous arthropods and vertebrate hosts. This study represents the first investigation of potential EqHV transmission by mosquitoes. More than 5000 mosquitoes were collected across Austria and analyzed for EqHV ribonucleic acid (RNA) by reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reacti...
Al-Quraishy S, Abdel-Ghaffar F, Al-Rasheid KA, Mehlhorn J, Mehlhorn H.The hair of 300 horses belonging to short hair and long hair races had been routinely treated during the last 3 years with a neem seed extract (MiteStop®) in order to kill mallophages (e.g., specimens of the genus Werneckiella). It was found that in all cases, a hidden infestation with these biting lice had existed, which became visible when the product (diluted 1:20 with tap water) was brushed onto the hair. The mallophages left the body surface and became visible as a fine "wooly looking" layer at the tips of the hair. Furthermore, this treatment stopped the forming of dandruff of the skin...
Weese JS, Baird JD, DeLay J, Kenney DG, Staempfli HR, Viel L, Parent J, Smith-Maxie L, Poma R.West Nile virus encephalomyelitis was diagnosed in 28 horses presented to the Ontario Veterinary College Veterinary Teaching Hospital between August 20 and October 15, 2002. The age range of affected horses was 5 months to 20 years (mean 6.9 years, median 6 years). Clinical signs were highly variable. Duration of hospitalization ranged from < 1 to 12 days (mean 5 days, median 5.4 days). Overall, 16 of the 28 (57%) horses were discharged and, of the 14 from which follow-up information was available, 13 (93%) were reported to be clinically normal 4 to 6 weeks following discharge, while the other...
Santodomingo A, Sierra-Orozco K, Cotes-Perdomo A, Castro LR.Horses are among the domestic animals that closely interact with humans and are highly parasitized by ticks, which are the primary vectors of zoonoses. As horses in Tayrona National Natural Park (PNNT) are used as a means of transporting goods, luggage and people, they are in constant contact with wild animals, workers and tourists from different countries. These factors increase the transmission risk of hemoparasites. The purpose of this study was to determine the presence of Rickettsia sp., Anaplasma sp., and Theileria sp., in horse ticks in this protected area using conventional PCR. We col...
