Respiratory disease in horses encompasses a range of conditions affecting the respiratory system, including the upper and lower airways. These diseases can result from various etiologies such as infectious agents, environmental factors, or genetic predispositions. Common respiratory conditions in horses include equine asthma, equine influenza, and strangles. Clinical signs often associated with respiratory disease in horses include coughing, nasal discharge, and labored breathing. Diagnostic approaches may involve endoscopy, imaging, and laboratory tests to assess the function and health of the respiratory tract. This page compiles peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the pathophysiology, diagnosis, and management of respiratory diseases in equine populations.
Sullins KE.Common equine upper respiratory conditions are diagnosed via endoscopy. Endoscopic surgery facilitates correction of many conditions without general anesthesia or laryngotomy, reducing the morbidity and cost of the procedures. Modalities of endoscopic surgery include the Nd-YAG laser or electrosurgery, which may be complementary. The least expensive method is electrosurgery, and instruments are available that can be passed through the biopsy channel of the endoscope. Conditions amenable to such procedures include entrapped epiglottis, rostral displacement of the palatopharyngeal arch, pharynge...
Willoughby RA, Ecker GL, McKee SL, Riddolls LJ.Mucociliary clearance rates from the trachea were determined in normal, sedated, diseased and exercised horses from scintigraphs obtained after an injection of technetium-99m sulphide colloid into the tracheal lumen. The group mean tracheal clearance rate of eight clinically normal horses during 42 trials was 2.06 +/- 0.38 cm/min. Significant between horse differences were found (p less than 0.05). When six and seven of these horses were given xylazine and detomidine hydrochloride, respectively, mean group tracheal clearance rates dropped significantly (p less than 0.05). The decreases from ea...
Hattel AL, Drake TR, Anderholm BJ, McAllister ES.Invasive pulmonary aspergillosis was detected at postmortem examination of an 8-year-old Quarter Horse mare that had a history of diarrhea, laminitis, and bilateral nasal discharge. A diagnosis of Ehrlichia risticii infection was made on the basis of clinical signs of diarrhea and pyrexia, high serum antibody titer to E risticii (1:2,560), and multiple Salmonella-negative cultures obtained from fecal and colonic specimens. Possible pathogenic mechanisms contributing to the development of pulmonary aspergillosis secondary to enteric disease include mycotic invasion of the intestinal tract or im...
Heath SE, Geor RJ, Tabel H, McIntosh K.An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was developed for use in horses to determine serum titers of antibodies of the immunoglobulin classes IgA, IgG, and IgM to Streptococcus equi M-like protein and culture supernatant protein antigens. Serum antibodies were determined in 28 adult horses, including 9 horses with recent S. equi infections, 17 horses without known exposure to S. equi, but without a history of respiratory disease in the preceding 4 months, and 2 horses with clinical purpura hemorrhagica. Serum IgA titers to culture supernatant protein antigen were highest in recently infec...
Grünig G, Witschi U, Winder C, Hermann M, von Fellenberg R.Supernatants of equine respiratory secretions enhanced the migration of equine neutrophils into the lower compartments of Boyden chambers. Checkerboard analysis revealed that the neutrophil migration promoting activity (NMPA) of secretion specimens was in great part caused by chemokinesis, irrespective of the neutrophil score of the specimen. The NMPA of respiratory secretions was correlated neither with the neutrophil score of the secretion specimen nor with the severity of the chronic pulmonary disease. Respiratory secretions collected while horses were kept under low dust or under dusty hou...
O'Callaghan MW.When performed on selected clinical cases, ventilation/perfusion scintigraphy provides valuable additional information on regional lung function that is not obtainable from conventional thoracic radiographs. This is particularly true of horses with EIPH, COPD, and those suspected of having some form of small-airway disease. For horses with EIPH, the presence of a perfusion deficit on the scan is considered a key prognostic sign, because it is likely in these cases that irreversible bronchial arterial takeover has occurred in the affected areas of lung. Findings from horses with COPD have impro...
Morris E.Each case of suboptimal equine athletic performance should be evaluated in a comprehensive manner, including physical examination; clinical pathologic analysis; and evaluation of the neurologic system, the musculoskeletal system, and the upper and lower respiratory system. A vital part of this examination is the clinical evaluation of dynamic upper respiratory tract function of the horse during treadmill exercise, which allows the observation of upper respiratory tract function during conditions simulating competitive racing. It generally is agreed that the endoscopic identification of an uppe...
Morris E.Maximal exercise testing is a valuable diagnostic tool for the evaluation of exercise intolerance and level of fitness in the equine athlete. A description of the standardized incremental exercise testing protocol and interpretation of the results of the test is followed by a discussion of more specific diagnostic techniques aimed at identifying pulmonary dysfunction as a cause of suboptimal performance.
Halldórdsóttir S, Larsen HJ.A survey of summer eczema was conducted on 391 Icelandic horses in Norway. The study showed a prevalence of summer eczema of 17.6 per cent in the horses investigated. Icelandic horses born in Norway where shown to be less affected with summer eczema than imported horses, 8.2 per cent and 26.9 per cent respectively (P less than 0.001). There was no difference in the prevalence of summer eczema relative to gender or colour of the horse. The number of horses affected with summer eczema rose with increasing age and the number of years which had elapsed since importation. On average, Icelandic hors...
Nyman G, Lindberg R, Weckner D, Björk M, Kvart C, Persson SG, Gustafsson H, Hedenstierna G.Eight horses (mean weight 438 kg) with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) were studied for clinical signs, ventilation/perfusion relationships (VA/Q) and lung morphology. Four horses were killed and necropsied after the study. In horses with COPD, minute ventilation was almost twice as high as normal, whereas PaO2 was significantly decreased. Cardiac output was normal, but pulmonary artery pressure and pulmonary vascular resistance were significantly increased. The VA/Q distribution was abnormal with an increased scatter of VA/Q ratios. However, shunt (VA/Q = 0) was increased in one ...
Vrins A, Doucet M, Nunez-Ochoa L.A retrospective of 69 bronchoalveolar lavages (BAL) on horses was done to investigate the relationship between bronchoalveolar cell types and clinical signs in horses with small airway disease. Horses were grouped according to clinical findings. The groups were as follows: I. cough only (n = 14), II. cough with mucopurulent secretions in the trachea (n = 14), III. cough, mucopurulent secretions in the trachea and abnormal lung sounds (n = 24) and IV., all of the above plus dyspnea at rest (n = 17). An asymptomatic group was formed from horses in the same population to serve as control (n = 8)....
Madelin TM, Clarke AF, Mair TS.Sera from 54 two- to three-year-old Thoroughbred horses from an English racing stable were examined for precipitins to antigen extracts prepared from 18 species of moulds (fungi and thermophilic actinomycetes) isolated from the same stable. Twenty-seven horses exhibited serum precipitins to one or more antigens; sixteen of the mould antigens elicited positive reactions in sera from one or more horses. Significantly more precipitins occurred in sera of those horses stabled in a barn than among those stabled in individual boxes. This indicated a possible association between type of housing, leve...
Doucet MY, Vrins AA, Ford-Hutchinson AW.A histamine inhalation challenge (HIC) procedure was developed to assess hyperreactive states in horses. Following clinical evaluation, percutaneous lung biopsies were performed on nine light breed mares aged 6 to 15 years. Five horses, with normal small airways, were classified as group A and four subjects with small airway disease (SAD) lesions formed group B. Pulmonary mechanics parameters were monitored following an aerosol of 0.9% saline and every 5 min for up to 30 min after HIC with 0.5% w/v of histamine diphosphate, administered through a face mask for 2.5 min. Tidal volume (VT) and ai...
Berry CR, O'Brien TR, Madigan JE, Hager DA.Clinical records and thoracic radiographs of 19 horses with a confirmed pathologic diagnosis of silicosis were reviewed. These horses had histories of varying degrees of chronic weight loss, exercise intolerance, and respiratory distress. At the time of presentation, two horses were asymptomatic. Ten horses were geldings and nine were female. The mean age of the 19 horses was 10.7 +/- 5.5 years. Fourteen horses were identified as being from the Monterey-Carmel Peninsula of midcoastal California. An abnormal, structured interstitial pulmonary pattern was identified on thoracic radiographs in ea...
LeBlanc PH, Broadstone RV, Derksen FJ, Robinson NE.Distal airway segments (ID, 3 to 4 mm; length, 5 mm) from 2 groups of horses were isolated and suspended in tissue baths filled with Krebs solution, aerated with 5% CO2 in oxygen and maintained at 37 degrees C. Responses to exogenous acetylcholine, isoproterenol, or electrical field stimulation were compared. Control horses (n = 30) had no history of recurrent airway obstruction, whereas principal horses (n = 15) had recurrent airway obstruction and were studied during an acute episode of airway obstruction. Although the distal airways contracted in response to the cumulative half-logarithmic ...
Reef VB, Boy MG, Reid CF, Elser A.The results of radiography and ultrasonography were compared on 56 horses and cows with lower respiratory tract disease. Ultrasonography was more sensitive than radiography for the detection of small pleural effusions and consolidations in large animals. The side of the thorax affected and the character of the pleural fluid and lung in large animals with pleural effusion can be evaluated ultrasonographically. The periphery of the lung must be affected to characterize pulmonary lesions ultrasonographically. Radiography is the best technique to characterize lesions deep within the lung when the ...
Dorman DC, Haschek WM.Toxicosis attributable to propylene glycol (1,2-propanediol) was suspected in an 8-year-old 450- to 500-kg male Quarter Horse. Clinical signs of toxicosis developed within 15 minutes of the accidental iatrogenic oral administration of 3.8 L of propylene glycol. Clinical signs of toxicosis included salivation, sweating, ataxia, and signs of pain. Additionally, at 24 hours after propylene glycol ingestion, the horse became increasingly atactic, had an abnormal breath odor, developed rapid shallow breathing, and was cyanotic. The horse died of apparent respiratory arrest 28 hours after the propyl...
Riley CB, Yovich JV, Bolton JR.Bilateral hypoplasia of the soft palate and aspiration pneumonia occurred in a Standardbred foal. The filly was presented with a history of illthrift, dyspnoea, coughing and bilateral nasal discharge. Abnormal sounds (crackels and wheezes) were auscultated over all lung fields and the cervical trachea. Endoscopy revealed a shortened soft palate with a uvula-like mass protruding from the free border into the nasopharynx. Mucopurulent material was present in the trachea. Samples obtained by tracheal wash were submitted for cytology, culture and sensitivity testing. Results indicated a septic inf...
Pearson EG.Of 41 equids referred to a veterinary teaching hospital in the Pacific northwest because of dyspnea and inspiratory noise, 3 ponies were diagnosed as having liver failure, most likely attributable to pyrrolizidine alkaloid toxicosis. Dyspnea appeared to be caused by laryngeal and/or pharyngeal paralysis. It is proposed that this paralysis was a manifestation of hepatic encephalopathy. Although these clinical signs are not common for pyrrolizidine toxicosis, practitioners should be aware of the possibility so that misdiagnosis of other causes of inspiratory dyspnea may not be made.
Byars TD, Becht JL.The historical, clinical, diagnostic, and therapeutic aspects of pleuropneumonia are reviewed with emphasis placed on aggressive treatment and ultrasound diagnosis. The common sequelae are described, and appropriate treatment recommendations are included. A favorable prognosis may be expected for horses receiving long-term treatment.
Beech J.COPD continues to be a severe condition in horses. Despite increased understanding of its pathogenesis, there is relatively little information on effective treatment regimens. Management and prevention are critical, and more emphasis should be placed on improved housing, bedding, and feeding. More sophisticated accurate methods also are required for identifying specific causative allergens.
Embertson RM.Upper respiratory tract conditions of the older horse that are not necessarily associated with athletic exercise intolerance are discussed. Some of the diseases described include ethmoid hematoma, sinus disease, guttural pouch empyema and mycosis, retropharyngeal abscess, nasopharyngeal cicatrix, arytenoid chondropathy, and neoplasia.
Reed SM, Robertson JT.This article reviews recent diagnostic procedures that have arisen over the last 10 years. Videoendoscopy of horses on a high-speed treadmill allows observation of some of the changes that take place in a horse's airway during exercise. Measurements of upper airway airflows and transupper airway pressure, the use of an esophageal balloon and a Ventigraph to measure changes in pleural pressure, and pulmonary function testing are new techniques that aid the researcher in understanding the mechanics and pathologic characteristics of airway diseases and help the practitioner in assessing the sever...
Traub-Dargatz JL.Bacterial pneumonia in the horse often occurs secondary to viral respiratory infection; however, primary infections can occur. A diagnosis of bacterial pneumonia is made on the basis of history, physical examination, and laboratory and radiographic findings. Treatment consists of appropriate antimicrobial therapy for at least 7 to 10 days; further therapy may be needed in more severe cases. Prevention of bacterial pneumonia includes attempting to prevent viral respiratory infections and appropriate management to prevent stress to the respiratory tract.
Hardy J.Upper airway obstruction may result from nasal, pharyngeal, or tracheal diseases. In the young horse, a relatively severe obstruction usually is present before clinical signs are evident. This article reviews the clinical manifestations, diagnostic features, treatment, and outcome of commonly encountered conditions of the nasal passages, pharynx, larynx, and trachea in young horses.
Dean PW.Abnormalities of the nasal cavity, pharynx, larynx, and trachea result in respiratory noise and exercise intolerance. Clinical features of common upper respiratory conditions of performance horses are reviewed with emphasis on diagnosis, treatment, and risk factors that affect the outcome of surgical treatment.
Sweeney RW, Sweeney CR, Weiher J.Case records of 200 horses treated with metronidazole were reviewed. Horses were treated for respiratory tract infections (90 cases), peritonitis or abdominal abscess (39 cases), celiotomy (49 cases), orthopedic infections (6 cases), and miscellaneous soft tissue infections (16 cases). Bacteria of the genus Bacteroides were most prevalent (55 of 167 anaerobic isolates). Metronidazole was always used in combination with other antimicrobial drugs. Only 4 of the 200 horses had signs of adverse effects associated with metronidazole treatment. Those 4 horses had poor appetite that resolved when met...
Calomeno SS, Freitas Santi T, Barbosa B, Weber SH, Oliveira TM, Machado GF, Michelotto PV.Horses maintained outdoors may experience a lower-allergenic environment compared to their stabled counterparts. This study hypothesizes that climatic changes in southern Brazil can influence respiratory status. To test this hypothesis, we evaluated the lower airways of 17 horses from a teaching herd in southern Brazil, maintained outdoors, during winter, spring, and summer. Except for one mare with a history of severe asthma, all horses were considered healthy and underwent a physical examination. Airway endoscopic evaluation included scoring for tracheal mucus (0-5) and bronchial septum thic...
Leite RO, Albertino LG, Sperandio LMS, Campos F, Campos R, Borges AS, Oliveira-Filho JP.Exercise-induced pulmonary haemorrhage (EIPH) in athletic horses is characterized by the presence of blood from the lungs in the tracheobronchial tree after intense exercise. Despite the high prevalence of EIPH in horses, the primary aetiology remains unknown. Variants in the genes encoding CD39 and CD39L1 (ENTPD1 and ENTPD2, respectively) were previously reported as potential genetic causes involved in EIPH pathogenesis. However, the role of these variants in haemostatic functions is unknown. Results: To investigate the association between EIPH and missense variants in the ENTPD1 (rs115229627...
Dupont J, Roman Dura B, Salciccia A, Serteyn D, Sandersen C.To study the changes in dynamic compliance (C), ventilation/perfusion (V˙/ Q˙) mismatch and haemodynamic variables in hypoxaemic anaesthetized horses whose PaO increased following salbutamol inhalation. Methods: Retrospective, clinical, cohort study. Methods: A group of 73 client-owned horses treated with salbutamol when PaO <100 mmHg (13.3 kPa) during anaesthesia. Methods: Horses were divided into two groups: responders (R), where PaO after salbutamol ≥1.2 PaO before treatment (i.e. ≥20% increase), and non-responders (NR), where PaO after salbutamol <1.2 PaO before treatment. Demographi...
Stasiak K, Dunowska M, Rola J.Equine rhinitis A (ERAV) and B (ERBV) viruses are respiratory pathogens with worldwide distribution. The current study aimed to determine the frequency of infection of ERAV and ERBV among horses and foals at Polish national studs, and to determine genetic variability within the viruses obtained. Virus-specific quantitative RT-PCR assays targeting a 5' untranslated region were used to screen nasal swabs collected from 621 horses at 16 national horse studs from throughout Poland, including 553 healthy horses and 68 horses with respiratory disease. A partial DNA polymerase gene was amplified and ...
Wjst VF, Lübke S, Wagner B, Rhyner C, Jentsch MC, Arnold C, Lohmann KL, Schnabel CL.Equine asthma (EA) is a common disease of adult horses with chronic respiratory pathology and common neutrophilic airway inflammation. It presents with hyperreactivity to hay dust components such as molds, and underlying dysregulated T cell responses have been suggested. Thus far, T cells have been analysed in EA with conflicting results and the antigen reactivity of T cells has not been demonstrated. Serological and epidemiological data point to the relevance of as an antigen source in EA. Here, we aimed to identify and characterise antigen-reactive T cells in EA. Unassigned: Cryopreserved ...
Dély S, Gerber V, Peters LM, Sage SE.The presence of fungi in tracheal wash (TW) of horses was recently linked to mild-moderate equine asthma, indicating a possible causal role; however, increased numbers of fungi may also stem from asthma-related alteration of tracheal mucus clearance or from environmental exposure. Our objective was to elucidate the association between the presence of fungi in TW and asthma status while controlling for relevant confounders. We conducted a retrospective case-control study involving 73 horses, including 34 controls and 39 asthmatic cases. Each asthmatic horse was matched with a control from the s...
Mainguy-Seers S, Holcombe SJ, Lavoie JP.Vitamin D deficiency is associated with asthma development and severity of symptoms in humans, but whether the same occurs in horses is unknown. We aimed to determine whether the serum vitamin D levels differ in horses with asthma compared to control animals and, secondarily, to explore clinical, respiratory, and environmental parameters associated with its concentration in equids in a retrospective cross-sectional study. The total serum vitamin D (25(OH)D) was measured by radioimmunoassay in 45 serum samples from the Equine Respiratory Tissue Biobank (15 control animals, 14 horses with mild o...
Bozzola C, Sala G, Schinardi L, Stancari G, Stucchi L, Ferrucci F, Zucca E.Exercise-Induced Pulmonary Hemorrhage (EIPH) is a common pulmonary disease among racehorses, diagnosed by the detection of blood in the trachea after strenuous exercise or the presence of hemosiderophages in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF). Although the latter is considered the most sensitive method to diagnose EIPH, it is perceived as a less practical and more invasive procedure compared to tracheal wash (TW) collection among racehorse trainers. The present retrospective study aimed to verify the agreement between Tracheal wash and BALF cytology in assessing EIPH in racehorses. For th...
Massie S, Léguillette R, Bayly W, Sides R, Zuluaga-Cabrera AM.Workload associated with the high frequency Colombian Paso Fino gait has not been evaluated. Objective: To determine the oxygen consumption (V̇O), heart rate (HR), stride frequency: breathing ratio, and hematology associated with the Paso Fino gait, including whether exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage (EIPH) occurs. Methods: Eleven Paso Fino horses. Methods: Prospective cohort study. Horses performed a standardized Paso Fino gait test across a wooden sounding board, simulating competition. V̇O and ventilatory parameters (tidal volume [V]; peak inspiratory and expiratory airflows [PkV̇, P...
Holmes CM, Wagner B.Equine herpesvirus type 1 (EHV-1) enters through the upper respiratory tract (URT). Mucosal immunity at the URT is crucial in limiting viral infection and morbidity. Here, intranasal immune cells were collected from horses (n = 15) during an experimental EHV-1 infection. CD4+ and CD8+ T cells were the major intranasal cell populations before infection and increased significantly by day six and fourteen post-infection, respectively. Nasal mucosal T cells were further characterized in healthy horses. Compared to peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC), mucosal CD8+ T-cell percentages were elev...
Lendl L, Barton AK.This literature review focuses on diagnostics of equine asthma (EA), possible influencing factors on diagnostic techniques and latest developments in diagnosing horses during EA remission or with subclinical disease. Routine EA diagnostics include a clinical examination of the respiratory system with percussion and auscultation including a rebreathing examination, and clinical pathology including white blood cells and arterial blood gas analysis. Subsequent diagnostics include bronchoscopy to evaluate the amount and viscosity of respiratory secretion, bronchoalveolar lavage, and the cytology o...
Bishop RC, Nobrega AD, Mersich I, Wilkins PA.To describe indications for and demonstrate the technique to perform a transtracheal aspirate in horses. Transtracheal aspirate is indicated to collect samples for cytology and bacteriologic culture in cases of suspected pneumonia or other lower respiratory tract disease. Methods: 1 healthy university-owned horse was used for demonstration purposes. Images of clinical case samples from the University of Illinois Veterinary Teaching Hospital are shown. Methods: The horse is restrained and sedated with detomidine or xylazine to facilitate restraint and butorphanol to minimize coughing. The ventr...
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...
Jurisic L, Auerswald H, Marcacci M, Di Giallonardo F, Coetzee LM, Curini V, Averaimo D, Ortiz-Baez AS, Cammà C, Di Teodoro G, Richt JA, Holmes EC....Members of the RNA virus order infect hosts ranging from marine invertebrates to terrestrial mammals. As such, understanding the determinants of host range in this group of viruses, as well as their patterns of emergence and disease potential, is of clear importance. The are a recently documented family within the . To date, mesoniviruses have only been associated with the infection of arthropod species, particularly mosquitoes, and hence are regarded as insect-specific viruses (ISVs). Herein, we report the first detection of a mesonivirus-Alphamesonivirus-1 -in mammals. Specifically, we uti...
Bouverat VMA, Naef J, Dolf G, Lamon I, Sage SE, Gerber V.Organic dust from hay is a primary trigger of equine asthma. Objective: (1) To introduce a novel hay-shaker (HS) device for standardised hay dust generation, enabling simultaneous measurements of various particulate matter (PM) size fractions. (2) To compare these measurements with those in the horse's breathing zone (BZ) to assess the influence of environmental and individual factors. Methods: Comparative experimental study. Methods: A HS generating dust was developed. Total dust (PMT) and size fractions (PM1, PM2.5, PM4 and PM10, representing particle size in μm) were measured from 50 hay s...
Röschmann J, Naef J, Doras C, Gerber V.Equine asthma is a common cause of poor performance, but little is known about its impact on submaximal exercise. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of equine asthma and potential confounding factors on recovery of respiratory rate (RR) and heart rate (HR) after a lunging exercise test. Thirty-seven horses completed a standardized 15 min lunging exercise including HR and RR recording pre- and up to 30 min post-exercise and venous blood lactate measurement. Endoscopy was performed and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid cytology was used to categorize horses as controls or asthma...
Yu Y, Wang J, Ruan L, Chen L, Khan MZ, You A, Wang C, Li L, Ren H, Wang T, Liu W.Equid alphaherpesvirus type 8 (EHV-8) is a contagious pathogen that causes reproductive disorders, respiratory diseases, and viral encephalitis in equids, resulting in significant economic losses for the global horse and donkey industries. Currently, there are no approved antiviral drugs or vaccines available for EHV-8 control. In this study, we investigated the antiviral efficacy of celastrol against EHV-8 both in vitro and in vivo. Our results demonstrated that celastrol significantly inhibited EHV-8 infection in Rabbit kidney (RK-13) and equine dermal cells (NBL-6) in a dose-dependent manne...
Drespling J, Berwanger L, Kühn H, Schwarz B, Doherr M, Mundhenk L.Mucus parameters are hallmark diagnostic features of equine asthma (EA). Objective: To investigate the relationship between mucus quantity score and mucus viscosity score with signalment, history, clinical findings and cytological parameters. Methods: Retrospective cross-sectional study. Methods: Mucus quantity and viscosity scores, signalment, history and clinical findings recorded for diagnostic purposes from up to 1599 samples, and cytological values of the corresponding bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and tracheobronchial secretions were analysed. The cut-off value of a mucus quantity ...
Iduu NV, Raiford D, Cohen ND, Landrock KK, Wang C.We developed a fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET)-based real-time PCR (qPCR) assay coupled with high-resolution melting (HRM) analysis to differentiate subsp. (SEE) from subsp. (SEZ), two closely related equine pathogens with distinct clinical implications. The assay targets a region of the 23S rRNA gene containing single-nucleotide polymorphisms that differentiate the subspecies. By combining subspecies-specific probes with melting temperature () analysis, the assay accurately distinguished SEE, SEZ, and mixed infections without the need for post-PCR processing. The entire work...
Bampidis V, Azimonti G, Bastos ML, Christensen H, Durjava M, Kouba M, López-Alonso M, López Puente S, Marcon F, Mayo B, Pechová A, Petkova M....Following a request from the European Commission, EFSA was asked to deliver a scientific opinion on the safety and efficacy of an essential oil obtained from the fruit of L. (celery seed oil), when used as a sensory additive in feed and water for drinking for all animal species. The EFSA Panel on Additives and Products or Substances used in Animal Feed (FEEDAP) Panel concluded that the use of celery seed oil is of no concern up to the following concentrations in complete feed: 1.6 mg/kg for chickens for fattening, 2.3 mg/kg for laying hens, 2.1 mg/kg for turkeys for fattening, 2.8 mg/kg for p...
Sun J, Xu X, Gao S, Pan Q, Liu Z, Huang Y, Lian Y.Prevotella heparinolytica is a Gram-negative bacterium that is commonly found in the oral, intestinal, and urinary tracts. It has been extensively studied in lower respiratory tract infections in horses, which has heparinolytic activity and can secrete heparinase and further induces virulence factors in cells and causes disease. However, no such cases have been reported in humans. Methods: A 58-year-old male patient from China presented to the respiratory clinic in Suzhou with a productive cough producing white sputum for 20 days and fever for 3 days. Prior to this visit, a chest computed to...
Chhabra D, Nagra J, Manuja A, Singha HS, Vaid RK, Goutam U, Kumar B. poses a significant threat to equine health globally. The bacteria causes strangles, a respiratory disease characterized by enlarged, abscessed lymph nodes, leading to airway obstruction. The bacterium, a Gram-positive, chain-forming, Lancefield group C β-hemolytic , is closely related to and distinction between these species is challenging. The present study focused on characterization of isolates from horses in northern India, aiming at elucidation of their sugar fermentation patterns. Nasal and nasopharyngeal swabs collected from different geographical regions of northern India, yieldin...
Gonzalez-Obando J, Zuluaga-Cabrera A, Moreno I, Úsuga J, Ciuderis K, Forero JE, Diaz A, Rojas-Arbeláez C, Hernández-Ortiz JP, Ruiz-Saenz J.Equine influenza is a viral disease caused by the equine influenza virus (EIV), and according to the WOAH, it is mandatory to report these infections. In Latin America and Colombia, EIV risk factors have not been analyzed. The objective of this research is to perform an epidemiological and molecular analysis of the EIV in horses with respiratory symptoms from 2020 to 2023 in Colombia. Molecular EIV detection was performed using RT-qPCR and nanopore sequencing. A risk analysis was also performed via the GEE method. A total of 188 equines with EIV respiratory symptoms were recruited. The positiv...
Tong P, Yang E, Liu B, Tian S, Suo Y, Pan J, Dang Y, Palidan N, Jia C, Kuang L, Xie J.Varicellovirus equidalpha1 (formerly Equid alphaherpesvirus 1, EqAHV-1) is among the most important viruses responsible for respiratory disease outbreaks among horses throughout the world. No reports to date have detailed the association between EqAHV-1 and respiratory disease among horses in China. This study described one such outbreak among a population of horses in north Xinjiang that occurred from April 2021 - May 2023. Results: qPCR revealed that EqAHV-1 was detectable in all samples and this virus was identified as a possible source of respiratory disease, although a limited subset of t...
Equine influenza (EI) is a highly contagious viral disease of equids characterized by pyrexia and respiratory signs. Like other influenza A viruses, antigenic drift or shift could lead to a vaccine-induced immunity breakdown if vaccine strains are not updated. The aim of this study was to genetically characterize EIV strains circulating in Italy, detected in PCR-positive samples collected from suspected cases, especially in the absence of formal active surveillance. Methods: Between February and April 2019, blood samples and nasal swabs collected from each of the 20 symptomatic horses from Nor...
Hickman E, Carberry V, Carberry C, Cooper B, Mordant AL, Mills A, Sokolsky M, Herring LE, Alexis NE, Rebuli ME, Jaspers I, Sheats K, Rager JE.Growing evidence supports the importance of extracellular vesicle (EV) as mediators of communication in pathological processes, including those underlying respiratory disease. However, establishing methods for isolating and characterizing EVs remains challenging, particularly for respiratory samples. This study set out to address this challenge by comparing different EV isolation methods and evaluating their impacts on EV yield, markers of purity, and proteomic signatures, utilizing equine/horse bronchoalveolar lavage samples. Horses can serve as effective translational animal models for respi...
Pradhan SS, Balena V, Bera BC, Anand T, Khetmalis R, Madhwal A, Kandasamy S, Pavulraj S, Bernela M, Mor P, Tripathi BN, Virmani N.Equine herpesvirus type 1 (EHV1) is a ubiquitous viral pathogen infecting the equine population worldwide. EHV1 infection causes respiratory illness, abortion, neonatal foal mortality, and myeloencephalopathy. The currently available modified live EHV1 vaccines have safety and efficacy limitations. The two mutant EHV1 viruses (vToH-DMV (∆IR6/gE) and vToH-QMV (∆IR6/UL43/gE/UL56)), generated by the deletion of genes responsible for virulence (gE and IR6) and immunosuppression (uL43 and uL56), have been previously characterized by our group and found to generate good immune responses. The pre...
Onasanya AE, El-Hage C, Diaz-Méndez A, Vaz PK, Legione AR, Devlin JM, Hartley CA.Equid gammaherpesvirus 5 (EHV5) is closely related to equid gammaherpesvirus 2 (EHV2). Detection of EHV5 is frequent in horse populations worldwide, but it is often without a clear and significant clinical impact. Infection in horses can often present as subclinical disease; however, it has been associated with respiratory disease, including equine multinodular pulmonary fibrosis (EMPF). Genetic heterogeneity within small regions of the EHV5 glycoprotein B (gB) sequences have been reported and multiple genotypes of this virus have been identified within individual horses, but full genome seque...
Loubière C, Moreau P, Marine R, Hélie P, Jean D.The objectives of this study were to quantify lymphocytes and eosinophils in the mucosa of the duodenum and rectum in asthmatic horses. Asthmatic horses were evaluated in a symptomatic (after 6 weeks of exposure to moldy hay) and asymptomatic status (3 and 7 months after being fed alfalfa pellets [n = 4] or treated with inhaled fluticasone [6]). Duodenal and rectal biopsies were endoscopically (n = 4 to 6) taken in each horse. Eosinophils were counted on slides stained with hematoxylin, eosin, phloxine, and saffron, and immunohistochemistry was used to evaluate T and B lymphocytes using CD3 an...
