Serology in horse research involves the study and analysis of blood serum to detect the presence of antibodies or antigens associated with infectious diseases and other health conditions. It is a diagnostic tool used to identify immune responses to pathogens, vaccination status, and exposure to specific diseases. Serological tests in equine research can include enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA), complement fixation tests, and virus neutralization tests. These tests help in understanding the epidemiology of diseases, monitoring herd health, and informing vaccination strategies. This page compiles peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the methodologies, applications, and implications of serological testing in equine medicine.
Mackowski M, Kajdasz A, Laskowska K, Cieslak J.Although serological and genetic studies of equine blood group systems have been conducted for many years, the molecular basis of erythrocyte antigens' variability has remained largely unexplored. In this study, we aimed to elucidate the genetic basis of serological variation within equine blood group K. Using mRNA extracted from peripheral blood samples (n = 100) collected from horses with known serological blood types (Ka or K-), we performed a transcriptome-wide association study (TWAS), which revealed a significantly associated region on equine chromosome 2 (ECA2). A detailed analysis ...
Acevedo-Jiménez GE, Morales-González C, Akbarin MM, Rodríguez-Murillo C, González-Fernández VD, Avila-De la Vega LM, García-Flores MM....Equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV) is a globally significant equine pathogen, and its control relies on effective serological surveillance. The agar gel immunodiffusion (AGID) test, the WOAH-prescribed method, has limitations in sensitivity. This study developed and validated an indirect ELISA using a synthetic peptide derived from a conserved region of the EIAV gp90 surface glycoprotein. The assay was evaluated using 773 horse sera from the Metropolitan Zone of the Valley of Mexico and compared to the AGID test. The gp90-EIAV ELISA demonstrated a sensitivity of 85.3 % and a specificity o...
Cardoso TL, Wozeak DR, Pereira IL, da Silva Ribeiro LD, Rodrigues RO, Hartwig DD.Leptospirosis is a globally distributed zoonosis that affects both humans and animals, with being the main causative agent. In horses, the disease is associated with considerable economic losses. The Microscopic Agglutination Test (MAT) is the reference test for diagnosis but has limitations, emphasizing the need for effective diagnostic alternatives. In this study, was evaluated the use of a recombinant chimera, composed of ErpY-like and LemA proteins, as an antigen for ELISA-based detection of equine leptospirosis. The chimera was successfully expressed, purified and tested on 915 horse ser...
Motta D, Aymée L, Roussouliéres I, Di Azevedo MIN, Jacob JCF, Lilenbaum W.Leptospirosis is a zoonotic disease caused by spirochetes of the genus Leptospira. Equine genital leptospirosis (EGL) has been described as a chronic and silent syndrome, presenting reproductive alterations such as abortion, stillbirth, placentitis, embryonic loss, repeat breeding syndrome, and subfertility. This study aimed to investigate the genital Leptospira infection in naturally infected mares with poor reproductive performance, as well as to genetically characterize the agents. A total of 41 mares with a history of poor reproductive performance were selected. Sera were collected for ser...
Pettersson J, Levanov L, Tervo S, Hautala K, Aaltonen K, Utriainen M, Kareinen L, Gadd T, Sironen T, Vapalahti O, Kinnunen PM.Parapoxviruses (PPV) cause skin and mucous membrane signs to several animal species and humans worldwide. Equine parapoxvirus (EqPPV) was first detected in a sick horse in Finland in 2013. It is potentially zoonotic, and a similar virus has been detected in humans in the USA. In winter 2021–2022, EqPPV caused a large-scale pastern dermatitis epidemic in racehorses all over Finland. Field reports suggest that similar epidemics of unverified cause have also occurred in 2015 and 2019. The aim of this study was to develop a serological test and study the immune response, seroprevalence, and hist...
Ganbaatar O, Batbaatar V, Kimura T, Ganzorig S, Tseren-Ochir EO, Suzuki Y, Takai S.ELISA antibody titers against Rhodococcus equi strain ATCC 6939 were measured in serum samples collected from 644 horses aged 1-21 years at 13 provinces and the capital of Mongolia, of which 631 (98%) samples showed values of approximately zero. The mean antibody titers in the 14 areas ranged from -0.08 to -0.01. Nine samples (1.4%) exhibited titers of 0.1-0.2, and surprisingly, four horses (0.6%) each aged 2, 5, 8, and 9 years demonstrated positive values in the range of 0.3-0.8. Considering the age resistance characteristic of this disease, the positive horses were hypothesized to exhibit no...
Beniwal N, Lal B, Mithina S, Verma CK, Kumar S, Phagna V, Jakhar K, Sonar S, Gupta V, Singh R, Kumar N, Tan CW, Thachamvally R, Singha H, Murzello K....Rabies is a neglected tropical zoonotic disease caused by rabies-virus (RV) infection and is responsible for almost 60,000 annual deaths globally, largely affecting the socio-economically disadvantaged population. Although fatality is preventable by immunization either before or after exposure with therapeutic antibodies, the high cost of prophylaxis or treatment limits their accessibility for the affected population. However, due to the almost 100% fatality rate in symptomatic individuals, almost 29 million annual vaccinations are performed, imposing high financial burden. Human transmission ...
Murillo A, Lebrero ME, Valdés M, Ramos J, Villanueva-Saz S, Davies JE, Gómez Á, Pérez E, Riera C, Marteles-Aragüés D.Equine leishmaniosis, caused by Leishmania infantum and transmitted by infected sand flies, has been increasingly reported in Europe, although clinical and immunological data remain scarce. We describe a 10-year-old mare from southern Spain presenting with periocular nodular lesions. Histopathology and immunohistochemistry confirmed granulomatous dermatitis with intrahistiocytic Leishmania amastigotes. Additionally, Leishmania infantum DNA was detected in paraffin embedded skin biopsy. Following surgical removal of the lesions, sequential serological monitoring using enzyme-linked immunosorben...
Cyathostomins and Anoplocephala perfoliata infect equids worldwide and both are of concern due to their potential to cause clinical disease. Although coprological techniques are commonly used for assessing helminth egg shedding these do not provide information about an individual's total parasite burden. Antibody-based tests provide information on infection levels within individuals. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate cyathostomin and Anoplocephala perfoliata occurrence in Italian horses using coprological and serum-based antibody detection methods and to analyse risk factors for infectio...
Rask E, Righetti F, Ruiz A, Bjerketorp J, Frosth S, Frykberg L, Jacobsson K, Guss B, Flock JI, Henriques-Normark B, Hartman E, Gustafsson A....Infection of susceptible horses with subspecies (), the causative agent of strangles, is associated with commingling. Exposure may occur among horses at equestrian events, sales, or horses moved among different equine stabling environments. Strangles can affect all horses on a farm, leading to the death of up to 10% of cases depending on their immunity status at the time of infection, the development of complications, the success of biosecurity measures, and the use of vaccination. The current retrospective study used ELISAs to measure the exposure of horses to at a farm that experienced an...
Gonzálvez M, Franco JJ, Cano-Terriza D, Barbero-Moyano J, Jose-Cunilleras E, García J, Alguacil E, García-Bocanegra I.Equine Infectious Anemia (EIA) is a notifiable disease caused by Equine Infectious Anemia Virus (EIAV), with major sanitary and economic importance for equids worldwide. There is limited and outdated information on the circulation of EIAV in many European countries. In the present study, we aimed to assess virus exposure in different equid species in Western Europe. Methods: Between 2011 and 2023, a cross-sectional study was conducted to investigate the seroprevalence of EIAV in 1676 equids (1444 horses, 106 donkeys and 126 mules/hinnies) from four European regions: Andalusia (Southern Spain; ...
Costa VMD, de Aguiar Filho RN, Braz GF, Paz CFR, Drumond BP, Teixeira BM, Kroon EG.Equine infectious anemia (EIA) is a chronic disease caused by the equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV), a member of the Retroviridae family and the Lentivirus genus. Most infected animals are asymptomatic carriers, which makes clinical diagnosis challenging. This study aimed to conduct a clinical and laboratory evaluation of EIA in equids used for equestrian tourism in Jericoacoara National Park, Ceará, Brazil. A total of 112 equids (104 horses and 8 mules) underwent clinical, hematological, biochemical, serological, and molecular assessments. The EIAV seropositivity rates were 11.6% by AGID...
Clark KF, Lemcke RA, Gasiorowski JC, Wagner B.Lyme arthritis, a well-documented subtype of arthritis in humans and dogs, is caused by Borrelia burgdorferi and spread primarily through ticks (Ixodes spp.). While Lyme disease in horses is known to cause a variety of clinical signs, its involvement in the development of equine arthritis is controversial. As climate change enables tick populations to expand, more horses could be exposed to B. burgdorferi; therefore, a greater understanding of how Lyme disease affects joints is critical to preserving soundness. Objective: To determine if systemic, naturally occurring Lyme disease had a discern...
Gröndahl G, Righetti F, Aspán A, Bjerketorp J, Frosth S, Frykberg L, Jacobsson K, Guss B, Paillot R, Flock JI, Henriques-Normark B, Waller AS.Strangles, caused by Streptococcus equi subspecies equi (S. equi), is a prevalent infectious disease of horses. This is the first report on the use of a new vaccine, Strangvac, in a natural outbreak of strangles. Objective: To measure the effects of Strangvac vaccination during an outbreak of strangles at a Swedish farm. Methods: Longitudinal cohort study. Methods: Healthy horses (n = 17) were vaccinated on day 0, which occurred 23 days after strangles was first confirmed in three unvaccinated horses on the same farm. Blood serum samples were collected on day 0, day 28 and day 489. A com...
Silva-Ramos CR, Niño Rodríguez JA, Gil-Mora J, Betancourt-Ruiz P, Martínez-Díaz HC, Forero-Becerra E, Matiz-González JM, Bolaños E, Olaya-M LA....Babesia species are tick-borne protozoan parasites which affect several animal species. Babesia spp. infections are significantly important for veterinary medicine, affecting a wide range of domestic animal species such as dogs, cattle, and horses. In Colombia, studies of Babesia spp. infections in domestic animals are scarce. Thus, the aim of the present study was to explore the circulation of these parasites among domestic canines, bovines and equines from the department of Cauca. Methods: Between August and November, 2017, active domestic animal sampling of cattle was performed in eight rur...
de Oliveira UV, Waap H, Gomes J, da Silva AN, Lacerda LC, da Silva Oliveira Costa T, de Sousa Lima T, Schares G, Pinheiro AM, Gondim LFP, Munhoz AD.The study aimed to assess the prevalence of horses reactive to Sarcocystis neurona, Neospora caninum, and Besnoitia besnoiti in horses from the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Sera reactivity was tested by the Immunofluorescent Antibody Test (IFAT) in 354 equids sampled at slaughter, using a cut-off of 1:80 for S. neurona and 1:50 for N. caninum and B. besnoiti. Detection of N. caninum was attempted by PCR and bioassay in gerbils (Meriones unguiculatus) using brain samples collected from seropositive horses. Sera from 158 horses (44.63 %) (158/354; CI: 39.54-49.84 %) reacted to S. neuron...
This study presents the first investigation of West Nile virus (WNV) seroprevalence among farmed horses in Kazakhstan. In 2024, a total of 368 serum samples were collected from horses across 106 settlements in 10 regions of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), antibodies to WNV were detected in 32 horses (8.7%; 95% CI: 6.2-12.0%) from six regions. Among the seropositive animals, 26 (81.25%) were females and 6 (18.75%) were males, ranging in age from 1 to 19 years. No statistically significant association between sex and the presence of antibodies to W...
Zhang Y, Zheng J, Zhang H, Lin Y, Wang Y, Ma Z, Wei J, Zhou B, Zhong D.Getah virus (GETV), Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV), West Nile virus (WNV), and African horse sickness virus (AHSV) are mosquito-borne viruses threatening the health of racehorses. However, the systematic surveillance of these viruses among Shanghai racehorses remains lacking. Therefore, molecular and serological surveillance was conducted for these viruses in racehorses and mosquitoes at horse farms in Shanghai, China, during 2022 to assess their prevalence. Among 11,140 mosquitoes collected from seven farms across four districts, and were identified as the dominant species. RT-qPCR detec...
Mota RA, Silito IS, Martins MP, Oliveira PRF, Melo RPB, Vieira da Silva V, Jorge FR, Martins TF, Labruna MB.Tick-borne diseases are among the most widespread vector-borne infections, including zoonoses caused by bacterial and protozoal microorganisms. This study consisted of a serosurvey for Rickettsia spp. in 270 horses from 11 farms in the coastal region of Pernambuco, Brazil. Through the indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA) based on antigens of five Rickettsia species, 164 (60.7%) horses were seroreactive to Rickettsia spp., with seroreactivity among farms ranging from 10 to 100%. Through molecular analysis, all 270 horse blood DNA samples tested negative by PCR assays targeting Anaplasmatacea...
Kouadria W, Poder SL, van Maanen K, Seuberlich T, Dawson KLD, Zientara S, Laabassi F.Viral diseases cause significant economic losses within the equine population. Horses are susceptible to equine coronavirus (ECoV) and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), although only ECoV has been associated to clinical disease. The aim of this study was to investigate, for the first time in Algeria, the seroprevalence of ECoV and SARS-CoV-2 antibodies and the prevalence of ECoV infection in horses. In 2022, a total of 299 serum samples was collected from horses aged 1 to 27 years. Serological analysis for the presence of ECoV and SARS-CoV-2 was performed using a va...
McLinden LA, Kemp-Symonds JG, Daly JM, Blanchard AM, Waller AS, Freeman SL.Infection with Streptococcus equi subspecies equi (S. equi) is characterised by acute disease, with about 10% of infected animals remaining persistently infected. Clinically, infection with S. equi cannot readily be distinguished from infection caused by other respiratory pathogens, including Streptococcus equi subspecies zooepidemicus (S. zooepidemicus), equine influenza virus, and equine herpes virus. Screening protocols, with appropriate quarantining facilities, are important to detect horses infected with S. equi and avoid strangles outbreaks. Virulent strains of S. zooepidemicus can also ...
Rimayanti R, Khairullah AR, Mustofa I, Utomo B, Lestari TD, Utama S, Akintunde AO, Mulyati S, Hernawati T, Dawood AQ, Riady G, Khan IU, Rasad SD.... is a protozoan parasite that causes the sexually transmitted disease known as "dourine" in horses. This chronic illness is directly spread from one animal to another during mating. Doflein proposed the name in 1901. Despite being distributed worldwide, the broad use of artificial insemination technology over the past three decades has resulted in only a few cases being documented. The condition is typically fatal and is characterized by gradual emaciation, nervous system involvement, and edematous lesions of the genitals. The incubation period between exposure and the onset of clinical sympt...
Djellouli M, Eddaikra N, Beneldjouzi A, Benikhlef R, Ghimire R, Wilkins M, Lafri I.Cutaneous leishmaniosis remains a major public health concern in Algeria, predominantly affecting humans and dogs. However, the role of other animal hosts, particularly equids, in the transmission cycle remains underexplored. This cross-sectional study presents the first systematic investigation of Leishmania spp. exposure and infection in equids, along with associated environmental and host factors, from southeastern Algeria, El Oued Wilaya, the third most affected region for human cutaneous leishmaniasis in the country. A total of 122 equids from eight communes were clinically examined and t...
Angwin CJ, de Assis Rocha I, Reed SM, Morrow JK, Graves A, Howe DK.Equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM) caused by Sarcocystis neurona is one of the most important neurological diseases of horses in the Americas. While seroprevalence of S. neurona in horses is high, clinical manifestation of EPM occurs in less than 1 % of infected horses. Antemortem diagnosis has proven challenging as serum antibodies against S. neurona are an indicator of infection but not necessarily disease. Factors governing the occurrence of EPM are largely unknown, although horse immunity might contribute to EPM pathogenesis. Immunoglobulin G is the predominant antibody class in eq...
Carey KJ, Smith I, Hartley CA, Bailey KE, McIntosh K, Broder CC, Gilkerson JR.Hendra virus (HeV) is a high consequence pathogen that causes severe respiratory and/or neurological disease in both horses and humans with high mortality. The equine vaccine, Equivac® HeV, is a recombinant soluble version of the G glycoprotein of HeV (HeV-sG) that elicits a potent HeV-neutralising antibody response in adult horses and also provides indirect protection for humans. Maternally derived HeV-G specific antibodies could interfere with subsequent foal vaccination, although other factors such as foal age and the suitability of vaccination protocols that have been optimised for adult ...
Falsini A, Coppola C, Fiori A, Buonavoglia D, Marchi S, Montomoli E, Pellegrini F, Lanave G, Martella V, Camero M, Trombetta CM.Influenza D virus (IDV), belonging to the family, was first discovered in 2011 in pigs. Surveys in humans and animals have been carried out to decipher IDV ecology. In this seroepidemiological study, we investigated the circulation of IDV lineages across Italy in livestock and wildlife animals. A total of 1038 animal serum samples (from 246 bovines, 249 swine, 98 equines, and 445 wild boars) were tested using hemagglutination inhibition and virus neutralization assays. The results confirm bovines as the primary reservoir for IDV, with high seroprevalence for both D/660 (87%) and D/OK (80%) st...
Azócar-Aedo L, Meniconi G, Pino-Olguín C, Gallardo M.At a veterinary hospital in southern Chile, we conducted an epidemiological study involving domestic dogs, cats, and horses to determine the seropositivity for pathogenic spp., identify the infecting serogroups, measure antibody titers, and characterize seropositive animals by sex and age. None of the sampled animals showed clinical signs of leptospirosis. The microscopic agglutination test, using a panel of eight serogroups, was used for diagnosis. The seropositivity was 36.5% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 24.5-48.4) in dogs, 12.9% (95% CI = 2.6-23.1) in cats, and 45.2% (95% CI = 30.1-60.2...
Kronenberg PA, Fouché N, Sekiya M, Liechti P, Frey CF, Mulcahy G, Eichenberger RM.Fasciola hepatica is a common trematode parasite of livestock in many regions, causing significant economic losses and affecting animal welfare. Horses rarely develop patent liver fluke infection. However, liver damage can affect animal health and welfare. Therefore, F. hepatica infection in horses may be underreported. Recently, a serological test for the antibody detection has been reported based on recombinant parasite cathepsin L1 (FhCL1) protease. Here, we optimized this enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for antibody-detection in horses with equine fasciolosis based on recombinant...
Valderrama-Martinez C, Packham A, Smith W, Mendoza-Flores JE, Zheng S, Chigerwe M, Plancarte M, Aleman M.Long-term freezing storage can alter the stability of proteins, thereby compromising accurate determination of indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT) titers that support the diagnosis of equine protozoal myeloencephalitis. Objective: Assess the effect of long-term storage at -80°C on IFAT against S. neurona and N. hughesi in equine serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Methods: Paired serum and CSF (n = 46), and serum only (n = 25) samples. Methods: Prospective study of samples stored 6-12, 13-18, and 19-24 months. Comparing antibody titers across time points, McNemar and Wilcoxon...
Dubey JP, Desmonts G.SEROLOGICAL and parasitological surveys indicate that Toxoplasma gondii infection is widely prevalent in horses (Riemann et a! 1975). To study the pathogenesis of orally-induced toxoplasmosis, 13 equids aged between Aix months and 13 years (nine ponies, three horses and one mule) were each inoculated orally with 10,000 oocysts of the GT-I strain of TRondii. The equids were killed 33 to 476 days after inoculation and their tissues were bioassaycd for T gondit (Dubey 1985). Details of inoculation, housing, clinical response and parasitological and histological findings were previously reported (...
Burbelo PD, Dubovi EJ, Simmonds P, Medina JL, Henriquez JA, Mishra N, Wagner J, Tokarz R, Cullen JM, Iadarola MJ, Rice CM, Lipkin WI, Kapoor A.Genetic and biological characterization of new hepaciviruses infecting animals contributes to our understanding of the ultimate origins of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in humans and dramatically enhances our ability to study its pathogenesis using tractable animal models. Animal homologs of HCV include a recently discovered canine hepacivirus (CHV) and GB virus B (GBV-B), both viruses with largely undetermined natural host ranges. Here we used a versatile serology-based approach to determine the natural host of the only known nonprimate hepacivirus (NPHV), CHV, which is also the closest p...
Drexler JF, Corman VM, Müller MA, Lukashev AN, Gmyl A, Coutard B, Adam A, Ritz D, Leijten LM, van Riel D, Kallies R, Klose SM, Gloza-Rausch F....Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is among the most relevant causes of liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Research is complicated by a lack of accessible small animal models. The systematic investigation of viruses of small mammals could guide efforts to establish such models, while providing insight into viral evolutionary biology. We have assembled the so-far largest collection of small-mammal samples from around the world, qualified to be screened for bloodborne viruses, including sera and organs from 4,770 rodents (41 species); and sera from 2,939 bats (51 species). Three highly divergent...
O'Sullivan JD, Allworth AM, Paterson DL, Snow TM, Boots R, Gleeson LJ, Gould AR, Hyatt AD, Bradfield J.In September, 1994, an outbreak of severe respiratory disease affected 18 horses, their trainer, and a stablehand in Queensland, Australia. Fourteen horses and one human being died. A novel virus was isolated from those affected and named equine morbillivirus (EMV). We report a case of encephalitis caused by this virus. Results: A 35-year-old man from Queensland had a brief aseptic meningitic illness in August, 1994, shortly after caring for two horses that died from EMV infection and then assisting at their necropsies. He then suffered severe encephalitis 13 months later, characterised by unc...
Williamson MM, Hooper PT, Selleck PW, Gleeson LJ, Daniels PW, Westbury HA, Murray PK.To determine the infectivity and transmissibility of Hendra virus (HeV). Methods: A disease transmission study using fruit bats, horses and cats. Methods: Eight grey-headed fruit bats (Pteropus poliocephalus) were inoculated and housed in contact with three uninfected bats and two uninfected horses. In a second experiment, four horses were inoculated by subcutaneous injection and intranasal inoculation and housed in contact with three uninfected horses and six uninfected cats. In a third experiment, 12 cats were inoculated and housed in contact with three uninfected horses. Two surviving horse...
Komar N, Clark GG.West Nile virus (Flavivirus: Flaviviridae; WNV) has spread rapidly throughout the Caribbean Basin since its initial detection there in 2001. This report summarizes our current knowledge of WNV transmission in tropical America. Methods: We reviewed the published literature and consulted with key public health officials to obtain unpublished data. Results: West Nile virus infections first appeared in human residents of the Cayman Islands and the Florida Keys in 2001, and in apparently healthy Jamaican birds sampled early in 2002. Serologic evidence of WNV infection in 2002 was detected in horses...
Boyle AG, Timoney JF, Newton JR, Hines MT, Waller AS, Buchanan BR.This consensus statement update reflects our current published knowledge and opinion about clinical signs, pathogenesis, epidemiology, treatment, complications, and control of strangles. This updated statement emphasizes varying presentations in the context of existing underlying immunity and carrier states of strangles in the transmission of disease. The statement redefines the "gold standard" for detection of possible infection and reviews the new technologies available in polymerase chain reaction diagnosis and serology and their use in outbreak control and prevention. We reiterate the impo...
Nedland H, Wollman J, Sreenivasan C, Quast M, Singrey A, Fawcett L, Christopher-Hennings J, Nelson E, Kaushik RS, Wang D, Li F.Influenza D virus (IDV) is a newly described influenza type of the Orthomyxoviridae virus family that was first isolated from diseased swine in 2011 and has subsequently been detected in cattle around the world in 2014. In addition, serological evidence for IDV infection in humans has been recently established. Despite all the progress, the full range of susceptible hosts for this novel virus has yet to be determined, but includes swine, bovine, small ruminants and human. This study was designed to determine if equine is a possible host to this newly emerging influenza virus. Three hundred and...
Dauphin G, Zientara S.West Nile virus (WNV) is a mosquito-borne flavivirus, native to Africa, Europe, and Western Asia. In many respects, WNV is an outstanding example of a zoonotic pathogen that has leaped geographical barriers and can cause severe disease in human and horse. Before the emergence of WNV in the USA, only few methods of diagnosis were available. Recently, many changes in the fields of WN diagnosis and prevention have happened. This paper will review all these new tools. After a description of the main concerns in WNV and West Nile (WN) disease in humans and animals, this review will present the main...
Pauvolid-Corrêa A, Campos Z, Juliano R, Velez J, Nogueira RM, Komar N.A recent study reported neutralizing antibodies to West Nile virus (WNV) in horses from four ranches of southern Pantanal. To extend that study, a serosurvey for WNV and 11 Brazilian flaviviruses was conducted with 760 equines, 238 sheep and 61 caimans from 17 local cattle ranches. Among the tested equines, 32 were collected from a ranch where a neurologic disorder outbreak had been recently reported. The sera were initially screened by using a blocking ELISA and then titrated by 90% plaque-reduction neutralization test (PRNT90) for 12 flaviviruses. Employing the criterion of 4-fold greater ti...
Cheevers WP, McGuire TC.Equine infectious anemia (EIA) is a chronic, relapsing infectious disease of horses caused by a nononcogenic retrovirus. Virus persists in infected animals for life and can be reliably detected by serologic tests that measure levels of antibody to the major structural protein of the virus. Periodic virus replication in macrophages leads to an immunologically mediated acute disease characterized primarily by severe anemia. Recrudescence of acute EIA is the result of antigenic variation of the surface glycoprotein of EIA virus. The frequency and severity of clinical episodes of EIA decrease in m...
Horta MC, Labruna MB, Pinter A, Linardi PM, Schumaker TT.This study investigated rickettsial infection in animals, humans, ticks, and fleas collected in five areas of the state of São Paulo. Eight flea species (Adoratopsylla antiquorum antiquorum, Ctenocephalides felis felis, Polygenis atopus, Polygenis rimatus, Polygenis roberti roberti, Polygenis tripus, Rhopalopsyllus lugubris, and Rhopalopsyllus lutzi lutzi), and five tick species (Amblyomma aureolatum, Amblyomma cajennense, Amblyomma dubitatum, Ixodes loricatus, and Rhipicephalus sanguineus) were collected from dogs, cats, and opossums. Rickettsia felis was the only rickettsia found infecting ...
Cantile C, Di Guardo G, Eleni C, Arispici M.West Nile (WN) virus infection is a mosquito-borne flavivirosis endemic in Africa and Asia. Clinical disease is usually rare and mild and only in a few cases the infection causes encephalomyelitis in horses, fever and meningoencephalitis in man. We report here the clinical and pathological findings in an epidemic of the disease involving 14 horses from Tuscany, Italy. All cases were observed from August to October 1998. Affected horses showed ataxia, weakness paresis of the hindlimbs and, in 6 cases, there was paraparesis progressing to tetraplegia and recumbency within 2 to 9 days. Eight anim...
Durand B, Haskouri H, Lowenski S, Vachiery N, Beck C, Lecollinet S.A serosurvey of 349 military working horses and 231 military working dogs was conducted in ten sites in Morocco in 2012. This survey revealed a high level of exposure of these animals to flaviviruses: seroprevalence rates of 60% in horses and of 62% in dogs were observed using a competitive West Nile virus (WNV) enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (cELISA). Seroneutralization test results showed that the majority of cELISA-positive results were due to exposure to WNV. Further assays conducted in vaccinated horses with a DIVA (Differentiating Infected from Vaccinated Animals) test indicated that ...
Divers TJ, Tennant BC, Kumar A, McDonough S, Cullen J, Bhuva N, Jain K, Chauhan LS, Scheel TKH, Lipkin WI, Laverack M, Trivedi S, Srinivasa S....Equine serum hepatitis (i.e., Theiler's disease) is a serious and often life-threatening disease of unknown etiology that affects horses. A horse in Nebraska, USA, with serum hepatitis died 65 days after treatment with equine-origin tetanus antitoxin. We identified an unknown parvovirus in serum and liver of the dead horse and in the administered antitoxin. The equine parvovirus-hepatitis (EqPV-H) shares <50% protein identity with its phylogenetic relatives of the genus Copiparvovirus. Next, we experimentally infected 2 horses using a tetanus antitoxin contaminated with EqPV-H. Viremia develop...
Beck C, Desprès P, Paulous S, Vanhomwegen J, Lowenski S, Nowotny N, Durand B, Garnier A, Blaise-Boisseau S, Guitton E, Yamanaka T, Zientara S....West Nile virus (WNV), Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV), and tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) are flaviviruses responsible for severe neuroinvasive infections in humans and horses. The confirmation of flavivirus infections is mostly based on rapid serological tests such as enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs). These tests suffer from poor specificity, mainly due to antigenic cross-reactivity among flavivirus members. Robust diagnosis therefore needs to be validated through virus neutralisation tests (VNTs) which are time-consuming and require BSL3 facilities. The flavivirus envelop...
Tagliabue S, Figarolli BM, D'Incau M, Foschi G, Gennero MS, Giordani R, Giordani R, Natale A, Papa P, Ponti N, Scaltrito D, Spadari L, Vesco G....Nowadays, leptospirosis is a re‑emerging widespread infectious disease often underestimate worldwide. The National Reference Centre for Leptospirosis (NRCL), at the Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell'Emilia Romagna, Brescia (Italy), with the cooperation of all the other Istituti Zooprofilattici Sperimentali (IIZZSS), evaluated the distribution of such important zoonosis in Italy. Serological data obtained between 2010‑2011 by each laboratory were collected by the NRCL and discussed. Serum samples collected from 43,935 animal specimens were analysed by the Microsco...
Melnick JL, Rennick V, Hampil B, Schmidt NJ, Ho HH.This paper describes the preparation of 8 dried pools (designated A to H) of sera. Each pool is composed of 10 or 11 of 42 individual enterovirus equine sera and contains 500 antibody units of each serum component per 0.1 ml. Procedures for using the antiserum pools are given, and guidance is provided for interpreting the results of serum neutralization tests in identifying field isolates.
de la Fuente J, Torina A, Caracappa S, Tumino G, Furlá R, Almazán C, Kocan KM.Although Anaplasma marginale was known to be endemic in Italy, the diversity of Anaplasma spp. from this area have not been characterized. In this study, the prevalence of Anaplasma spp. antibodies in randomly selected farm animals collected on the island of Sicily was determined by use of a MSP5 cELISA for Anaplasma spp. and an immunofluorescence test specific for Anaplasma phagocytophilum. Genetic variation among strains of Anaplasma spp. from animals and ticks was characterized using the A. marginale msp1alpha and the Anaplasma spp. msp4 genes. Eight species of ticks were collected and test...
Brüning A.Two haemoprotozoan parasites, Babesia caballi and Babesia equi, can cause equine piroplasmosis. Due to the presence of potential tick vectors in areas so far unaffected by equine babesias, import and export regulations often require the serum testing of animals for evidence of infection. Although the complement fixation test (CFT) has been recommended for detecting the presence of antibodies to Babesia spp., it has been demonstrated to have several disadvantages, including false-positive results and low sensitivity for detecting latent infections. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) m...
Hornig M, Briese T, Licinio J, Khabbaz RF, Altshuler LL, Potkin SG, Schwemmle M, Siemetzki U, Mintz J, Honkavuori K, Kraemer HC, Egan MF, Whybrow PC....In 1983, reports of antibodies in subjects with major depressive disorder (MDD) to an as-yet uncharacterized infectious agent associated with meningoencephalitis in horses and sheep led to molecular cloning of the genome of a novel, negative-stranded neurotropic virus, Borna disease virus (BDV). This advance has enabled the development of new diagnostic assays, including in situ hybridization, PCR and serology based on recombinant proteins. Since these assays were first implemented in 1990, more than 80 studies have reported an association between BDV and a wide range of human illnesses that i...
Zoonoses and public healthDecember 23, 2009
Volume 57, Issue 3 211-219 doi: 10.1111/j.1863-2378.2009.01303.x
Calistri P, Giovannini A, Savini G, Monaco F, Bonfanti L, Ceolin C, Terregino C, Tamba M, Cordioli P, Lelli R.After 10 years, West Nile virus (WNV) re-emerged in Italy in August 2008. As on 31 December 2008, the infection affected eight Provinces in three Regions (Emilia Romagna, Veneto, Lombardy), where a total of 794 cases of WNV infection in 251 equine stables were detected on the basis of the clinical signs and as a result of a serological screening in horses living in the area. Only 4.0% (32/794) of the serologically positive animals showed clinical signs, and the 32 clinical cases were reported in 18 different farms. The observed case-fatality rate was 15.6% (5/32). The confirmed clinical cases ...
Hamond C, Martins G, Loureiro AP, Pestana C, Lawson-Ferreira R, Medeiros MA, Lilenbaum W.The aim of the present study was to consider the wide usage of urinary PCR as an increasingly useful tool for an accurate diagnosis of leptospirosis in livestock. A total of 512 adult animals (300 cattle, 138 horses, 59 goats and 15 pigs), from herds/flocks with reproductive problems in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil was studied by serology and urinary PCR. From the 512 serum samples tested, 223 (43.5 %) were seroreactive (cattle: 45.6 %, horses: 41.3 %, goats: 34%and pigs: 60 %). PCR detected leptospiral DNA in 32.4 % (cattle: 21.6 %, horses: 36.2 %, goats: 77.4 % and pigs: 33.3 %. To our knowledge t...
Blitvich BJ, Fernandez-Salas I, Contreras-Cordero JF, Marlenee NL, Gonzalez-Rojas JI, Komar N, Gubler DJ, Calisher CH, Beaty BJ.Serum samples were obtained from 24 horses in the State of Coahuila, Mexico, in December 2002. Antibodies to West Nile virus were detected by epitope-blocking enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and confirmed by plaque reduction neutralization test in 15 (62.5%) horses. We report the first West Nile virus activity in northern Mexico.
Angelini P, Tamba M, Finarelli AC, Bellini R, Albieri A, Bonilauri P, Cavrini F, Dottori M, Gaibani P, Martini E, Mattivi A, Pierro AM, Rugna G....Following a large West Nile virus (WNV) epidemic in northeastern Italy in 2008, human and animal surveillance activities were implemented in Emilia Romagna. Human surveillance was performed by serology or genome detection on blood and cerebrospinal fluid for all suspected cases suffering from acute meningoencephalitis in the regional territory. Animal surveillance consisted of passive and active surveillance of horses and active surveillance of wild birds and mosquitoes. Between 15 June and 31 October 2009, nine of 78 possible cases of West Nile neuroinvasive disease were confirmed (three fata...
Figuerola J, Jiménez-Clavero MÁ, Ruíz-López MJ, Llorente F, Ruiz S, Hoefer A, Aguilera-Sepúlveda P, Jiménez-Peñuela J, García-Ruiz O....Reports of West Nile virus (WNV) associated disease in humans were scarce in Spain until summer 2020, when 77 cases were reported, eight fatal. Most cases occurred next to the Guadalquivir River in the Sevillian villages of Puebla del Río and Coria del Río. Detection of WNV disease in humans was preceded by a large increase in the abundance of in the neighbourhood of the villages where most human cases occurred. The first WNV infected mosquitoes were captured approximately one month before the detection of the first human cases. Overall, 33 positive pools of and one pool of were found. Se...
Lyons S, Kapoor A, Schneider BS, Wolfe ND, Culshaw G, Corcoran B, Durham AE, Burden F, McGorum BC, Simmonds P.Non-primate hepacivirus (NPHV), equine pegivirus (EPgV) and Theiler's disease associated virus (TDAV) are newly discovered members of two genera in the Flaviviridae family, Hepacivirus and Pegivirus respectively, that include human hepatitis C virus (HCV) and human pegivirus (HPgV). To investigate their epidemiology, persistence and clinical features of infection, large cohorts of horses and other mammalian species were screened for NPHV, EPgV and TDAV viraemia and for past exposure through serological assays for NPHV and EPgV-specific antibodies. NPHV antibodies were detected in 43% of 328 ho...
Vasconcelos PF, Da Rosa JF, Da Rosa AP, Dégallier N, Pinheiro Fde P, Sá Filho GC.An overview of ecological, epidemiological and clinical findings of potential arthropod-borne encephalitis viruses circulating in the Amazon Region of Brazil are discussed. These viruses are the Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE), Western Equine Encephalitis (WEE), St. Louis Encephalitis (SLE), Mucambo (MUC) and Pixuna (PIX). These last two are subtypes (III and IV) of Venezuelan Equine Encephalitis virus. The areas of study were the highways and projects of development, as well as places where outbreaks of human diseases caused by arboviruses had been detected. These viruses are widespread in ...
