Veterinary research in horses encompasses the study of diseases, health management, and medical treatments specific to equine species. This field investigates various aspects of horse health, including infectious diseases, metabolic disorders, and musculoskeletal conditions. Researchers focus on understanding the pathophysiology of equine ailments, developing diagnostic tools, and evaluating therapeutic interventions. The study of horse health also involves examining preventive measures such as vaccination protocols and nutritional management to promote overall well-being. This page collects peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the diverse areas of veterinary science related to horses, providing insights into disease mechanisms, treatment strategies, and advancements in equine healthcare.
Priester VC, Knickelbein KE.To investigate the effects of atropine on the iridocorneal angle (ICA) and ciliary cleft (CC) of normal equine eyes using ultrasound biomicroscopy (UBM). Unassigned: 12 normal adult horses underwent measurement of intraocular pressure (IOP), vertical and horizontal pupil diameter, and UBM of the superior, temporal, inferior, and nasal ICA/CC in both eyes. Measurements were repeated 2 hours following ophthalmic atropine 1% solution application. Measurements of the ICA and CC, including pectinate ligament distance (PLD), CC length (CCL), height of opening distance (HOD), CC area (CCA), and pecti...
Faghihzadeh Gorji F, Sadr S, Borji H.Understanding the epidemiology of gastrointestinal (GI) helminth infections in equines is critical for investigating drug resistance patterns and developing effective strategies to control and prevent these infections. There is a lack of data regarding horse GI helminths and risk factors in the north and northeast of Iran. Hence, the present study aimed to identify GI helminths in horses in these regions and determine their risk factors. A total of 340 fecal specimens from horses of north ( = 141) and northeast ( = 199) Iran were coprologically examined for GI helminth infections. The poly...
Gluck-Flynn CR, Han H, Valenzuela M, Routh P, Ostland VE, Pratt-Phillips SE.Hepcidin (Hepc) is a peptide hormone primarily produced by hepatocytes and considered the master regulator of iron homeostasis, with Hepc controlling the release of iron within the circulation. Despite the renewed interest in iron-related research due to Hepc discovery, there is limited data on serum hepcidin in horses. The objective of the study was to develop and partially validate a competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to quantify serum hepcidin in horses. Precision was evaluated using horse serum samples representing low, medium and high Hepc concentrations, yielding intra...
Armstrong D.The tick Hyalomma marginatum is expanding its geographical range, reinforcing the need for surveillance and control to prevent the emergence of tickborne equine disease. Daniel Armstrong, policy adviser for exotic animal diseases at Defra, explains more.
Riet-Correa F, Micheloud JF, Machado M, Mendonça FS, Schild AL, Uzal FA, Lemos RAA.The objective of this paper is to review the information on toxic plants for ruminants and horses in South America, a continent in which there are 237 plants known to be toxic for livestock. Predisposing factors for plant toxicity include parts or vegetative state of the plants consumed, sprouting after rains, toxic dose, social facilitation, palatability, hunger, thirst, naivete, ingestion period, susceptibility/resistance, transportation, climatic alterations, and environmental degradation. Toxic plants can be forage or non-forage species. The latter can be invasive plants from other regions...
Carvalho RPR, Silva KDP, Ramirez-Lopez CJ, Guimarães-Ervilha LO, Lima TI, Teixeira-Soares CM, de Azevedo Viana AG, Ribeiro IM, Morais-Santos M....Infertility is a global concern in both humans and domestic animals, with male factors accounting for nearly half of all cases. Among male reproductive structures, the efferent ductules play a crucial but understudied role in fertility. These tubules connect the testis to the epididymis and are primarily responsible for luminal fluid reabsorption, a process essential for sperm concentration, maturation, and transport. This study aimed to provide a comparative morphological and histological characterization of the efferent ductules in four species-rats, bulls, stallions, and boars-focusing on r...
Stokes JE, Labuschagne K, Fèvre EM, Baylis M.In recent decades there has been a huge increase in the export of cut flowers from countries in Africa and elsewhere to European flower markets, with the vast majority first entering the Netherlands for local use or for export. Coincidentally, three significant livestock disease outbreaks caused by viruses associated with Africa or other tropical regions were first detected in the Netherlands (bluetongue virus serotype 8 (BTV-8), 2006, and BTV-3, 2023) and in western Germany about 200 km from the Netherlands border (Schmallenberg virus, SBV, 2011). This study aimed to determine whether Culic...
Coletta M, Zingale GA, De Simone G, De Sanctis G, Quadrotta V, Polticelli F, Ascenzi P.Mini-myoglobin (mini-HH-Mb) is a proteolytic fragment of horse heart myoglobin (HH-Mb) comprising residues 32-139, grossly corresponding to the central exon of the HH-Mb gene, which encodes residues 31-105. Unlike HH-Mb, which displays a single exponential for both CO association and CO dissociation kinetics, mini-HH-Mb shows a biphasic kinetic behavior for both processes, indicating the presence of at least two distinct conformations which are in a very slow (or no) equilibrium with each other. Between pH 2 and 12, CO association to both species of mini-HH-Mb shows two proton-linked transiti...
Ma W, Gao L, Wu X, Zhong L, Huang X, Yang R, Wu H, Zhu L, Ma W, Peng L, Li B, Song J, Luo S, Bao F, Liu A.Both Borrelia burgdorferi (Bb) and Anaplasma phagocytophilum (Ap) can infect humans and animals through tick-borne transmission, resulting in zoonosis. Under certain conditions, human infection can lead to Lyme disease (LD) and human granulocytosis (HGA), whereas infection in animals can cause various acute and non-specific symptoms. The combination of Bb and Ap has been reported to increase the disease severity in infected animals. In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we investigated the global diversity of Bb and Ap coinfection in animals and their prevalence and distribution regardi...
Gernhardt J, Reuter T, Mählmann K, Schulze N, Lischer CJ.To compare the feasibility and biomechanical stability of two surgical techniques for fixation of vertical plane fractures of the accessory carpal bone (ACB). Methods: Randomized experimental ex vivo study. Methods: Eight equine accessory carpal bones were included in a control group. A total of 20 equine cadaveric forelimbs were randomly assigned into two groups (n = 10 per group). Methods: Vertical plane fractures were created palmar to the extensor sulcus using an oscillating saw. In Group 1 (CS), fractures were stabilized with two 4.5 mm cortical screws in lag fashion. In Group 2 (XP...
Zu Klampen E, Neufeld G, Klein C.With increasing age, mares are frequently affected by endometrial fibrosis. Transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-β1) promotes fibrosis, while milk fat globule EGF and factor V/VIII domain containing (MFGE8) primarily exerts antifibrotic effects. We used in situ hybridization analysis (ISH) to investigate MFGE8, TGFB1 and its downstream effectors cellular communication network factor 2 (CCN2) and transgelin (TAGLN) in equine endometrial fibrosis. Additionally, transcriptional effects of TGF-β1 and MFGE8 on equine endometrial fibroblasts in vitro were investigated by single cell sequencing. ...
Kozak S, Merda D, Duquesne F, Breuil MF, Mawhinney I, Petry S.In 2018, a T. asinigenitalis strain (MCE663) was isolated in a Persian onager tested for contagious equine metritis (CEM) in a United Kingdom (UK) zoo. This bacterium had never been reported in the UK and Multilocus Sequence Typing described a new atypically divergent ST (ST60). Although the causative agent of CEM is the bacterium Taylorella equigenitalis, a first natural outbreak of endometritis caused by T. asinigenitalis ST70 was reported in 2019, putting its pathogenic potential into question. In this context, we aimed to further sequence the T. asinigenitalis MCE663 genome and characteriz...
Castelain D, Bokma J, Pas ML, Verbanck S, Paepe D, Pardon B, Boyen F.Accurate diagnosis of bloodstream infections is crucial for survival and antimicrobial de-escalation in veterinary medicine. Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry enables faster identification of bacteria in BSIs. This study aimed to compare diagnostic accuracy of two Sepsityper methods (Rapid Sepsityper and Sepsityper Extraction) with conventional culture method for bacterial identification in clinical samples. Mean time-to-positivity and frequency of bacteria in BSIs were also determined. This diagnostic test study used bloodstream infection samples fro...
Schüler MA, Daniel R, Poehlein A.We provide the complete genome of a non-toxigenic strain isolated from horse feces. The strain represents a sub-cluster in the cryptic clade C-III. The genome consists of one chromosome (4,144,784 bp) and one plasmid (10,144 bp) and encodes 3,798 putative genes.
Brown JE, Noormohammadi AH, Courtman NF.Commercially available D-dimer assays use antibodies against human D-dimer, with limited sensitivity and specificity data in companion animals. Objective: To evaluate the immunoreactivity of D-dimer in plasma of dogs, horses, and cats with commercially available antibodies to human D-dimer. Methods: Plasma samples were collected from healthy dogs and horses, and from surplus feline plasma submitted for diagnostic purposes. Methods: Descriptive research study. A cross-linked fibrin lysate was prepared from plasma samples, and SDS-PAGE and immunoblotting were performed with a variety of commerci...
Zahradnik E, Nöllenheidt C, Sander I, Beine A, Lehnert M, Hoffmeyer F, Raulf M.The AllergoVet study longitudinally examines the influence of animal exposure on the development of sensitization and allergic diseases among veterinary medicine students. In this group, contact to animals usually existed long before the study began. Therefore, the aim of this analysis was to investigate lifelong animal species-specific exposure and the prevalence of sensitizations and allergic symptoms already existing before the start of the study. Questionnaire data, including exposure history, were summarized to determine the duration and intensity of animal-related exposure as well as the...
Steel R.Hyaluronic acid (HA) has been commonly used to treat osteoarthritis and joint injuries in horses and dogs since the 1970s. HA is a polysaccharide made up of alternating N-acetyl-d-glucosamine and d-glucuronic acid residues, with polymeric molecules achieving molecular weights as high as 20 MDa. High molecular weight HA forms a viscous hydrogel when dissolved in water, making HA solutions distinct from most other pharmaceutical preparations. Clear viscous solutions are often encountered during stable and kennel inspections, but in the absence of an analytical method, it is not possible to ide...
Yang HW, Hu T, Ait-Ali T.Lawsonia intracellularis is the etiological agent of proliferative enteropathy (PE) in pigs, horses and wide range of mammals. Little is known about the role of innate immune response during L. intracellularis infection. In this study, we investigated the nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB)-regulated immune response against infection of a clinical strain Dkp23 and a live-attenuated Enterisol vaccine strain in PK-15 cells. We found that expression of NF-κB target genes TNF-α, IFN-γ, IL-6 and IL-8 were modulated during the course of infection. At 5 dpi, there was a significant increase in p65 NF-κB ...
Rouby S, Ewies S.Bovine papillomatosis is an infectious viral disease of cattle characterized by development of benign cutaneous warts. The present study describes bovine papillomavirus infection in cattle on clinco-pathological and molecular bases and compares the identified strains with the previously characterized papillomavirus isolates in Egypt either of bovine or equine origin. Out of sixty examined cattle, skin lesions were collected from eleven clinically diseased cattle exhibiting typical papillomatosis clinical signs and subjected to histopathological and molecular identification. Histological sectio...
Kumar B, Brahmbhatt NN, Thakre B, Maharana BR, Parmar VL, Kumar M.Haemoparasitic diseases constitute a significant constraint to economic livestock farming. Diagnostic techniques that are inexpensive, rapid, reliable, and precise are crucial for the management of diseases. In this context, PCR assays are very valuable yet expensive since the samples must be processed before being included in the PCR reaction. Accordingly, the goal of the current study was to lower the PCR costs without jeopardizing the assay's sensitivity and specificity. For that purpose, the alkaline solution was optimized for low cost and quick DNA extraction (blood lysate), and PCR reage...
Aydin A, Sudagidan M, Abdramanov A, Yurt MNZ, Mamatova Z, Ozalp VC.Domestic horses could be bred for leisure activities and meat production, as is already the case in many countries. Horse meat is consumed in various countries, including Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, and with the increase in this consumption, horses are registered as livestock by the Food and Agricultural Organization. In this study, horse meat microbiota of horse samples ( = 56; 32 samples from Kazakhstan and 24 samples from Kyrgyzstan) from two countries, Kazakhstan ( = 3) and Kyrgyzstan ( = 1), were investigated for the first time by next-generation sequencing and metabarcoding analysis. The ...
Ouchetati I, Khelifi Touhami NA, Bouasla I, Ouchene N.Toxoplasma gondii is one of the world's most widespread polyxenic protozoan parasites that affect all warm-blooded animals, including humans. This survey aims to study, for the first time in Algeria, the seroprevalence of Toxoplasma infection in zoo animals. The study included eight animal species of which 54 serum samples were collected from 30 Australian goats (Capra hircus), four bulls (Bos taurus), one dromedary (Camelus dromedarius), three cuffed sheep (Ammotragus lervia), seven donkeys (Equus asinus), one pony (Equus ferus), four bearded horses (Equus ferus caballus) and four rabbits (Or...
Sánchez A, Durán G, Cerdas M, Gutiérrez J, Segura Á, Herrera M, Vargas M, Sánchez A, Sánchez P, Solano G, Villalta M, Moscoso E, Umaña D....Recent research suggests that a polygeneric immunogen made from the venoms of the most medically important viperid and elapid snakes in sub-Saharan Africa could elicit a broader antibody response in horses compared to the current EchiTAb-plus-ICP antivenom, especially against neurotoxic elapid venoms. To test this, 25 horses that have been regularly immunized to produce this antivenom were reimmunized with an immunogen containing 22 venoms from various snake species from the genera , , , and both spitting and non-spitting . The plasma collected from these horses was processed using the capryli...
Villa RE, Azimonti G, Bonos E, Christensen H, Durjava M, Dusemund B, Gehring R, Glandorf B, Kouba M, López-Alonso M, Marcon F, Nebbia C, Pechová A....Following a request from the European Commission, EFSA was asked to deliver a scientific opinion on the safety and efficacy of an essential oil from the flowering tops of (L.) Cav. (Spanish type origanum oil) when used as a sensory additive in feed and in water for drinking for all animal species. The EFSA Panel on Additives and Products or Substances used in Animal Feed (FEEDAP) concluded that the additive under assessment is considered safe up to the maximum use level in complete feed of 15 mg/kg for poultry species, 30 mg/kg for pigs and horses, 20 mg/kg for ruminants, 25 mg/kg for rabbits...
Amirkhani A, Karami-Mohajeri S, Heidari MR, Amirheidari B, Mandegary A, Hosseininejad-Chafi M, Khalili-Salmasi M, Tavangarroosta S....Scorpion envenomation, especially from Hemiscorpius lepturus, poses a significant health risk, leading to considerable morbidity and mortality. The venom's major toxin, which includes phospholipase D (PLD), is responsible for various systemic complications. In prior studies, we identified a native phospholipase D (PLD) toxin as a key lethal factor in the venom of H. lepturus. A recombinant PLD that retained its toxicity was developed and designated as PLD1. Additionally, a non-toxic and devoid of lethal effects mutant form of the recombinant PLD1 protein, was produced and named as mPLD1. Build...
Fernandes CM, Prestes AS, Ianiski LB, Maciel AF, Noro BG, da Silva FD, Vizzotto BS, Botton SA, Schumacher RF, Pereira DIB, Barbosa NV.Pythiosis, caused by Pythium insidiosum, is an infectious and non-transmissible disease affecting horses, dogs, and humans, with no effective drug treatment available. Triazoles are compounds of interest for their potential pharmacological properties against fungi and bacteria. In this study, we synthesized three new triazole compounds (C1, C2, and C3) to assess their in vitro activities against P. insidiosum and their safety on human leukocytes. Susceptibility testing was performed against P. insidiosum isolates (n = 15) to determine the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum ...
Villa RE, Azimonti G, Bonos E, Christensen H, Durjava M, Dusemund B, Gehring R, Glandorf B, Kouba M, López-Alonso M, Marcon F, Nebbia C, Pechová A....Following a request from the European Commission, EFSA was asked to deliver a scientific opinion on the safety and efficacy of patchouli oil from the leaves of Benth. (patchouli oil) when used as a sensory additive in feed and in water for drinking for all animal species. The EFSA Panel on Additives and Products or Substances used in Animal Feed (FEEDAP) concluded that the additive under assessment is safe up to the maximum use level in complete feed of 7.5 mg/kg for chickens for fattening, laying hens, turkeys for fattening, pigs for fattening, horses, salmonids, shrimps, rabbits, dogs, cats...
Martin G, Tyson GH, Guag J, Strain E, Ceric O.Klebsiella spp. is an important human and animal pathogen, and it is commonly found with resistance to clinically important antimicrobials worldwide. The main goals of this study were to determine the prevalence of antimicrobial resistance genes in our study population and to assess the relatedness between Klebsiella spp. isolated from humans and animals. Isolates were collected in 2019 and 2020 from various animal hosts that presented to veterinary hospitals in the U.S. that participate in the FDA's Center for Veterinary Medicine Veterinary Laboratory Investigation and Response Network's anti...
