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.
Bolesławska-Szubartowska J, Kucharczuk M, Skrabska A, Zbysław A, Adamowicz J, Alszko A, Domagalska-Stomska K, Durska M, Dziekcierów A....Pain after giving birth is commonly observed in horses, yet there has not been a specific tool developed for assessing this pain in postpartum mares. The goal was to adapt existing equine pain scales and to preliminarily validate a practical pain scale for use by veterinarians and caregivers after foaling. Methods: The pain scale was developed by adapting items from other pain scales, including established orthopedic and colic equine pain scales, and incorporating caregiver feedback. The final scale includes eight areas for assessing pain: behavior, facial expressions, vital signs, udder exami...
Brito G, Damián JP, Trigo P, Ruprechter G.The Raid Hípico Uruguayo (RHU) is the oldest equestrian endurance sport in Uruguay. A high percentage of horses fail to complete RHU rides. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate whether weather conditions (comfort index [CI]), horse experience, and ride distance affect horse performance (finishing ride [FR] or nonfinishing ride [NFR]) in the RHU. An additional objective was to determine whether finishing the ride affects the hematological and biochemical parameters of the horses. This study involved 17 RHU rides over distances of 60-90 km and 284 horses. Blood samples were tak...
Gugole PM, Zannoni A, Iacono E, Merlo B.Cryopreservation of equine mature oocytes remains a major challenge in assisted reproduction, mainly due to the limited availability of material and logistical constraints requiring a holding phase. To address these issues, this study evaluated whether naloxone (NX), an opioid receptor antagonist with reported antioxidant properties, could improve vitrification outcomes and whether bovine oocytes could serve as a suitable preliminary and supportive model. Two experiments were conducted. In experiment 1, immature (bGV) and mature (bMII) bovine oocytes were vitrified without (VIT) or with NX (VI...
Barber C, McGlennon A, Whitlock F, Grewar J, Spalding S, Newton R, Dewé T.Charlotte Barber, Abigail McGlennon, Fleur Whitlock, John Grewar, Sophie Spalding, Richard Newton and Tamsin Dewé introduce a new government-funded initiative to strengthen the surveillance of antimicrobial resistance in the equine sector.
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...
Damasceno KFA, Mouta AN, Alves LSA, Arcoverde KN, Aragão HR, Cavalcante JM, Veras de Paula V.Remifentanil and xylazine are used as continuous infusions to facilitate standing surgery in horses. Their use for this purpose has not been reported in donkeys. Objective: To evaluate the behavioural, sedative, and cardiorespiratory effects of continuous intravenous infusion of remifentanil and xylazine in donkeys. Methods: Non-blinded in vivo experiments. Methods: Ten donkeys were sedated with an intravenous bolus of xylazine (0.8 mg/kg). After 3 min, continuous infusions of xylazine (0.65 mg/kg/h) and remifentanil (6 μg/kg/h) were administered for 60 min. Cardiorespiratory physio...
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...
Fouché N, Howard J, Gerber V, Billmann P, Farinha do Sul M, Christen G, Bruckmaier R, Philipona C, Schmutz NB, Gross J.β-endorphin, a proopiomelanocortin (POMC)-derived peptide secreted by pars intermedia melanotropes, may play a significant but underexplored role in pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID) pathophysiology and diagnosis. This study aimed to (1) validate a commercially available human β-endorphin enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit for equine samples, and (2) compare β-endorphin concentrations between horses with PPID and healthy controls. Assay validation included the generation of standard curves using purified synthetic equine β-endorphin and human β-endorphin standards, w...
Teysen S, Demey W, Menzies R, Staszyk C, Birkhed D, Lundström T.The injection of a local anaesthetic into the periodontal ligament (PDL) to achieve desensitisation of the pulp, periodontium, and adjacent tissues is a well-established technique in human dentistry, particularly in paediatric patients. This approach, commonly referred to as intraligamental or intraligamentary anaesthesia (ILA), has been widely adopted due to its effectiveness and relative simplicity. The aims of the present publication were: (1) to provide a review of the literature, (2) to describe an ILA technique adapted by the authors for use in equine dentistry, and (3) to evaluate this ...
Profaska M, Zarzycka M, Dubniewicz K, Witkowski M, Wieczorek J, Gil D, Wafula S, Lanh DK, Kotula-Balak M.Mare endometrosis remains a poorly understood pathological process. Objective: Mare endometrial tissue with endometrosis was used to determine the effects of relaxin (RLX). Healthy tissues that were left untreated (H), or treated with vehicle (Hveh), and tissues with endometrosis that were left untreated (E), treated with vehicle (Eveh), and treated with RLX (10, 25, 50 nM; ER) were used for an ex vivo system for 72 h. Methods: Tissue histological examination, and immunoenzymatic measurement of the concentrations of transforming growth factor β (TGF-β), interleukins (IL-6 and IL-8), and pr...
Sabzpoosh M, Hoveizi E, Gooraninejad S.This study aimed to extract and isolate endometrial stromal cells from Arabian mares and investigate their growth and differentiation potential. Endometrial biopsies were obtained from three healthy 6-year-old Arabian mares using a standardized, minimally invasive protocol. The isolated cells were characterized using flow cytometry and differentiation analysis. Flow cytometry revealed mesenchymal markers CD90 (95.2%) and CD105 (97.4%) and hematopoietic markers CD34 (1.17%) and CD45 (0.339%). The cells exhibited differentiation potential into adipocytes, osteoblasts, and chondrocytes. The findi...
Morales J, Ruano MJ, Tena-Tomás C, van Schalkwyk A, Loundras EA, Valero-Lorenzo M, López-Herranz A, Romito M, Batten C, Villalba R, Agüero M.African horse sickness (AHS) is a disease affecting equids caused by the AHS virus (AHSV). The World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) includes AHS as a notifiable disease and, upon detection within the European Union, immediate control and eradication measures are mandated. Thus, validated diagnostic methods for rapid AHSV detection are essential. The Agüero 2008 and Guthrie 2013 rRT-PCR methods have been widely validated for detection of any AHSV strain and are included as reference rRT-PCRs in the WOAH manual. However, the WOAH Reference Laboratory for AHS in the Republic of South Afri...
Sivagurunathan R, Senathirajah ARBS, Sivagurunathan L, Arokiasamy L, Qazi S, Haque R, Su Y.This study explores how equine-assisted leadership development (EALD) interventions activate experiential processes that reshape leaders' self-concept, relational schemas, and behaviors. A conceptual model is proposed to explain how non-verbal interaction with horses catalyzes transformational learning. Unassigned: A qualitative exploratory design was employed to examine leaders' experiences over 12 months following reintegration into their workplaces. Eight leaders ( = 8) attended a 5-day EALD program, engaging in "join-up" exercises with horses. Data were analyzed through reflexive the...
Conn KL.Equid alphaherpesvirus 1 (EHV1) is a DNA virus that causes severe disease in equids. Some strains are neurotropic and cause disease in the central nervous system, whereas others are non-neurotropic and can cause negative reproductive outcomes. Mechanisms governing EHV1 pathotype are not understood. However, EHV1 pathotypes have different infection efficiencies and replication kinetics in various cell types. They are also differentially susceptible to epigenetic inhibitors. Aside from this observation little is known about EHV1 chromatin or how its regulation influences infection. To build know...
Da Silva-Álvarez E, Martín-Cano FE, Alonso JM, Becerro-Rey L, Zabalo-Palomo C, Gil MC, Peña FJ, Ortega-Ferrusola C.This study aims to characterize and compare the uterine fluid proteome and cytokine profile of reproductively healthy mares (HM; n = 15) and mares with Streptococcus equi subsp. zooepidemicus (S. zooepidemicus)-associated endometritis (SAE; n = 9). Uterine flush samples collected during the follicular phase were analyzed by shotgun proteomics and multiplex cytokine assays. Equine proteins were mapped to human orthologs, and enrichment and network analyses were performed using g:Profiler, Metascape, ToppGene, and STRING/MCODE. SAE mares showed higher levels of IL-1α, IL-1β, GRO, IL12p...
Mańkowska A, Dobraczyńska BM, Szewczak J, Chodup Z, Radzanowski B, Matychyn I, Witkowska D.Cultivated carrot ( subsp. ) is a valuable component of equine diets due to its high β-carotene content (a precursor of vitamin A) and desirable sensory properties. However, its use may be limited by short shelf life, susceptibility to spoilage, and firm texture, which can be challenging for horses with dental problems. This study aimed to evaluate horses' preferences for different physical forms of carrots. Twenty-one leisure horses aged 3-22 years were individually evaluated in a free-choice test. Each horse was simultaneously offered equal portions (150 g) of five carrot forms: raw, grated...
Marković L, Vićić I, Lazarević Macanović M, Francuski Andrić J, Kovačević Filipović M, Radaković M.Working horses often develop distinct patterns of joint degeneration, yet research in this population remains limited. This study aimed to characterize degenerative changes in the metacarpophalangeal (MCP) and metatarsophalangeal (MTP) joints of Serbian Mountain Horses using computed tomography (CT) and to explore their associations with synovial fluid (SF) biomarkers. A cross-sectional analysis was conducted on 32 MCP/MTP joints from eight clinically sound horses. Postmortem, joints underwent CT imaging, and SF samples were analyzed for viscosity, protein content, total nucleated cell count (...
Jula CA, Davis JL, McKenzie HC, Council-Troche M.To describe the pharmacokinetics of a single dose of pimobendan (Vetmedin) in healthy adult horses and provide preliminary evidence of the absorption of 2 compounded pimobendan formulations. Unassigned: From August 2022 through November 2022, 6 healthy adult horses were administered a single dose of 0.5 mg/kg pimobendan orally. A subset of 2 horses was also administered pimobendan, compounded as an oil-based suspension and a capsule formulation. Plasma was collected at times 0, 15, 30, and 45 minutes and 1, 2, 4, 8, 12, and 24 hours after administration. The plasma concentrations of pimobendan...
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...
Rhodes AD, McCoy AM, Stewart MC, Gutierrez-Nibeyro SD.To evaluate postoperative racing performance of a population of Standardbred racehorses following arthroscopic removal of an osteochondrosis dissecans (OCD) lesion of the femoropatellar joint. Methods: Retrospective study. Methods: A total of 45 client-owned Standardbred racehorses. Methods: OCD lesions were measured and graded using the length of the subchondral bone defect from preoperative radiographs. Postoperative racing results were obtained from the United States Trotting Association, and follow-up owner surveys were conducted. A control group of contemporaneous paternal siblings free o...
Stachurska A, Wnuk E, Łuszczyński J, Donderowicz W.Correct conformation and symmetry of bilateral hooves are associated with a properly balanced hoof, which has a significant impact on the biomechanics of movement and reduces the risk of injury. The aim of the study was to compare solear aspect dimensions of bilateral hooves in forelimbs (hoof width, length, frog width, length, medial and lateral diagonals) with regard to sex, breed and age of horses. The dimensions were measured with a calliper in 100 horses of four breeds. The results showed that the breed factor significantly affected all dimensions. Age was significant for some variables, ...
Rossi GAM, Sellera FP, Ferraz CM, Carvalho RS, Oliveira APL, Marques CA, Fávaro EBR, Rosa RDS, Silva LAM, Cardozo MV, Stehling EG, Furlan JPR. Infections caused by antimicrobial-resistant bacteria are difficult to treat and increase the risk of death in animals. This report describes a fatal case of diarrhea in a horse that, despite intensive treatment including surgery and broad-spectrum antimicrobials (ceftiofur and amikacin), experienced a worsening of its condition and subsequent death. A fecal swab sample was subjected to microbiological culture for the identification of bacteria and assessment of their phenotypical antimicrobial susceptibility profiles using the disk-diffusion and broth microdilution methods. The double-disk ...
Stokes C, Natalini CC, Wills R, Eddy A, Mochal-King C, O'Shea C, Fontenot RL.To evaluate the analgesic properties and adverse effects of liposomal bupivacaine administered via caudal epidural in horses. Methods: Pharmacodynamic study. Methods: A total of 10 healthy adult horses. Methods: Liposomal bupivacaine (10 mL; 1.3%) was administered into the caudal epidural space via an indwelling epidural catheter inserted to a length of 15 cm. Mechanical nociceptive threshold (MNT) testing with pressure algometry was used to measure analgesia at four anatomic locations for 72 h following injection. Physical examinations (including rectal temperature, heart rate, respirat...
Alexeenko V, Anchan DS, Ter Woort F, Ribonnet C, van Erck E, Marr C, Jeevaratnam K.Non-linear equine electrocardiography (ECG) analysis is an actively developing study area which has the potential to lead to novel, artificial intelligence-based diagnostic tools in equine cardiology. As more ECG recording devices are becoming available, there is a need to ensure results are interchangeable regardless of the equipment used to record the equine ECG. Objective: To evaluate the agreement of ECG complexity values obtained using the Televet™ and Equimetre™ systems. Methods: Cross-sectional clinical. Methods: ECGs were recorded using two devices simultaneously from 37 healthy Th...
Martin-Pelaez S, Orsolini M, Verstraete M, de la Fuente A, Takahashi K, Meyers S, Dini P.Equine in vitro embryo production (IVP) offers a valuable opportunity to enhance the efficient utilization of genetically and economically valuable horses. In cases of subfertility, sudden death, emergency euthanasia, or limited sperm availability, IVP becomes the only viable option to produce offspring. Due to steadily improving success rates, IVP has become one of the most sought-after assisted reproductive techniques. The rising global demand has created a clear need for veterinarians and stallion owners to provide IVP-suitable sperm, where the selection of intact sperm for intracytoplasmic...
Hellige M, Schröder C, Seehusen F, Rohn K, Geburek F.Computed tomographic myelography (CTM) is diagnostic for extradural spinal cord compression but knowledge about vertebral ratios from transverse images in flexion and normal position of unaffected horses is lacking. Objective: To compare the ratios of the cross-sectional areas (CSAs) of the spinal cord, the vertebral canal and of the contrast enhanced dural tube on transverse CTM images at C3-C4 in neutral and flexed positions in unaffected Warmbloods. Methods: CTM was performed in 13 neurologically unaffected Warmbloods in neutral and flexed cervical vertebral column positions. Ratios were ca...
West Nile Virus (WNV) is a mosquito-borne zoonosis with recurrent equine and human cases in Romania. Horses, although dead-end hosts, act as sentinels for local viral circulation. Farm-level risk conditions remain under-characterized. This pilot, exploratory cross-sectional study assessed 42 equine facilities in western Romania (2024). A standardized 10-item checklist was applied and a Composite Environmental Risk Score (CERS) (0-10, unweighted) was computed per facility. Spatial analysis in QGIS included distances to nearby water bodies. No serological or entomological data were collected; th...
De Ridder T, Aerts P, MacLaren JA.Equid evolution is characterized by a high diversity of extinct species and morphologies, whereas extant equids share a superficially similar, monodactyl morphology. This inferred musculoskeletal similarity of modern equid limbs remains unexplored, and it is often assumed that domestic horse limbs are representative for wild equids (e.g., zebras, onagers, etc.). Our aim was to quantitatively describe the muscle architecture and arrangement of all forelimb muscles in extant wild Equus species to test this assumption, and investigate any differences between the species. We hypothesized that ther...
McCrae P, Spong H, Moorehead J, Pearson W.A smart textile device has been developed for the recording of electrocardiograms (ECGs) in horses; however, the utility of this device for long-duration heart rate variability (HRV) monitoring and detection of physiological arrhythmias is unknown. Therefore, the objective of this study was to validate a smart textile device for HRV over long durations (6 h) in resting horses. ECGs were recorded simultaneously via the Myant Skiin Equine textile device and a reference device (Televet 100) in 12 horses. ECGs were evaluated by a blinded observer for arrhythmias, and HRV metrics were calculated. ...
Jacobs ME, Blea J, Hardy M, McKemie DS, Traynham M, Knych HK.The racehorse industry has strict regulations regarding the detection of prohibited substances in horses. Metformin, a diabetes medication, is a prohibited substance that has been reported in post-race blood and urine samples collected from racehorses. For further characterization of the disposition of metformin, 12 Thoroughbred horses were administered metformin orally and intravenously in a randomized, balanced, two-way crossover design. Serum and urine samples were collected, and drug concentrations determined via liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. The serum data were analyzed ...
Bowen RA, Nemeth NM.West Nile virus emerged recently in North America as a serious human and animal pathogen. This review summarizes the use of experimental infections with West Nile virus in diverse vertebrate species that have been used to answer fundamental questions about the host response, pathogenesis of West Nile virus infection and virus evolution. Results: West Nile virus has an extremely broad vertebrate host range. Infection of common species of birds has defined those with high vs. low potential to serve as amplifying hosts for the virus. In general, mammals (primates, horses, companion animals) are d...
Carter CA, Jolly DG, Worden CE, Hendren DG, Kane CJ.Nonhealing wounds of the lower equine limb represent a challenging model. The platelet is a natural source of a myriad of growth factors and cytokines that promote wound healing. This study evaluates the potential of platelet derived factors to enhance wound healing in the lower equine limb. Platelets were isolated from horse blood and activated with thrombin, a process known to induce growth factor release. This produced a platelet gel composed of platelet-rich plasma (PRP). To test this all-natural wound healant, 2.5-cm(2) full thickness cutaneous wounds were created below the knee and hock ...
Seguin JC, Walker RD, Caron JP, Kloos WE, George CG, Hollis RJ, Jones RN, Pfaller MA.During a 13-month period, 11 equine patients visiting a veterinary teaching hospital for various diagnostic and surgical procedures developed postprocedural infections from which methicillin (oxacillin)-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains were isolated. The S. aureus isolates were identified by conventional methods that included Gram staining, tests for colonial morphology, tests for clumping factor, and tests for coagulase and urease activities and were also tested with the API STAPH IDENT system. Antimicrobial susceptibility tests were performed by the disk diffusion method. The b...
Lindenberg F, Krych L, Fielden J, Kot W, Frøkiær H, van Galen G, Nielsen DS, Hansen AK.Billions of bacteria inhabit the gastrointestinal tract. Immune-microbial cross talk is responsible for immunological homeostasis, and symbiotic microbial species induce regulatory immunity, which helps to control the inflammation levels. In this study we aimed to identify species within the equine intestinal microbiota with the potential to induce regulatory immunity. These could be future targets for preventing or treating low-grade chronic inflammation occurring as a result of intestinal microbial changes and disruption of the homeostasis. 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing was performed on ...
Marsh GA, Wang LF.Henipavirus, including Hendra and Nipah viruses, is a group of emerging bat-borne paramyxoviruses which were responsible for severe disease outbreaks in humans, horses and pigs. The mortality rate of human infection varies between 50 and 100%, making them one of the most deadly viruses known to infect humans. Its use of highly conserved cell surface molecules (ephrin) as entry receptors and its highly effective replication and fusion strategies are believed to be important characteristics responsible for its high pathogenicity. Henipavirus also encodes multiple accessory proteins which play a ...
Adams MR, Register TC, Golden DL, Wagner JD, Williams JK.Although estrogen replacement therapy is associated with reduced risk of coronary heart disease and reduced extent of coronary artery atherosclerosis, the effects of combined (estrogen plus progestin) hormone-replacement therapy are uncertain. Some observational data indicate that users of combined hormone replacement consisting of continuously administered oral conjugated equine estrogens (CEE) and oral sequentially administered (7 to 14 days per month) medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA) experience a reduction in risk similar to that of users of CEE alone. However, the effects of combined, con...
Kappmeyer LS, Thiagarajan M, Herndon DR, Ramsay JD, Caler E, Djikeng A, Gillespie JJ, Lau AO, Roalson EH, Silva JC, Silva MG, Suarez CE, Ueti MW....Transmission of arthropod-borne apicomplexan parasites that cause disease and result in death or persistent infection represents a major challenge to global human and animal health. First described in 1901 as Piroplasma equi, this re-emergent apicomplexan parasite was renamed Babesia equi and subsequently Theileria equi, reflecting an uncertain taxonomy. Understanding mechanisms by which apicomplexan parasites evade immune or chemotherapeutic elimination is required for development of effective vaccines or chemotherapeutics. The continued risk of transmission of T. equi from clinically silent,...
Schmidt A, Möstl E, Wehnert C, Aurich J, Müller J, Aurich C.Based on plasma cortisol concentrations it is widely accepted that transport is stressful to horses. So far, cortisol release during transport has not been evaluated in depth by non-invasive techniques such as analysis of salivary cortisol and faecal cortisol metabolites. Transport also causes changes in heart rate and heart rate variability (HRV). In this study, salivary cortisol, faecal cortisol metabolites, heart rate and HRV in horses transported by road for short (one and 3.5 h) and medium duration (8 h) were determined. With the onset of transport, salivary cortisol increased immediately...
Smith RK.Optimal management of tendon overuse injuries in equine and human athletes should avoid the formation of excessive scar tissue, regenerate normal tendon matrix, and reduce re-injury rates. We hypothesized that the implantation of marrow-derived stromal stem cells (BM-MSCs), in far greater numbers than are present normally within tendon tissue, would synthesize a matrix more closely resembling tendon matrix than scar tissue, and hence increase the capacity to return to performance successfully. This article reviews the technique used clinically in the horse and the current outcome data for hors...
Carrade Holt DD, Wood JA, Granick JL, Walker NJ, Clark KC, Borjesson DL.Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are used in both human clinical trials and veterinary medicine for the treatment of inflammatory and immune-mediated diseases. MSCs modulate inflammation by decreasing the cells and products of the inflammatory response. Stimulated equine MSCs from bone marrow (BM), adipose tissue (AT), cord blood (CB), and umbilical cord tissue (CT) inhibit lymphocyte proliferation and decrease inflammatory cytokine production. We hypothesized that equine MSCs inhibit T cell proliferation through secreted mediators and that MSCs from different tissue sources decrease T cell proli...
Labruna MB, Kasai N, Ferreira F, Faccini JL, Gennari SM.Natural tick infestations were assessed every 14 days on horses over a 2-year period. Amblyomma cajennense adult ticks were counted individually, without detachment from the horses. Larvae and nymphs of A. cajennense were collected using a rubber scraper that scratched engorged immature ticks from the host. Adult females of Anocentor nitens larger than 4mm length were counted on the horses. Blood samples were also obtained from the horses every 14 days and macroclimatic data were obtained for the study period. Infestations of A. cajennense demonstrated distinct peaks of activity for each of th...
Guest DJ, Smith MR, Allen WR.Injury to the superficial digital flexor tendon (SDFT) is common in racing and sport horses and poor tendon regeneration leads to high reinjury rates. Autologous mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) are being used clinically to improve tendon regeneration but they have some practical limitations. Embryonic stem cells (ESCs) may overcome these limitations but their fate following injection into the damaged SDFT is unknown. Objective: To inject MSCs and ESCs into distinct areas of damage in the SDFT and monitor their survival over a 3 month period. Methods: MSCs and ESCs expressing different reporte...
Kriek NP, Kellerman TS, Marasas WF.An isolate of Fusarium verticillioides (MRC826) that induced experimental leukoencephalomalacia, also caused acute toxicity when fed to pigs and administered per rumen fistula to sheep. Pigs developed severe pulmonary oedema while sheep manifested severe nephrosis and hepatosis. A less toxic isolate (F. verticillioides MRC602), fed to baboons, resulted in acute congestive heart failure or hepatic cirrhosis, depending on the dose. Both isolates were toxic to rats and caused similar lesions, namely, hepatic cirrhosis and intraventricular cardiac thrombosis.
Grieder FB, Vogel SN.To investigate the role of type I interferon (IFN) and its regulatory transacting proteins, interferon regulatory factors (IRF-1 and IRF-2), in early protection against infection with virulent Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus (VEE), we utilized mice with targeted mutations in the IFN-alpha/beta receptor, IRF-1, or IRF-2 genes. IFN-alpha/beta-receptor knockout mice are highly susceptible to peripheral infection with virulent or attenuated VEE, resulting in their death within 24 and 48 h, respectively. Treatment of normal macrophages with anti-IFN-alpha/beta antibody prior to and during infe...
Müller N, Welle M, Lobsiger L, Stoffel MH, Boghenbor KK, Hilbe M, Gottstein B, Frey CF, Geyer C, von Bomhard W.The present report describes a novel etiological agent of cutaneous leishmaniasis in horses that, at least for some cases, sporadically appeared as autochthonous infections in geographically distant regions of Germany and Switzerland. The infection was initially diagnosed upon clinical and immunohistological findings. Subsequent comparative sequence analysis of diagnostic PCR products from the internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS1) of ssrRNA classified the respective isolates as neither Old World nor New World Leishmania species. However, four isolates subjected to molecular analyses all exhibit...
Bossart KN, Wang LF, Eaton BT, Broder CC.Hendra virus (HeV) is an emerging paramyxovirus first isolated from cases of severe respiratory disease that fatally affected both horses and humans. Understanding the mechanisms of host cell infection and cross-species transmission is an important step in addressing the risk posed by such emerging pathogens. We have initiated studies to characterize the biological properties of the HeV envelope glycoproteins. Recombinant vaccinia viruses encoding the HeV F and G open reading frames were generated and glycoprotein expression was verified by metabolic labeling and detection using specific antis...
Rossdale PD, Hopes R, Digby NJ, offord K.An epidemiological study of wastage among racehorses was conducted in 1982 and 1983 among six stables, five of which were in Newmarket. The basis of the survey was the inability of horses to take part in cantering exercise as a result of injury or disease. The greatest number of days lost to training was caused by lameness (67.6 per cent) and respiratory problems (20.5 per cent). Conditions of the foot (19 pe cent), muscle (18 per cent), carpus (14 per cent), fetlock joints (14 per cent), tendons (10 per cent) and sore shins (9 per cent) were the major reasons for training days being lost in 1...
Pirie RS.Recurrent airway obstruction is a widely recognised airway disorder, characterised by hypersensitivity-mediated neutrophilic airway inflammation and lower airway obstruction in a subpopulation of horses when exposed to suboptimal environments high in airborne organic dust. Over the past decade, numerous studies have further advanced our understanding of different aspects of the disease. These include clarification of the important inhaled airborne agents responsible for disease induction, improving our understanding of the underlying genetic basis of disease susceptibility and unveiling the fu...
Lyons S, Kapoor A, Sharp C, Schneider BS, Wolfe ND, Culshaw G, Corcoran B, McGorum BC, Simmonds P.Although the origin of hepatitis C virus infections in humans remains undetermined, a close homolog of this virus, termed canine hepacivirus (CHV) and found in respiratory secretions of dogs, provides evidence for a wider distribution of hepaciviruses in mammals. We determined frequencies of active infection among dogs and other mammals in the United Kingdom. Samples from dogs (46 respiratory, 99 plasma, 45 autopsy samples) were CHV negative by PCR. Screening of 362 samples from cats, horses, donkeys, rodents, and pigs identified 3 (2%) positive samples from 142 horses. These samples were gene...
Bond S, Léguillette R, Richard EA, Couetil L, Lavoie JP, Martin JG, Pirie RS.The term "equine asthma" has been proposed as a unifying descriptor of inflammatory airway disease (IAD), recurrent airway obstruction (RAO), and summer pasture-associated obstructive airway disease. Whilst the term will increase comprehensibility for both the lay and scientific communities, its biologic relevance must be compared and contrasted to asthma in human medicine, recognizing the limited availability of peer-reviewed equine-derived data, which are largely restricted to clinical signs, measures of airway obstruction and inflammation and response to therapy. Such limitations constrain ...
Lobsiger L, Müller N, Schweizer T, Frey CF, Wiederkehr D, Zumkehr B, Gottstein B.The present case report describes a novel etiological agent of cutaneous leishmaniasis that appears for the first time in a cow. A similar agent had recently been described as causing autochthonous infections in horses of Germany and Switzerland. The infection in the cow was initially diagnosed upon clinical and immunohistological findings. Subsequent comparative sequence analysis of diagnostic PCR products from the internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS1) of ssrRNA classified the respective isolate as neither Old World nor New World Leishmania species, but yielded complete identity of the analyse...
Murray RC, Walters JM, Snart H, Dyson SJ, Parkin TD.The aim of this study was to describe the prevalence of illness and lameness at different anatomical sites in registered United Kingdom dressage horses and to identify risk factors for lameness. A questionnaire was sent to all 11,363 registered members of British Dressage in 2005, with one questionnaire assigned per horse. Four multivariable logistic regression models were developed for each section of the questionnaire. A final mixed effects logistic regression model was developed which combined the results from all prior models. Owners reported that 33% of horses had been lame at some time d...
Shin EK, Perryman LE, Meek K.The equine SCID defect is more severe than its murine counterpart in that SCID foals are incapable of forming either coding or signal joints, whereas SCID mice manifest normal signal joint formation. To determine the basis of this difference and whether DNA-dependent kinase, catalytic subunit (DNA-PK(CS)), is involved in signal joint formation, equine DNA-PK(CS) transcripts were cloned and sequenced from normal and SCID cell lines. In the mutant allele, a frame-shift mutation truncates the protein N terminal of the domain with homology to the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase family resulting in c...
von Bargen K, Haas A.The soil actinomycete Rhodococcus equi is a pulmonary pathogen of young horses and AIDS patients. As a facultative intracellular bacterium, R. equi survives and multiplies in macrophages and establishes its specific niche inside the host cell. Recent research into chromosomal virulence factors and into the role of virulence plasmids in infection and host tropism has presented novel aspects of R. equi infection biology and pathogenicity. This review will focus on new findings in R. equi biology, the trafficking of R. equi-containing vacuoles inside host cells, factors involved in virulence and ...
Radcliffe CH, Flaminio MJ, Fortier LA.Mesenchymal progenitor cells (MPCs) are often characterized using surface markers after expansion and treatment in culture. There are no studies directly comparing gene and protein markers in undifferentiated samples during the very early phases of culture. The goal of this study was to evaluate temporal gene and protein expression changes during establishment of equine MPC cultures. Bone marrow aspirate was obtained from 35 horses and processed by density gradient centrifugation. In freshly isolated bone marrow, mononuclear cells had variable expression of CD44, CD11a/CD18, CD90, and CD45RB c...
Rodriguez C, Taminiau B, Brévers B, Avesani V, Van Broeck J, Leroux A, Gallot M, Bruwier A, Amory H, Delmée M, Daube G.The equine faecal microbiota is very complex and remains largely unknown, while interspecies interactions have an important contribution to animal health. Clostridium difficile has been identified as an important cause of diarrhoea in horses. This study provides further information on the nature of the bacterial communities present in horses developing an episode of diarrhoea. The prevalence of C. difficile in hospitalised horses at the time of admission is also reported. Results: Bacterial diversity of the gut microbiota in diarrhoea is lower than that in non-diarrhoeic horses in terms of spe...
Corbin LJ, Blott SC, Swinburne JE, Vaudin M, Bishop SC, Woolliams JA.Many genomic methodologies rely on the presence and extent of linkage disequilibrium (LD) between markers and genetic variants underlying traits of interest, but the extent of LD in the horse has yet to be comprehensively characterized. In this study, we evaluate the extent and decay of LD in a sample of 817 Thoroughbreds. Horses were genotyped for over 50,000 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers across the genome, with 34,848 autosomal SNPs used in the final analysis. Linkage disequilibrium, as measured by the squared correlation coefficient (r(2)), was found to be relatively high bet...
Buchner HH, Savelberg HH, Schamhardt HC, Barneveld A.The kinematic patterns of head and trunk were studied in horses during induced supporting limb lameness to understand the mechanisms horses use to compensate for lameness and to evaluate different symmetry indices for their significance as lameness indicators. Using the locomotion analysis system CODA-3 the kinematics of 11 clinically nonlame Dutch Warmblood horses were recorded while walking (1.6 m/s) and trotting (3.5 m/s) on a treadmill. A transient lameness model, evoking pressure induced pain on the hoof sole, was used to induce 3 degrees of fore- and hindlimb lameness. Peak vertical disp...
