Equine influenza–a global perspective.
Abstract: To date, equine influenza outbreaks have been reported all over the world with the exception of a small number of island nations including New Zealand and Iceland. Influenza is endemic in Europe and North America and is considered to be of potentially major economic significance to the equine industry worldwide. The importation of subclinically infected vaccinated horses, and inadequate quarantine procedures have resulted in several major outbreaks in susceptible populations for example, in Australia (2007) when more than 76,000 horses on over 10,000 properties were reported as infected. This review summarises the current understanding of, and recent research on, equine influenza, including epidemiology, pathogenesis, clinical characteristics, laboratory diagnosis, management and prevention. Recent advances in diagnostic techniques are discussed as are the merits of different vaccination regimes.
Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Publication Date: 2013-04-09 PubMed ID: 23680107DOI: 10.1016/j.vetmic.2013.03.029Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary
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The research article provides an in-depth review of equine influenza, a respiratory infection in horses that can have widespread financial impact on the equine industry. Special focus is directed towards epidemiology, pathogenesis, clinical characteristics, and methodologies for diagnosis, management, prevention, along with considerations for efficient vaccination regimes.
Epidemiology of Equine Influenza
- The article discusses the global prevalence and impact of equine influenza. This disease affects horses across the world except in a few isolated island nations like New Zealand and Iceland.
- The disease is endemic in Europe and North America and poses a serious economic threat to the global equine industry.
- Substantially, the paper cites the example of a major outbreak of equine influenza in Australia in 2007, which resulted from the importation of vaccinated horses that were subclinically infected, coupled with inadequate quarantine procedures.
Pathogenesis and Clinical Characteristics
- The article delves into the causes and development of equine influenza, detailing how the disease manifests and progresses in horses.
- Information on the clinical characteristics of the infection gives readers a better understanding of the symptoms and effects of the disease on affected horses.
Diagnosis of Equine Influenza
- The research provides detailed insights into effective diagnostic techniques. This is crucial to accurately identify cases of equine influenza for appropriate treatment and disease management.
- The necessity for improvement in diagnostic methods is stressed for better outcomes in disease control.
Management and Prevention of Equine Influenza
- The paper details strategies for managing the disease and preventive measures to control the spread of the disease, with a critical focus on quarantine procedures.
- Importance is placed on implementing robust quarantine measures to prevent major outbreaks, as seen in the case of Australia.
Vaccination Regimes
- The research also covers discussions on different vaccination regimes, their merits and potential drawbacks.
- The comparison of various regimes can guide horse owners, breeders, and health professionals to select the most effective preventive measures for specific horses or horse populations.
Overall, this research provides a comprehensive exploration of equine influenza, including causes, clinical features, diagnosis, management, prevention, and vaccination strategies.
Cite This Article
APA
Cullinane A, Newton JR.
(2013).
Equine influenza–a global perspective.
Vet Microbiol, 167(1-2), 205-214.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vetmic.2013.03.029 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Virology Unit, The Irish Equine Centre, Johnstown, Naas, Co. Kildare, Ireland. Electronic address: acullinane@equine-centre.ie.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Disease Outbreaks / prevention & control
- Disease Outbreaks / veterinary
- Global Health
- Horse Diseases / diagnosis
- Horse Diseases / epidemiology
- Horse Diseases / immunology
- Horse Diseases / pathology
- Horse Diseases / prevention & control
- Horses
- Orthomyxoviridae / classification
- Orthomyxoviridae / physiology
- Orthomyxoviridae Infections / epidemiology
- Orthomyxoviridae Infections / immunology
- Orthomyxoviridae Infections / prevention & control
- Orthomyxoviridae Infections / veterinary
- Vaccination / veterinary
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