Serum hepatitis associated with commercial plasma transfusion in horses.
Abstract: This report describes 4 fatal cases of serum hepatitis associated with the administration of commercial plasma in the horse. Serum hepatitis in the horse is characterized by acute hepatic central lobular necrosis, and it has been associated with the administration of biological products of equine origin. None of these horses had a recent history of equine biologic-origin vaccination; however, they had received 1.5-5 L of commercial plasma, and in I horse, an additional 8 L of fresh blood. Acute, severe colic unresponsive to medical therapy, lethargy, or sudden death developed in these 4 horses 41 to 60 days later. Two of the horses developed encephalopathy, confirmed in 1 horse by the presence of severe diffuse Alzheimer type II astrocytes in the brain. Although the prevalence of serum hepatitis associated with the administration of commercial plasma appears to be low in the horse, it should be considered an uncommon but potentially fatal risk factor.
Publication Date: 2005-02-18 PubMed ID: 15715060DOI: 10.1892/0891-6640(2005)192.0.co;2Google Scholar: Lookup The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
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Summary
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This research paper is about the fatal cases of serum hepatitis experienced in horses, which are linked to commercial plasma transfusions. The article highlights it as an infrequent but potentially deadly risk associated with plasma transfusion in horses.
Focus of the Research
- The research focuses on four recorded cases where horses suffered from serum hepatitis, which eventually led to their death. The common factor in all these cases was the administration of commercial plasma transfusions.
Nature of Serum Hepatitis in Horses
- According to the researchers, serum hepatitis in horses is characterized by acute hepatic central lobular necrosis, which is the death of cells in the central area of the liver.
- This condition has been previously linked with the administration of biological products of equine origin.
Details of the Cases
- The four horses studied did not have any recent history of receiving vaccinations derived from equine biological matter.
- However, they had been given between 1.5 to 5 liters of commercial plasma. Additionally, one horse received 8 liters of fresh blood in addition to the plasma.
Subsequent Symptoms and Timeline
- Between 41 to 60 days after receiving the commercial plasma, the horses developed severe colic, a condition which causes abdominal discomfort, which did not respond to medical treatment. They also exhibited lethargy or died suddenly.
- Two of the horses developed encephalopathy, a broad term for brain disease, damage, or malfunction. The condition was confirmed in one horse by the presence of severe diffuse Alzheimer type II astrocytes in the brain, a typically pathological finding in hepatic encephalopathy.
Conclusion on Serum Hepatitis Occurrence Rates and Risks
- Based on their study, the researchers concluded that while the prevalence of serum hepatitis from commercial plasma administration appears rare, it should still be acknowledged as an uncommon but potentially fatal risk factor.
Cite This Article
APA
Aleman M, Nieto JE, Carr EA, Carlson GP.
(2005).
Serum hepatitis associated with commercial plasma transfusion in horses.
J Vet Intern Med, 19(1), 120-122.
https://doi.org/10.1892/0891-6640(2005)192.0.co;2 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Departments of Veterinary Surgical and Radiological Sciences, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA. mraleman@ucdavis.edu
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Female
- Hepatic Encephalopathy / blood
- Hepatic Encephalopathy / etiology
- Hepatic Encephalopathy / pathology
- Hepatic Encephalopathy / veterinary
- Hepatitis, Animal / blood
- Hepatitis, Animal / etiology
- Hepatitis, Animal / pathology
- Horse Diseases / blood
- Horse Diseases / etiology
- Horse Diseases / pathology
- Horses
- Liver / pathology
- Male
- Necrosis
- Plasma
- Transfusion Reaction
Citations
This article has been cited 13 times.- Papapetrou MA, Arroyo LG, Meister TL, Baird JD, Steinmann E, Lillie BN. Prevalence of equine parvovirus-hepatitis in healthy broodmares in Ontario, Canada. Can J Vet Res 2023 Jul;87(3):169-175.
- Tomlinson JE, Van de Walle GR. Nasal transmission of equine parvovirus hepatitis. J Vet Intern Med 2022 Nov;36(6):2238-2244.
- Zehetner V, Cavalleri JV, Klang A, Hofer M, Preining I, Steinborn R, Ramsauer AS. Equine Parvovirus-Hepatitis Screening in Horses and Donkeys with Histopathologic Liver Abnormalities. Viruses 2021 Aug 12;13(8).
- Reinecke B, Klöhn M, Brüggemann Y, Kinast V, Todt D, Stang A, Badenhorst M, Koeppel K, Guthrie A, Groner U, Puff C, de le Roi M, Baumgärtner W, Cavalleri JV, Steinmann E. Clinical Course of Infection and Cross-Species Detection of Equine Parvovirus-Hepatitis. Viruses 2021 Jul 26;13(8).
- Ramsauer AS, Badenhorst M, Cavalleri JV. Equine parvovirus hepatitis. Equine Vet J 2021 Sep;53(5):886-894.
- Vengust M, Jager MC, Zalig V, Cociancich V, Laverack M, Renshaw RW, Dubovi E, Tomlinson JE, Van de Walle GR, Divers TJ. First report of equine parvovirus-hepatitis-associated Theiler's disease in Europe. Equine Vet J 2020 Nov;52(6):841-847.
- Meister TL, Tegtmeyer B, Brüggemann Y, Sieme H, Feige K, Todt D, Stang A, Cavalleri JV, Steinmann E. Characterization of Equine Parvovirus in Thoroughbred Breeding Horses from Germany. Viruses 2019 Oct 18;11(10).
- Meister TL, Tegtmeyer B, Postel A, Cavalleri JV, Todt D, Stang A, Steinmann E. Equine Parvovirus-Hepatitis Frequently Detectable in Commercial Equine Serum Pools. Viruses 2019 May 21;11(5).
- Tomlinson JE, Kapoor A, Kumar A, Tennant BC, Laverack MA, Beard L, Delph K, Davis E, Schott Ii H, Lascola K, Holbrook TC, Johnson P, Taylor SD, McKenzie E, Carter-Arnold J, Setlakwe E, Fultz L, Brakenhoff J, Ruby R, Trivedi S, Van de Walle GR, Renshaw RW, Dubovi EJ, Divers TJ. Viral testing of 18 consecutive cases of equine serum hepatitis: A prospective study (2014-2018). J Vet Intern Med 2019 Jan;33(1):251-257.
- Tomlinson JE, Tennant BC, Struzyna A, Mrad D, Browne N, Whelchel D, Johnson PJ, Jamieson C, Löhr CV, Bildfell R, McKenzie EC, Laverack M, Renshaw RW, Dubovi E, Kapoor A, Meirs RS, Belgrave R, Engiles J, Van de Walle GR, Divers TJ. Viral testing of 10 cases of Theiler's disease and 37 in-contact horses in the absence of equine biologic product administration: A prospective study (2014-2018). J Vet Intern Med 2019 Jan;33(1):258-265.
- 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, Beard L, Rice CM, Burbelo PD, Renshaw RW, Dubovi E, Kapoor A. New Parvovirus Associated with Serum Hepatitis in Horses after Inoculation of Common Biological Product. Emerg Infect Dis 2018 Feb;24(2):303-310.
- Sasaki N, Tsuzuki N, Yamada M, Minami T, Yamada H. A preliminary study of (13)c-phenylalanine and (13)c-dipeptide breath tests in horses. J Equine Sci 2009;20(1):7-10.
- Chandriani S, Skewes-Cox P, Zhong W, Ganem DE, Divers TJ, Van Blaricum AJ, Tennant BC, Kistler AL. Identification of a previously undescribed divergent virus from the Flaviviridae family in an outbreak of equine serum hepatitis. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2013 Apr 9;110(15):E1407-15.
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