West Nile Virus Seroprevalence in Wild Birds and Equines in Madrid Province, Spain.

West Nile virus (WNV) is a re-emerging flavivirus, primarily circulating among avian hosts and mosquito vectors, causing periodic outbreaks in humans and horses, often leading to neuroinvasive disease and mortality. Spain has reported several outbreaks, most notably in 2020 with seventy-seven human cases and eight fatalities. WNV has been serologically detected in horses in the Community of Madrid, but to our knowledge, it has never been reported from wild birds in this region. To estimate the seroprevalence of WNV in wild birds and horses in the Community of Madrid, 159 wild birds at a wildlife rescue center and 25 privately owned equines were sampled. Serum from thirteen birds (8.2%) and one equine (4.0%) tested positive with a WNV competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (cELISA) designed for WNV antibody detection but sensitive to cross-reacting antibodies to other flaviviruses. Virus-neutralization test (VNT) confirmed WNV antibodies in four bird samples (2.5%), and antibodies to undetermined flavivirus in four additional samples. One equine sample (4.0%) tested positive for WNV by VNT, although this horse previously resided in a WN-endemic area. ELISA-positive birds included both migratory and resident species, juveniles and adults. Two seropositive juvenile birds suggest local flavivirus transmission within the Community of Madrid, while WNV seropositive adult birds may have been infected outside Madrid. The potential circulation of flaviviruses, including WNV, in birds in the Madrid Community raises concerns, although further surveillance of mosquitoes, wild birds, and horses in Madrid is necessary to establish the extent of transmission and the principal species involved.

First report of ivermectin resistance in cyathostomins (small strongyles) of horses in Argentina.

In Argentina, as in the rest of the world, cyathostomins are the most common nematodes parasitizing horses. Control is based almost exclusively on the administration of benzimidazoles, pyrimidines, and macrocyclic lactones. However, intensive use of these drugs is resulting in the development of anthelmintic resistance (AR). For example, AR to benzimidazoles is currently distributed throughout Argentina, while incipient AR to pyrimidines (pyrantel embonate) is appearing in areas where this drug is used. Macrocyclic lactones and especially ivermectin, are by far the most used drugs by the vast majority of equine premises in the country. Although ivermectin has been used since 1982, its efficacy against equine strongylid parasites has remained very high until the present. In this study we report for the first time, the presence of a cyathostomin population with resistance to ivermectin in adult horses belonging to an equine premise located in central Argentina. Fecal egg count reduction tests (FECRT) were performed following the most recent guidelines of the World Association for the Advancement of Veterinary Parasitology (WAAVP) for the diagnosis of anthelmintic resistance (research protocol) and resistance was considered when the Upper 90% Credible Interval fell below the expected efficacy threshold of 99.9%. Calculations were carried out using two different online calculation interfaces suggested by WAAVP. For the 14-day post-treatment interval, ivermectin efficacy was 79.5% (90% Credible Interval: 68.1-88.8) and 79.3% (74.2-83.6.3%) with the two methods, respectively. At 19 days post treatment, fecal egg count reductions were 68.6% (50.5-83.1) and 68.4% (61.9-74.1), respectively. At both intervals, this cyathostomin population fullfilled the criteria for AR. These findings suggest dispersion of ivermectin resistant cyathostomins in Argentina. Given the widespread use of macrocyclic lactones, it is important that veterinarians and the equine industry promote a more selective and evidence-based use of these drugs and establish routine monitoring to determine anthelmintic field efficacy to detect treatment failures as early as possible and avoid potential health problems as well as further spread of resistant genes.

Impact of pH modification of the empirically used tobramycin ophthalmic solution on MIC90 concentration in tears and aqueous humor of donkeys (Equus asinus).

BACKGROUND: Commercial tobramycin ophthalmic solution is frequently used empirically to treat ocular disorders in equines, despite being primarily formulated for use in humans. It has been noted that tobramycin MIC90 concentration (minimal inhibitory concentration to 90% of microbial growth) rapidly declined following topical administration. It is hypothesized that adjustment of the pH of the empirically used tobramycin ophthalmic solution -prepared for human use- with the pH of the tears of donkeys, could increase the bioavailability of the drug and subsequently improve its penetration to the aqueous humor. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the impact of pH adjustment of the empirically used tobramycin ophthalmic solution on MIC90 concentration in tears and aqueous humor of donkeys (Equus asinus). The study was conducted on six (n = 6) clinically healthy donkeys. In each donkey, one eye was randomly selected to receive 210 µg tobramycin of the commercial tobramycin (CT) and used as a positive control (C group, n = 6). The other eye (treated eye) received 210 µg of the modified tobramycin ophthalmic solution (MT) (T group, n = 6). Tears and aqueous humor samples were collected 5-, 10-, 15-, 30- min, and 1-, 2-, 4-, and 6 h post-instillation. RESULTS: Modifying the pH of the empirically used commercial tobramycin ophthalmic solution in donkeys at a pH of 8.26 enhanced the drug's bioavailability. The MIC90 of the most hazardous bacteria isolated from equines' eyes such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa (MIC90 = 128 µg/ml) and Staphylococcus aureus (MIC90 = 256 µg/ml) was covered early (5 min post-instillation) and over a longer period in donkey tears (239-342 min) and aqueous humor (238-330 min) with the modified tobramycin solution. CONCLUSIONS: Adjustment of the pH of the commercial tobramycin ophthalmic solution, empirically used by veterinarians to treat donkeys' ophthalmic infections at a pH of 8.26, isotonic with the donkeys' tears pH, resulting in higher concentrations of tobramycin in tears and aqueous humor for a longer time.

Lessons Learned from West Nile Virus Infection:Vaccinations in Equines and Their Implications for One Health Approaches.

Humans and equines are two dead-end hosts of the mosquito-borne West Nile virus (WNV) with similar susceptibility and pathogenesis. Since the introduction of WNV vaccines into equine populations of the United States of America (USA) in late 2002, there have been only sporadic cases of WNV infection in equines. These cases are generally attributed to unvaccinated and under-vaccinated equines. In contrast, due to the lack of a human WNV vaccine, WNV cases in humans have remained steadily high. An average of 115 deaths have been reported per year in the USA since the first reported case in 1999. Therefore, the characterization of protective immune responses to WNV and the identification of immune correlates of protection in vaccinated equines will provide new fundamental information about the successful development and evaluation of WNV vaccines in humans. This review discusses the comparative epidemiology, transmission, susceptibility to infection and disease, clinical manifestation and pathogenesis, and immune responses of WNV in humans and equines. Furthermore, prophylactic and therapeutic strategies that are currently available and under development are described. In addition, the successful vaccination of equines against WNV and the potential lessons for human vaccine development are discussed.

Knowledge, awareness and perception about equine glanders among veterinarians and medical professionals in India.

Glanders is a highly infectious and notifiable disease of equines that occurs due to Burkholderia mallei. In India, glanders re-emerged in 2006 and thereafter regular outbreaks have been reported in various states (n = 14). Frequent and prolonged contact with equids with glanders may transmit B. mallei infection to humans. This study was designed to learn more about the Knowledge, Awareness and Perception (KAP) of veterinarians, para veterinarians, and physicians about equine glanders, which will help in enhancing the nation-wide glanders eradication programme. A total of 165 respondent's from 11 Indian states and one union territory were surveyed. Most of the respondents (n = 160) were from equine glanders affected or endemic states. Knowledge gap analysis revealed that 40.3 and 22% of the participants were not aware of government regulations and the transmission of glanders, respectively. These are major concerns given the wide spread occurrence of disease in the country. Awareness test on glanders revealed that 65(39.4%) participants would collect biological samples for laboratory confirmation, 67(40.6%) would inform the concerned authorities and 106 (64.2%) replied that they would eliminate the glanders infected equines. Analysis of perception towards equine glanders showed that majority of the participants (n = 113, 68.4%) observed that equine keepers were reluctant to disclose the clinical symptoms of B. mallei infection. Furthermore, non-co-operation and unwillingness by superiors (33.9%), financial (31%), administrative (28.4%), and technical limitations (27.8%) were major constraints under the perception analysis. This study reveals that veterinarians need to be educated on governmental policies and guidelines on equine glanders with regular training and awareness programs. Intersectoral co-ordination to investigate human glanders is also needed.

Historical dataset of osteological and archaeological records for equines on Crete.

We gathered evidence on the occurrence of equines in the island of Crete from the Neolithic until 1895. We relied on published archaeological and osteological records plus on historical written documents. Our dataset includes a description of the type of evidence, where this was located, and the associated absolute and relative chronologies. The collected data can be used to investigate the past spread of equids in Crete (Equus asinus and Equus caballus), their socioeconomic status, and the development of the local Cretan breed. The dataset is made available via the Abraxas data community within the Pandora data platform. This community is devoted to the historical study of horses. The dataset presented here is a component of a project tracing the history of the Cretan horse until present day.

Automatic early detection of induced colic in horses using accelerometer devices.

BACKGROUND: To seek appropriate veterinary attention for horses with colic, owners must recognise early signs. Direct observation of horse behaviour has several drawbacks: it is time-consuming, hard to see subtle and common behavioural signs, and is based on intuition and subjective decisions. Due to recent advances in wearables and artificial intelligence, it may be possible to develop diagnostic software that can automatically detect colic signs. OBJECTIVES: To develop a software algorithm to aid in the detection of colic signs and levels of pain. STUDY DESIGN: In vivo experiments. METHODS: Transient colic was induced in eight experimental mares with luteolytic doses of prostaglandin. Veterinarians observed the horses before and throughout the interventions and assigned pain scores which were used to separate colic episodes into none (pain score ≤5), level 1 (pain score 6-10) or level 2 (pain score ≥11). Accelerometric data and videos were collected throughout the experiments and using accelerometric data, the horse's behaviour was classified into normal and 10 pain-related behaviours and an activity index was calculated. Models were designed that utilised behaviour and activity index characteristics both detecting the presence of colic and assessing its severity. To determine the accuracy of the model, the ground truth, that is the veterinarians' observation of colic signs and assessment of pain level, was compared with the automatic detection system. RESULTS: The cross-validation analysis demonstrated an accuracy of 91.2% for detecting colic and an accuracy of 93.8% in differentiating between level 1 colic and level 2 colic. The model was able to accurately classify 10 pain-related behaviours and distinguish them from normal behaviour with a high accuracy. MAIN LIMITATIONS: We included a limited number of horses with severe pain related behaviours in the dataset. This constraint affects the accuracy of categorising colic severity rather than limiting the algorithms' capacity to identify early colic signs. CONCLUSIONS: Our system for early detection of colic in horses is unique and innovative, and it can distinguish between colic of varying severity.

Structure and genetic variability of the Costa Rican Paso horse.

The Costa Rican Paso Horse (CPC) is a breed developed in Costa Rica. The objectives were to estimate the genetic structure and evaluate the levels of genetic variability of the population. The genotypes of 14 microsatellites in 3654 records (2052 females and 1602 males) were analyzed. Expected (He) and observed (Ho) heterozygosity, polymorphic information content (CIP), fixation index (FIS), Shannon index, as well as Hardy-Weinberg disequilibrium (DHW) were evaluated. Kinship relationships (Rij) were estimated throughout the entire population. The effective population size (Ne) was calculated, alternating allele frequencies less than 0.05, 0.02 and 0.01. The Bayesian clustering study was carried out to infer how many lines are appropriate from the analysis of genotypes using multiple loci. The number of alleles per locus ranged from 7 to 17, with an average value of 9.6; nine loci presented DHW (P < 0.05); two loci presented negative FIS values, the same as Ho > He; the average of CIP, Ho and He was 0.254, 0.756 and 0.785, respectively. At the 12 loci where He > Ho, the differences ranged from 0.002 to 0.341 (0.036 on average). For Ne, the estimates were 201.9, 230.1, and 241.5. In the Rij, 54.86% of the estimates were in the interval of 0.01 to 77.7%. The number of lines that define the population corresponds to three, with an approximate composition of 33.1%, 32.4% and 34.5%, respectively. The CPC, as a subdivided population with DHW and a reduction in heterozygotes may be associated with possible Wahlund effects. Keywords: Wahlund effect, equines, genetic markers, synthetic breed, Hardy Weinberg.

Perceptions of Cross-Cultural Challenges and Successful Approaches in Facilitating the Improvement of Equine Welfare.

Projects that aim to improve the welfare of equids worldwide usually involve people from different countries and cultures working together. Given that professionals involved with multi-stakeholder projects often work cross-culturally, this study examined their experiences regarding the challenges involved in, and their reflections on, how to work in a culturally sensitive way. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 14 participants working in a total of 29 countries and analysed using thematic analysis. Key response themes emerged from the responses to questions covering the areas of perceptions of animal welfare, challenges working cross-culturally and embracing cultural sensitivity. The overriding theme regarding perceptions of animal welfare was that of barriers to animal welfare, under which emerged the subthemes of limited financial and material resources, limited understanding of the tenets of animal welfare, and attachment to traditional medicines and practices. Exploring the key challenges resulted in two themes: challenges regarding the local context and etiquette, and those regarding working with different stakeholders. Considering cultural sensitivity, again, two themes emerged: the importance of trust and respect, and of working with local partners. Previous works have highlighted the importance of shared linguistic knowledge, interpersonal skills and cultural knowledge, and these elements also emerged in this research. As well as providing insights into the challenges of working cross-culturally, the findings of this study have enabled the development of suggestions for how this work could be taken forward in a practical way to be of use to professionals in this sector.

Cardiac Changes after Lactate-Guided Conditioning in Young Purebred Arabian Horses.

Cardiac adaptation to conditioning in horses was evaluated after empirical training based on trainers' experience. Twelve purebred Arabian horses, aged (mean ± SD) 28.42 ± 3.75 months, which did not perform any type of exercise prior to the research, were submitted to treadmill conditioning for six weeks. The conditioning program was based on the velocity run by the horse at which the blood lactate concentration, determined in an incremental exercise test (IET), reached 2 mmol/L (V2). The velocity at which the blood lactate concentration reached 4 mmol/L (V4) was also determined. The echocardiograms were performed at rest with pulsed-wave and tissue Doppler imaging in B- and M-modes. All procedures were carried out before and after the conditioning period. The results showed increases in V2 (from 5.2 ± 0.3 to 6.7 ± 0.4 m/s) and V4 (from 5.8 ± 0.4 to 7.6 ± 0.5 m/s) (p < 0.0001). There were also increases in the left ventricle internal diameter at diastole (LVIDd), left ventricle mass (LV mass), and stroke volume (SV), while no changes were observed in the LV free wall thickness and mean and relative wall thicknesses. The conditioning protocol, which was completed by all horses, proved to be safe and efficient, as it improved the aerobic capacity of the animals. Finally, the cardiac remodeling that occurred was mainly associated with the effect of physical training.

Phenotypic and Genetic Study of the Presence of Hair Whorls in Pura Raza Español Horses.

Hair whorls are a hereditary feature in horses that may be associated with temperament and coat color. Hair whorls are described as changes in the hair pattern and may take various forms, such as circular and linear whorls. We first carried out a frequency analysis of hair whorls (circular and linear). Next, a Generalized Non-Linear Model was computed to assess the significance of some potential influencing factors, and a genetic parameter estimation was performed. ENDOG software v4.8 was used to estimate the inbreeding coefficient of all the animals analyzed. It was more common to find horses with circular hair whorls than with linear whorls. The heritability ranges obtained were, in general, medium-high for both circular whorls (0.20 to 0.90) and linear whorls (0.44 to 0.84). High positive correlations were found on the between left and right positions, indicating a tendency to symmetry in certain locations. The laterality of hair whorls was also evidenced, with the biggest concentration on the left-hand side, particularly in gray horses, showing circular whorls below the central line of eyes, which has been associated in a previous paper with a calmer and more docile temperament.

Monitoring the epidemic of West Nile virus in equids in Spain, 2020-2021.

The largest epidemic of West Nile virus (WNV) reported ever in Spain in both humans and equines occurred in 2020, affecting 77 humans and 139 equine herds. Here, we aimed to monitor the outbreaks detected in equid herds in Andalusia (southern Spain), the Spanish region where 89.9% of the outbreaks were reported, and to evaluate the virus circulation and risk factor associated with WNV exposure in the affected herds. The first WNV case was detected in mid-July 2020, the number of outbreaks peaked in mid-August and the last one was confirmed on 26th October 2020. WNV lineage 1 was detected in 12 clinically affected horses using real time RT-PCR. Molecular analysis evidenced high nucleotide identity with WNV sequences obtained from humans, birds and mosquitoes from Spain and Italy between 2020 and 2022. Between five and eight months after the WNV epidemic, a total of 724 equids (including 485 unvaccinated and 239 vaccinated animals) from 113 of the 125 affected herds in Andalusia were sampled. IgM and IgG antibodies against WNV were detected in 1.6% (8/485; 95%IC: 0.0-2.5) and 61.9% (300/485; 95%IC: 58.3-65.5) of the unvaccinated individuals, respectively. The seropositivity in vaccinated horses was 86.6% (207/239). The main risk factors associated with WNV exposure in unvaccinated equids were the breed (crossbreed), the location of animals in spring-summer (outside), and the presence of natural water ponds close to the surveyed herds. The high individual seroprevalence obtained in the affected herds indicates that WNV circulation was more widespread than the reported by passive surveillance during the WNV epidemic in 2020. The re-emergence of WNV in 2020 in southern Spain evidenced the needed to improve integrated surveillance systems, minimizing the impact of future cases in equids and humans in high-risk areas.

Anthelmintic resistance of horse strongyle nematodes to ivermectin in São Paulo state, Brazil.

The indiscriminate use of drugs to control gastrointestinal helminths in horses can lead to serious consequences for the animals, which represents a growing problem for health, animal welfare and productivity. Therefore, the present study aimed to evaluate the anthelmintic efficacy of ivermectin in naturally infected horses in the western region of the state of São Paulo. From May 2021 to April 2022, 123 naturally infected adult horses in 12 equine breeding farms (7 to 14 animals per farm) were evaluated with the fecal egg count reduction test. The horses had not been treated with anthelmintic drugs for at least 60 days before the start of the study. The animals were treated with ivermectin (0.2 mg/kg; Eqvalan®, Merial) administered orally according to recommended dosage by the manufacturer. Individual fecal samples were collected directly from the rectal ampulla and used to determine the eggs per gram of feces (EPG) and perform coproculture for identification of larvae on the day of anthelmintic treatment (D0) and 14 days later (D14). The fecal egg count reduction (FECR) on each property was calculated using the program Shiny-egg Counts R version 3.6.1, and the presence of anthelmintic resistance was confirmed when the FECR percentage was less than 95%, and when the lower confidence limit [LCI] was less than 90%. The pre-treatment average EPG count in the 12 properties was 991. In five properties the FECR was lower than 90%; in three properties between 90% and 95%; and in four properties equal to or greater than 95% after treatment with ivermectin. The occurrence of cyathostomins with resistance to ivermectin was recorded in the majority of the farms.

Moringa oleifera as a Natural Alternative for the Control of Gastrointestinal Parasites in Equines: A Review.

Studies have shown a wide variety of parasites that infect horses, causing major gastrointestinal damage that can lead to death, and although the main method of control has been synthetic anthelmintics, there are parasites that have developed resistance to these drugs. For generations, plants have been used throughout the world as a cure or treatment for countless diseases and their symptoms, as is the case of Moringa oleifera, a plant native to the western region. In all its organs, mainly in leaves, M. oleifera presents a diversity of bioactive compounds, including flavonoids, tannins, phenolic acids, saponins, and vitamins, which provide antioxidant power to the plant. The compounds with the greatest antiparasitic activity are tannins and saponins, and they affect both the larvae and the oocytes of various equine gastrointestinal parasites. Therefore, M. oleifera is a promising source for the natural control of gastrointestinal parasites in horses.

Zinc Status of Horses and Ponies: Relevance of Health, Horse Type, Sex, Age, and Test Material.

Little is known about the animal- and diet-related factors that could interfere with the plasma zinc (Zn) concentrations of equines. Additionally, the adequacy of plasma to reflect changes in the Zn intake is unclear. In the first part of this study, the plasma Zn concentrations of hospitalized horses and ponies (n = 538) were measured and evaluated for the impact of the age, sex, horse type, and internal diseases of the animals. In the second part, the effects of increasing dietary Zn chloride hydroxide and Zn methionine supplementations were assessed on the plasma and mane hair Zn concentrations of healthy horses (n = 2) and ponies (n = 8). Part 1: The age, sex, and horse type did not influence the plasma Zn concentrations. No effect of internal diseases was observed, with the exception of higher plasma Zn concentrations in animals with metabolic disorders compared to the control group (p < 0.05). Part 2: Both Zn supplements dose-dependently increased the Zn concentrations in the mane hair (p = 0.003), but not in the plasma of the horses and ponies. In conclusion, the plasma Zn concentrations were widely unaffected by nutritional and non-nutritional factors in equines, while mane hair samples better reflected the dietary Zn supply.

Do you see what I see? Testing horses' ability to recognise real-life objects from 2D computer projections.

The use of 2-dimensional representations (e.g. photographs or digital images) of real-life physical objects has been an important tool in studies of animal cognition. Horses are reported to recognise objects and individuals (conspecifics and humans) from printed photographs, but it is unclear whether image recognition is also true for digital images, e.g. computer projections. We expected that horses trained to discriminate between two real-life objects would show the same learnt response to digital images of these objects indicating that the images were perceived as objects, or representations of such. Riding-school horses (N = 27) learnt to touch one of two objects (target object counterbalanced between horses) to instantly receive a food reward. After discrimination learning (three consecutive sessions of 8/10 correct trials), horses were immediately tested with on-screen images of the objects over 10 image trials interspersed with five real object trials. At first image presentation, all but two horses spontaneously responded to the images with the learnt behaviour by contacting one of the two images, but the number of horses touching the correct image was not different from chance (14/27 horses, p > 0.05). Only one horse touched the correct image above chance level across 10 image trials (9/10 correct responses, p = 0.021). Our findings thus question whether horses recognise real-life objects from digital images. We discuss how methodological factors and individual differences (i.e. age, welfare state) might have influenced animals' response to the images, and the importance of validating the suitability of stimuli of this kind for cognitive studies in horses.

Mapping Eastern (EEE) and Venezuelan Equine Encephalitides (VEE) among Equines Using Geographical Information Systems, Colombia, 2008-2019.

INTRODUCTION: Eastern equine encephalitis virus (EEEV) and Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus (VEEV) viruses are zoonotic pathogens affecting humans, particularly equines. These neuroarboviruses compromise the central nervous system and can be fatal in different hosts. Both have significantly influenced Colombia; however, few studies analyse its behaviour, and none develop maps using geographic information systems to characterise it. OBJECTIVE: To describe the temporal-spatial distribution of those viruses in Colombia between 2008 and 2019. METHODS: Retrospective cross-sectional descriptive study, based on weekly reports by municipalities of the ICA, of the surveillance of both arboviruses in equines, in Colombia, from 2008 to 2019. The data were converted into databases in Microsoft Access 365®, and multiple epidemiological maps were generated with the Kosmo RC1®3.0 software coupled to shape files of all municipalities in the country. RESULTS: In the study period, 96 cases of EEE and 70 of VEE were reported, with 58% of EEE cases occurring in 2016 and 20% of EEV cases in 2013. The most affected municipalities for EEE corresponded to the department of Casanare: Yopal (20), Aguazul (16), and Tauramena (10). In total, 40 municipalities in the country reported ≥1 case of EEE. CONCLUSIONS: The maps allow a quick appreciation of groups of neighbouring municipalities in different departments (1° political division) and regions of the country affected by those viruses, which helps consider the expansion of the disease associated with mobility and transport of equines between other municipalities, also including international borders, such as is the case with Venezuela. In that country, especially for EEV, municipalities in the department of Cesar are bordering and at risk for that arboviral infection. there is a high risk of equine encephalitis outbreaks, especially for VEE. This poses a risk also, for municipalities in the department of Cesar, bordering with Venezuela.

Effects of dietary zinc chloride hydroxide and zinc methionine on the immune system and blood profile of healthy adult horses and ponies.

The effects of dietary zinc on the immune function of equines have not been evaluated in detail so far. In the present study, eight healthy adult ponies and two healthy adult horses were fed a diet supplemented with either zinc chloride hydroxide or zinc methionine in six feeding periods of four weeks each (according to maintenance zinc requirement, 120 mg zinc/kg dry matter, and 240 mg zinc/kg dry matter, for both dietary zinc supplements, respectively). All animals received the six diets, with increasing amounts of zinc chloride hydroxide in the feeding periods 1-3, and with increasing amounts of zinc methionine in the feeding periods 4-6. At the end of each feeding period, blood samples were collected for a blood profile and the measurement of selected immune variables. Increasing dietary zinc chloride hydroxide doses increased the glutathione concentrations in the erythrocyte concentrate and the glutathione peroxidase activity in the erythrocyte lysate, decreased the numbers of total leukocytes and granulocytes in the blood, and also decreased the interleukin-2 concentrations in the plasma of the animals. The dietary supplementation of increasing doses of zinc methionine enhanced the mitogen-stimulated proliferative activity of peripheral blood mononuclear cells, and decreased the glutathione concentrations in the erythrocyte concentrate and the glutathione peroxidase activity in the plasma of the animals. The percentage of blood monocytes with oxidative burst after in vitro stimulation with E. coli decreased with increasing dietary zinc concentrations, independently of the zinc compound used. The blood profile demonstrated effects of the zinc supplements on the red blood cells and the bilirubin metabolism of the horses and ponies, which require further investigation. Overall, high doses of dietary zinc modulate the equine immune system, for the most part also depending on the zinc compound used.

Prevalence of zoonotic and non-zoonotic Rickettsia in horses: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

In a broad sense, Rickettsiae are a group of microorganisms that can be transmitted mechanically or biologically to animals and humans. Rickettsioses are associated with hematic manifestations. Its prevalence in humans, dogs and other animals has been widely explored, but not in equine species. To determine the prevalence of Rickettsia infection in horses. A systematic review of the literature was carried out in five databases for the proportion of horses infected with Rickettsia, defined by molecular and immunological techniques. A meta-analysis was performed using a random-effects model to calculate the pooled prevalence and 95% confidence intervals (CI). The Cochran's Q test and the I2 statistic were used to assess the between-study-heterogeneity. The pooled prevalence of Rickettsia in equines was 37.0% (95% CI: 26.0%-47.0%), with significant heterogeneity among studies (I2 = 98.12%). In the subgroup analysis, the prevalence of Rickettsia in horses was found to be 24.0% (95%CI: 10.0%-41.0%) for IFI, 47.0% (95%CI: 30.0%-64.0%) for IFA, 14.0% (95%CI: 11.0%-17.0%) for IFAT and 39.0% (95%CI: 0.0%-95.0%) for PCR. There was a high prevalence of Rickettsia among horses, with some of the species being zoonotic, with their corresponding implications for humans, which increasingly are in close contact with equines, particularly horses and their ticks, posing a risk for spillover and transmission.

Anterior Hemiepiphysiodesis of the Distal Tibia: A Step-by-step Surgical Technique Guide.

Aim: This paper aims to serve as a guide for surgeons to prepare, execute, and perfect anterior hemiepiphysiodesis of the distal tibia (AHDT). Background: Treatment of persistent or recurrent equinus deformity following multiple conservative and surgical interventions in patients with idiopathic clubfoot or neuromuscular conditions can be challenging, and multiple surgical options are presented in the existing literature. Anterior hemiepiphysiodesis of the distal tibia is an option that seems to be safe and efficient in treating this entity. To the best of our knowledge, there is not yet any detailed description of this surgical technique in the English literature. Technique: The AHDT detailed surgical technique includes patient positioning, careful distal anterior tibial approach, placement of guided growth plates, fixation with epiphyseal and metaphyseal screws under fluoroscopic guidance, meticulous closure, and postoperative measures. Conclusion: This guide can be used pre-operatively to plan the surgery, intra-operatively to aid in smooth and safe step progression, and post-operatively to assist in critical critiquing. Clinical significance: By understanding the various stages of the surgery as well as the anatomy, pitfalls can be avoided and AHDT can be performed efficiently. How to cite this article: Katz A, Dumas É, Hamdy R. Anterior Hemiepiphysiodesis of the Distal Tibia: A Step-by-step Surgical Technique Guide. Strategies Trauma Limb Reconstr 2023;18(3):174-180.