A general survey of tumours in the horse.

Published figures from veterinary schools indicate that tumours may account for about 1 to 3 per cent of surgical cases. In this paper an account is given of clinical and pathological aspects of the tumours that are most likely to be encountered in practice, either as visibly or palpably detectable masses of tissue, or as internal tumours responsible for clinical signs. Amongst the common and important tumours dealt with, the most prominent are "equine sarcoid", squamous-cell carcinoma (of eye region and of glans penis), granulosa-cell tumours and melanomas. Well over a hundred references provide entry to the relevant literature. The need for further pathological and clinical studies of equine tumours is stressed.     

Bovine leucosis (lymphosarcoma): a clinical study of 60 pathologically confirmed cases

The clinical features of 60 pathologically confirmed cases of bovine leucosis (lymphosarcoma) are described. The majority of cases could be classified into one of four distinct clinical forms, ie, juvenile multicentric, thymic, skin and adult multicentric. Diagnosis of leucosis in animals with these forms was possible on clinical grounds alone. Five animals, four of which were adult, could not be thus classified and diagnosis required haematological and, or, pathological examinations. The clinical, epidemiological and serological findings would suggest that the cases were examples of sporadic bovine leucosis.     

Mucormycosis due to Mycocladus corymbiferus in a fattening pig

A fattening pig with enlarged head and abdominal lymph nodes was examined. An aspirate of the abscesses did not produce a conclusive diagnosis. Only an excision with subsequent histological and bacteriological examination showed the mould Mycocladus corymbiferus (syn. Absidia corymbifera) to be present. Similar abscesses should be examined as actinomycosis and leucosis are the main differential diagnoses.     

Hematology and cytodiagnosis of leukosis of the horse (review)]

In a review supplementary to prior evaluations further hematological or cytodiagnostic aspects respectively of equine leucosis are discussed. Leukemic nature of the disease is characterized by increased count of normal blood cells or by the presence of morphologically non-differentiated cells in circulating blood or by disorder or loss of function of blood cells respectively. Thrombocytopenia in the most cases is accompanied by anemia, leukemia and tumor cell infiltration in bone marrow. Tumor cells in circulating blood indicate their presence in bone marrow too. In cases of equine leucosis with effusions in thoracic and/or in abdominal cavities tumor cells seem to be present more frequently in hydrothorax than in ascites.     

Equine influenza in Australia: a clinical overview

The clinical symptoms observed during the 2007 equine influenza outbreak are compared and contrasted with those observed in overseas outbreaks and described in the veterinary literature.     

Mortality supposedly due to intoxication by pyrrolizidine alkaloids from Heliotropium indicum in a horse population in Costa Rica: a case report.

This article describes a case of massive mortality among horses which was probably due to intoxication by pyrrolizidine alkaloids from Heliotropium indicum. Over 4 years more than 75% of a population of about 110 horses on a farm in Costa Rica died after showing nervous neurological symptoms. Two clinical manifestations were encountered, an acute and a chronic one, both with a fatal outcome. Pathological findings in 2 horses coincided with those reported in the literature for intoxication by pyrrolizidine alkaloids and were not specific for VEE. However Venezuelan equine encephalitis (VEE) was the main differential diagnosis and could not completely be excluded because this disease was endemic in the region and VEE titres were found to be high. Taxonomic and toxicological investigations implicated Heliotropium indicum as the most probable principal cause of the intoxication.     

Diagnostic validity of palpation in horses with back problems

There is a regularly high proportion of x-ray findings indicating a pathological deterioration of the equine vertebral column which do not correlate with the clinical symptoms. Therefore, palpation remains one of the most important clinical examination methods to determine whether or not a horse is suffering from back pain. The aim of this study was to check the validity of palpation results of horses with an assumed back problem. The palpation results of 167 horses were evaluated in retrospect: If the palpation proceeds under following conditions, positive palpation results agree with an primary back problem in about 100% of cases: 1. Hind limb lameness, being the most likely reason for misleading positive palpation results, has to be ruled out. 2. Only reproducible painful behavior is allowed to be interpreted as positive. Under these conditions a negative palpation result is correct in about 72% of cases. For the examiner it is important to keep in mind that an apparent Kissing Spine-Syndrome can exist without being palpable. By means of clinical examination it is not always possible to distinguish between painful and normal reactions. In doubtful cases diagnosis can be made by a "diagnostic therapy", or better by scintigraphy.     

Evaluation of plasma alpha-2-macroglobulin and interactions with tumour necrosis factor-alpha in horses with endotoxemic signs.

The electrophoretic position and behavior of the native and activated forms of equine plasma alpha-2-macroglobulin (alpha 2M) were characterized and compared to human alpha 2M by nondenaturing polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis (PAGE). Plasma alpha 2M was also compared between 6 normal horses and 6 horses with clinical signs of colic and endotoxemia due to volvulus or enteritis. Native and activated forms of alpha 2M were quantified by PAGE and densitometry. Binding of radio-labeled recombinant human tumour necrosis factor-alpha (125I-rhTNF-alpha) to native and activated forms of equine alpha 2M was also evaluated by autoradiography and densitometry of PAGE. Equine plasma alpha 2M migrated as a single band at a position equivalent to native human alpha 2M. Methylamine-reacted equine plasma samples resulted in faster migration of alpha 2M in a similar position to activated human alpha 2M. However, in methylamine-reacted equine plasma, an intermediate alpha 2M band was consistently present between the bands corresponding to native and activated alpha 2M. Amounts of plasma alpha 2M were similar in normal and endotoxemic horses, and remained in the electrophoretically slow or unreacted native form. The vast majority of 125I-rHuTNF-alpha did not bind to alpha 2M or other equine plasma proteins. 125I-rHuTNF-alpha bound weakly to both native and fast methylamine-reacted equine forms of alpha 2M, although binding was better to the activated form. This study indicates that: (1) equine plasma alpha 2M behaves similarly to human alpha 2M on PAGE, (2) plasma alpha 2M of horses can be activated to electrophoretically fast forms, but it is neither activated nor depleted during endotoxemia, and (3) the binding interactions between equine alpha 2M and TNF-alpha are too low to implicate equine alpha 2M as a regulator of TNF-alpha during endotoxemia in horses.     

Intestinal atresia and stenosis: a review comparing its morphology

A review of the literature on intestinal atresia of domestic animal species and humans was done. The 5 types of intestinal occlusions described in human infants are atresia type 1, atresia type 2, atresia type 3, stenosis, and the "apple peel" or "Christmas tree" deformity. The intestinal defects described in domestic animal species such as the bovine, equine and porcine are similar to those of human infants. The "T-formation", an intestinal defect of the bovine resembling atresia type 3, and rectal stricture, an acquired intestinal defect of the porcine resembling stenosis, were described recently. Intestinal atresia is similar in several species and these similarities raise the questions as to whether the pathogenic mechanism and possibly etiologies of intestinal atresia are similar in these species.     

Immunohistochemical characterization of estrogen and progesterone receptors in lymphoma of horses

Abstract: Immunohistochemical techniques were used to examine 29 cases of equine lymphoma for estrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR) expression. The lymphomas examined included T-cell-rich large B-cell lymphomas, B-cell neoplasms, and T-cell lymphomas. The individual cases were also classified according to the anatomic location of the tumors. One normal equine lymph node was also examined for ER and PR expression. All of the cases of equine lymphoma and the normal lymph node were negative for ER. A total of 16/29 (55%) PR-positive lymphomas were identified. Seven of the 12 (58%) T-cell-rich large B-cell lymphomas were positive, 7/11 (64%) B-cell tumors were positive, and 2/6 (33%) T-cell neoplasms were positive. Anatomically, 6/9 (66%) subcutaneous lymphomas were PR positive, 3/5 (60%) intrathoracic lymphomas were positive, 1/4 (25%) intra-abdominal lymphomas were positive, 2/5 (40%) intra-abdominal/intrathoracic lymphomas were positive, 1/2 (50%) upper airway lymphomas were positive, and 3/3 (100%) splenic lymphomas were positive. One case involving abdominal and thoracic tumors and leukemia was negative for PR expression. The normal lymph node contained a low percentage (1.9%) of PR-positive lymphocytes. The presence of PR in neoplastic equine lymphoid tissue indicates that these tumors may be responsive to serum progesterone. Also, identification of PR-positive cells in the normal lymph node suggests that PR may be constitu-tively expressed in normal equine lymphocytes. Further studies are needed to quantify PR levels in normal and malignant equine lymphoid tissue and to determine the usefulness of either progestin or antiprogestin drugs in the management of equine lymphoma.     

A lactogenic-immune-deficiency-syndrome in cows: unexplained phenomenon.

The majority of adult cows in a certain dairy herd, were found to have very low levels of immunoglobulins (Igs) in their colostrum. This phenomenon was defined by us as Lactogenic-Immune-Deficiency-Syndrome (LIDS). The mean IgG levels were 44.5 and 57.2 mg ml-1 respectively (on two different occasions) as compared to that of a control group which was 103.4 mg ml-1. The levels of Igs in the colostra of heifers from the same herd were found to be higher than those of adult cows. The degree of LIDS was found to be closely related to the age of cows in the herd. The low levels of Igs in the colostra were not directly linked to their concentrations in the sera of the affected cows. The relatively low amount of IgA in the affected colostra suggests that the local production in the lymph tissue associated with the mammary glands is impaired as well. In order to investigate the etiology of the phenomenon, tests were carried out to reveal whether bovine leucosis virus (BLV) infection or immune complexes were involved in the pathogenesis of LIDS. The results were negative. The etiology of LIDS remains for the time being unknown.     

Borrelia burgdorferi infections with special reference to horses. A review

Summary This review discusses the literature on B. burgdorferi infections in view of the rising incidence of this infection in general and the increasing concerns of horse owners and equine practitioners. Lyme disease, the clinical expression of Borrelia infections in man is an important health problem. The geographic distribution of B. burgdorferi infections in equidae should resemble that of human cases because the vector tick involved, Ixodes ricinus, feeds on both species and, indeed, the infection has been established many times in horses. However, a definite diagnosis of the disease "Lyme borreliosis" in human beings as well as in horses and other animals is often difficult to accomplish. Although a broad spectrum of clinical signs has been attributed to B. burgdorferi infections in horses, indisputable cases of equine Lyme borreliosis are extremely rare so far, if they exist at all.     

Borrelia burgdorferi infections with special reference to horses. A review

This review discusses the literature on B. burgdorferi infections in view of the rising incidence of this infection in general and the increasing concerns of horse owners and equine practitioners. Lyme disease, the clinical expression of Borrelia infections in man is an important health problem. The geographic distribution of B. burgdorferi infections in equidae should resemble that of human cases because the vector tick involved, Ixodes ricinus, feeds on both species and, indeed, the infection has been established many times in horses. However, a definite diagnosis of the disease "Lyme borreliosis" in human beings as well as in horses and other animals is often difficult to accomplish. Although a broad spectrum of clinical signs has been attributed to B. burgdorferi infections in horses, indisputable cases of equine Lyme borreliosis are extremely rare so far, if they exist at all.     

Equine colic: clinical epidemiology and associated risk factors in and around Debre Zeit

A prospective study was conducted to describe clinical epidemiology of equine colic in the Society for Protection of Animal Abroad and Donkey Sanctuary Project Clinic, at Debre Zeit, Ethiopia, from November 2014 to April 2015. The objectives were to describe clinical epidemiology of equine colic, to characterize the main types of equine colic, and to determine the major risk factors associated with equine colic. The method which was used in the study was attending clinical case of equine and assessing physiological parameters, fecal egg count, abdominal sounds, and rectal examination as well as questioner interviewing of the owners. The data were collected and analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Science. The incidence of colic was 10.3% in the study period. Colicky were typed as unknown, flatulent, impaction, spasmodic, and enterolithiasis. The proportion of case incidence were 63.1 (41/65), 33.8 (22/65), and 3.1% (2/65), in donkey, horse, and mule, respectively. The total mean (±SD) of temperature 37.80 ± 1.003, heart rate 57.54 ± 10.098, fecal egg count 236.922 ± 67.990, respiratory rate 30.92 ± 7.315, and packed cell volume 41.40 ± 10.221 were recorded. The case fatality rate of equine colic was 15.38% (10/65). There were statistically highly significant (p < 0.01) differences in impaction colic in relation to species. Interview with 183 equine owners revealed incidence of equine colic as the sixth major disease condition affecting equine. A long-term epidemiological study of the true representative population should be carried out to determine the incidence rate and associated risk factors of equine colic in the study area.     

Enzootic bovine leucosis.

Enzootic bovine leucosis is associated with infection by bovine leucosis virus. The incubation period is measured in years and a minority of infected animals develop clinical signs. The disease is widespread in Europe and elsewhere and can cause significant economic loss. The epidemiology is incompletely understood and findings from one cattle production system may not be directly applicable to another. Major control programmes exist in Denmark and West Germany and control schemes are being developed elsewhere. Eradication of enzootic bovine leucosis has been established as a goal in the EEC and research is revealing the ways in which this goal may be attained. To be effective, control and epidemiological monitoring must be interactive. Recently introduced serological tests, of improved sensitivity, provide a valuable tool.     

Extracorporal shock wave therapy in veterinary medicine.]

This article gives a general overview on a new therapy in equine orthopedics. In human medicine extracorporal shock wave therapy (ESWT) is used for lithotripsy of stones of the urologic system and also in orthopedics. In equine medicine the therapy is almost exclusively applied for the treatment of orthopedic problems. The main indications are proximal suspensory desmitis (PSD), lesions of tendons and ligaments, osteoporotic changes and spavin. In this paper the mode of action of shock waves and the different shock wave devices are discussed. Also, some information about an ongoing clinical trial at the Animal Hospital University of Zürich is given.     

Biofluid Markers of Equine Neurological Disorders Reviewed From Human Perspectives

Neurological disorders (NDs) are often fatal to horses. Thus, symptoms of equine NDs commonly indicate euthanasia. Current diagnostic approaches for equine NDs is based on clinical signs, differential diagnoses, analysis of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), assessment of histopathological lesions, and imaging. However, advances in biofluid biomarkers in the diagnosis of human neurological diseases can potentially be applied to equine NDs. In this review, we described the established human blood and CSF neurobiomarkers that could potentially be used to diagnose equine NDs.     

Effect of viral inoculum size on appearance of clinical signs in equine Getah virus infection.

A study was performed to examine the effect of viral inoculum size on the appearance of clinical signs in equine Getah virus (GV) infection by intramuscular inoculation with 10(1.3) to 10(6.3) TCID50 of the MI-110 strain in 6 experimental horses. When inoculated with more than 10(3.3) TCID50 of the virus, every horse developed pyrexia, edema in the hind legs, serous nasal discharge, lymphopenia and viremia in the relatively early stage of disease. On the other hand, enlargement of the submandibular lymph node was observed only in horses inoculated with 10(5.3) and 10(6.3) TCID50 of the virus, while typical eruptions were developed in every horse inoculated with 10(4.3) TCID50 or less. These results demonstrated that the appearance of clinical signs in equine GV infection was dependent on viral inoculum size. Besides, it was assumed to be rare chance that eruptions and enlargement of the submandibular lymph node were developed simultaneously in a horse.     

用单抗研究T细胞与牛流行性白血病发生的关系

本试验对10头患流行性白血病病牛的不同器官的肿瘤组织，用8种单克隆抗体（McAb),TH14B、BAQ44A、PIg45A、BIg715A、PIg501E、cAct105、MM1A、AHCC125染色进行了观察。结果：病牛经临床病理学和免疫琼扩试验而诊断为EBL，通过免疫组织化学检测，在10个病例中发现有9个病例的肿瘤组织对B细胞属性的McAb有很强的染色反应，证明其来源于B细胞。仅有1个病例对B细胞属性的McAb着色很淡，而对T细胞属性的McAb着色很深，呈强阳性反应，说明其来源可能与T细胞有关。     

淋巴细胞性J亚群禽白血病病理学观察

本研究旨在探讨日益复杂和多样的J亚群禽白血病的肿瘤病理表现.在流行病学调查基础上,对广东省4个集约型清远麻鸡种鸡场的禽白血病病原进行了分离鉴定和PCR检测,确诊其病原为禽白血病毒J亚群(ALV-J).通过病理组织学研究发现,这些鸡场ALV-J的主要病理表现为淋巴细胞性肿瘤(82.9％),其次为血管瘤型肿瘤(11.4％),髓细胞性肿瘤仅为5.7％.淋巴细胞性肿瘤主要出现在内脏实质器官,肝脏、脾脏、肾脏、肺脏、腺胃和胰腺等器官明显肿胀,实质中可见大小不一的灰白色肿瘤结节,切面均质柔软.肿瘤的实质主要由典型的成淋巴细胞和淋巴样瘤细胞构成,病理性核分裂像多见.研究结果证实,清远麻鸡出现了一种新的J亚群禽白血病表现形式,即淋巴细胞性J亚群禽白血病,在国内外尚属首次报道.