Equine respiratory, cardio, head and neck (EVA, AHS, oedema, vasculitis, anaemia) Flashcards
(258 cards)
How to determine if a horse’s respiratory disease is infectious?
Compatible clinical signs - fever, dull, outbreaks, specific to agent
Detection of infectious agent - culture, PCR, virus isolation
Detection of immune response against infectious agent - antibodies (usually ELISA)
What is the main subtype of Equine Influenza in the UK? Why is there a problem compared to previous strains?
H3N8
Displayss more antigenic drift (changes surface proteins) so vaccines less able to prevent all outbreaks
Pathophysiology of Equine Influenza?
Loss of ciliated epithelium:
0
Exposes URT to secondary bacterial infection
Clinical signs of Equine Influenza?
Fever up to 41C Cough: dry and hacking -> moist Oedema and hyperaemia of URT Nasal discharge: serous -> mucopurulent Lethargy, inappetence +/- muscle soreness
Incubation and recovery periods for Equine Influenza?
Incubation period = 1-5 days (proportional to 1/virus dose)
Recovery usually complete in 1-3 weeks unless secondary respiratory infections occur
Diagnosis of Equine Influenza?
Usually in outbreaks
Lymphopaenia, neutropaenia initially
Later monocytosis, neutrophilia and hyperfibrinogenaemia
Virus isolation from nasopharyngeal swabs or tracheal wash
Serology: rising antibody titre in serum (4 fold rise) over 14 days (care: vaccination)
Nasal swab direct ELISA
Treatment of Equine Influenza?
Supportive care – hydration, NSAIDs, air hygiene
+/- Antibiotics for secondary bacterial infections
+/- Antivirals - mixed evidence, cost
Generally improve after 7-10 days
Require prolonged period of rest (1 week off for every day of fever)
If not rested then often develop chronic cough and persistent pharyngitis/tracheitis
Spread of Equine Influenza?
Rapidly spread by the respiratory route especially if close direct contact - coughing, windborne virus may spread for up to 8km, morbidity in naive horses close to 100%!
Excrete virus for up to 8 days after initial infection
Survives in the environment for up to 36 hours but is easily killed by cleaning and disinfection
Can be spread by Fomites
Management of Equine Influenza?
Difficult as rapid spread/short incubation period
Isolate cases in separate stable or yard (20-40ft)
Monitor all horses for pyrexia + isolation
Separate personnel, equipment etc
Disinfect (bleach, iodophor, phenol, soap)
Outcome of Equine Influenza?
Mortality very low in adults - secondary bacterial (pleuro)pneumonia, purpura haemorrhagica
Mortality in Foals higher esp. if low immunity - myocarditis, secondary Bacterial bronchopneumonia, Acute Respiratory Distress syndrome (ARDS)
Vaccinated horses may mild signs similar to rhinovirus or mild EHV-1&4
What do EHV-1 and EHV-4 cause?
Both: respiratory disease (main form)
EHV-1 also: abortion, neurological (Equine herpes myeloencephalopathy)
Most foals seroconvert to EHV1 and 4
Becomes latent and reactivates under times of stress - shed virus, often subclinical
Clinical presentation of EHV-1 and 4 (respiratory)? Treatment?
Clinical signs: Dull, +/- mild coughing/serous ND
Often spreads through yards
Viral = presumptive diagnosis
Haematology:
- Acute: reduced neutrophils/lymphocytes
- Then: lymphocytes ‘reverse differential’
Often several weeks duration
Symptomatic therapy – rest, NSAIDs, antibiotics
for secondary infections?, Interferon?, cautious use of inhaled steroids for chronic cough
Rhodococcus equi - age affected, what does it cause, transmission? clinical signs, diagnosis, treatment?
= 'Rattles' 1-4 month old foals Pyogranulomatous pneumonia Inhalational and oral routes (coprophagia) Acute in young foals: - Fever - Anorexia - Nasal discharge - Cough Chronic in older foals: - Cough - Dyspnoea - Weight loss - Exercise intolerance - Loud moist crackles on auscultation Forms large pulmonary abscesses Evades immune system in alveolar macrophages (also destruction of peyer's patches in gut and alveoli) Diagnosis: - Consistent clinical signs - Culture/PCR VAP from TTW (culture must correlate with clinical disease - healthy foals can be positive) - Radiography and US - Bloods: fibrinogen Non pathogenic strains exist Treatment: - Low dust, warm, feed intake, anti-inflammatories - Prolonged antibiotics (macrolide e.g. erythromycin, and rifampin)
Strangles - Proper name? features of agent? Spread? Survival in environment?
Contagious Equine Rhinopharyngitis
Bacterial respiratory disease affecting mainly the URT and head LNs
Streptococcus equi var. equi:
- Obligate parasite (not part of normal flora)
- Gram positive coccoid
- Catalase negative facultative anaerobe
- Beta haemolytic
- Lactose fermentation negative
High morbidity, low mortality
Survives well in environment, especially in discharges (up to 12mo)
Sensitive to desiccation/sunlight/heat - killed at >55C in 30 mins
Sensitive to most disinfectants
Spread via nose or mouth contact, fomites, distant spread rare
Carrier animals harbour in guttural pouches
Clinical presentation of Strangles?
Usually affects 1-3yo (but can be any age)
2 phases after incubation period:
- multiplication in lingual and palatine tonsils
- haematogenous and lymphatic spread to draining LNs
Can be carriers for a prolonged period
Can develop systemic abscesses ‘bastard strangles’ High morbidity, low mortality
Incubation and clinical course time of strangles?
Incubation period 1-14d
Clinical course usually within 3 weeks
Early clinical signs of strangles?
Depression, fever (2-3 days before shedding)
Mucoid nasal discharge
Slight cough
Anorexia
Difficulty swallowing
Swelling (slight) of intermandibular area
Later clinical signs of strangles?
Purulent nasal discharge
Head LN enlargement and abscesses
Retropharyngeal LN swelling -> dyspnoea, if ruptures -> guttural pouch empyema (LNs ventral to guttural pouch)
Chronic guttural pouch empyema if not treated -> chondroids (= solid balls of thick pus, removed by breaking up and flushing, or surgery)
Complications of strangles?
Pharyngeal compression -> tracheotomy required Cellulitis and local tissue damage Pneumonia and abscessation Immune mediated myositis/myocarditis Purpura haemorrhagica: - Vasculitis - Type III hypersensitivity (Ab-Ag complexes) - Serum/blood leakage - Treat with immunosuppressants Bastard strangles: - Transient bacteraemia - Abscesses form in muscle/kidneys/liver/lungs or may cause peritonitis Persistent carriers: - 10% of recovered horses - Can persist for >5y - Mostly in guttural pouches - Intermittently shed - Asymptomatic
Diagnosis of strangles?
Culture or PCR from:
- nasopharyngeal swabs/lavage
- guttural pouch washes/aspirates
- aspirate from abscess
- primary pathogen so positive test is always significant (oropharyngeal contamination not a problem)
Serology: ELISA for antibodies - tests for exposure only, most horses seroconvert from 2 weeks, remain seropositive >6mo after infection
In outbreaks often just use characteristic clinical signs
How to confirm a horse is free of strangles?
3 negative nasal swabs - 1/week for 3 weeks (85% sure no infection)
1 negative guttural pouch wash (88% sure no infection)
Treatment of strangles?
NSAIDs: analgesic and antipyretic to help appetite and reduce swelling
Soft, wet feed
Hot pack - helps to mature the abscess
Flush abscesses once draining
Tracheostomy is necessary in horses with respiratory distress
Antibiotics controversial - contraindicated when lymphadenopathy present as inhibits maturation of abscesses, can give penicillin for 5-7d at onset of pyrexia (e.g. when monitoring horses in outbreaks)
What to do in a yard outbreak of strangles?
Isolate affected and recovered animals as often shed bacteria for 3-6 weeks
‘Clean’ and ‘dirty’ areas (traffic light system):
- red = confirmed cases
- amber = been in contact with confirmed cases
- green = no contact with confirmed cases
Isolation procedures (clothing/equipment etc)
Stop movement on/off yard
Monitor temperature/nasal discharge of all in-contacts daily (usually pyrexia 3d before nasal discharge so identify quickly and treat)
Ideally swab all horses after outbreak to identify a possible carrier and ensure all horses are free of infection
Deep clean premises
Prevention of strangles?
Quarantine new animals coming to yard for 2-3 weeks (even if negative ELISA) - check temperature daily
Use ELISA to detect subclinical carriers
Guttural pouch PCR if positive ELISA or temperature
Vaccination
- modified live strangles vaccine (Equilis Strep E)
- first licensed in the UK in 2005, taken off due to side effects, returned 2010/11
- immunity 3 months, reduction of signs and complications versus full protection