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Oddsdóttir C, Jónsdóttir HK, Sturludóttir E, Vilanova XM. The Effect of Repeated Blood Harvesting from Pregnant Mares on Haematological Variables. Animals (Basel) 2024; 14:745. [PMID: 38473131 DOI: 10.3390/ani14050745] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2024] [Revised: 02/21/2024] [Accepted: 02/23/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Studies have been carried out on the effect of large-volume blood harvesting from horses, but they were performed on nonpregnant horses of various breeds other than Icelandic horses. This study aimed to investigate the effect on the haematological variables indicating erythropoiesis of repeated blood harvesting from pregnant mares. To account for regional variation, two herds of mares were chosen, both kept under free-range conditions. Sequential EDTA blood samples were collected weekly from 160 mares and analysed for haematological variables in an automated analyser. Serum samples from 115 mares were analysed for total protein. In both herds, after three harvests, mares began to measure below the minimum value for erythrocyte numbers, and mild anaemia was present in up to 37% at one time. Mares in only one herd had moderate or marked anaemia, 14.3% of the herd. Both herds showed evidence of increased erythropoiesis, but there was a difference between the herds in the intensity of the response. In both herds, however, all mares had reached the minimum normal haematocrit value three weeks after the last harvest. It is important to investigate the causes for the differences between these herds, which might be addressed to reduce the risk of anaemia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlotta Oddsdóttir
- Division of Bacteriology and Pathology, Department of Pathology, Institute for Experimental Pathology at Keldur, Keldnavegi 3, 112 Reykjavík, Iceland
| | - Hanna Kristrún Jónsdóttir
- Division of Bacteriology and Pathology, Department of Pathology, Institute for Experimental Pathology at Keldur, Keldnavegi 3, 112 Reykjavík, Iceland
| | - Erla Sturludóttir
- Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, Agricultural University of Iceland, Árleyni 22, 112 Reykjavík, Iceland
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Oddsdóttir C, Jónsdóttir HK, Sturludóttir E. Haematological reference intervals for pregnant Icelandic mares on pasture. Acta Vet Scand 2023; 65:57. [PMID: 38102616 PMCID: PMC10724915 DOI: 10.1186/s13028-023-00721-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2023] [Accepted: 12/08/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Few studies have been conducted on haematological reference intervals (RIs) in Icelandic horses. Reference intervals have been published for Icelandic horses in Austria and a preliminary study in Iceland compared haematological values in riding horses to published RIs for other breeds as well as Icelandic horses abroad. Haematological parameters can vary greatly due to factors such as breed, gender, age, reproductive status, and training, as well as feeding, prior exercise and management method. Icelandic broodmares are kept on pasture under supervision throughout the year, with haylage provided during the winter, and it is therefore of interest to establish haematological reference intervals for pregnant broodmares in Iceland. The purpose of this study was to establish haematological RIs specific to Icelandic broodmares in the first months of pregnancy, kept on pasture. Blood samples from 183 mares, stabilised in EDTA were analysed using IDEXX ProCyte Dx and total protein was analysed in serum samples from 157 of the 183 mares, using IDEXX Catalyst One analyser. The RIs were established using the guidelines of the American Society for Veterinary Clinical Pathology. RESULTS The RIs for red blood cell count, haematocrit and haemoglobin were higher in pasture-kept Icelandic mares in early pregnancy, most of which were lactating, than in pregnant mares of other breeds. This was also true for white blood cell count, as well as numbers of monocytes, eosinophils, and basophils, which in some instances might illustrate problems in the automated categorisation of some leukocytes. CONCLUSIONS As no RIs have been published for other pasture-kept Icelandic horses, future investigations should include other groups of pasture-kept Icelandic horses. Such an analysis might elucidate the effect of breed, management, and pregnancy on haematological values in pasture-kept Icelandic horses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlotta Oddsdóttir
- Division of Bacteriology and Pathology, Department of Pathology, Institute for Experimental Pathology at Keldur, Keldnavegi 3, 112, Reykjavík, Iceland.
| | - Hanna Kristrún Jónsdóttir
- Division of Bacteriology and Pathology, Department of Pathology, Institute for Experimental Pathology at Keldur, Keldnavegi 3, 112, Reykjavík, Iceland
| | - Erla Sturludóttir
- Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, Agricultural University of Iceland, Árleyni 22, 112, Reykjavík, Iceland
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Vasoya D, Tzelos T, Benedictus L, Karagianni AE, Pirie S, Marr C, Oddsdóttir C, Fintl C, Connelley T. High-Resolution Genotyping of Expressed Equine MHC Reveals a Highly Complex MHC Structure. Genes (Basel) 2023; 14:1422. [PMID: 37510326 PMCID: PMC10379315 DOI: 10.3390/genes14071422] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2023] [Revised: 06/29/2023] [Accepted: 07/04/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
The Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) genes play a key role in a number of biological processes, most notably in immunological responses. The MHCI and MHCII genes incorporate a complex set of highly polymorphic and polygenic series of genes, which, due to the technical limitations of previously available technologies, have only been partially characterized in non-model but economically important species such as the horse. The advent of high-throughput sequencing platforms has provided new opportunities to develop methods to generate high-resolution sequencing data on a large scale and apply them to the analysis of complex gene sets such as the MHC. In this study, we developed and applied a MiSeq-based approach for the combined analysis of the expressed MHCI and MHCII repertoires in cohorts of Thoroughbred, Icelandic, and Norwegian Fjord Horses. The approach enabled us to generate comprehensive MHCI/II data for all of the individuals (n = 168) included in the study, identifying 152 and 117 novel MHCI and MHCII sequences, respectively. There was limited overlap in MHCI and MHCII haplotypes between the Thoroughbred and the Icelandic/Norwegian Fjord horses, showcasing the variation in MHC repertoire between genetically divergent breeds, and it can be inferred that there is much more MHC diversity in the global horse population. This study provided novel insights into the structure of the expressed equine MHC repertoire and highlighted unique features of the MHC in horses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deepali Vasoya
- The Roslin Institute, The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush Campus, Roslin EH25 9RG, UK
| | - Thomas Tzelos
- The Roslin Institute, The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush Campus, Roslin EH25 9RG, UK
- Moredun Research Institute, Pentlands Science Park, Bush Loan, Penicuik EH26 0PZ, UK
| | - Lindert Benedictus
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 1, 3584 CL Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Anna Eleonora Karagianni
- The Roslin Institute, The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush Campus, Roslin EH25 9RG, UK
| | - Scott Pirie
- Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush Campus, Roslin EH25 9RG, UK
| | - Celia Marr
- Rossdales Equine Hospital, Cotton End Road, Exning, Newmarket CD8 7NN, UK
| | - Charlotta Oddsdóttir
- The Institute for Experimental Pathology at Keldur, University of Iceland Keldnavegur 3, 112 Reykjavík, Iceland
| | - Constanze Fintl
- Department of Companion Animal Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Biosciences, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, P.O. Box 5003, 1432 Ås, Norway
| | - Timothy Connelley
- The Roslin Institute, The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush Campus, Roslin EH25 9RG, UK
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Martin F, Svansson V, Eydal M, Oddsdóttir C, Ernback M, Persson I, Tydén E. First Report of Resistance to Ivermectin in Parascaris univalens in Iceland. J Parasitol 2021; 107:16-22. [PMID: 33498083 DOI: 10.1645/20-91] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Horses in Iceland have been isolated for more than 1,000 yr but still harbor a similar range of gastrointestinal parasites as do horses across the world. The long isolation of the horses and their parasites presumably means that no resistance genes have been introduced into the Parascaris spp. population. It is therefore of particular interest to investigate the efficacy of ivermectin on Parascaris spp. infecting Icelandic foals. Potential treatment failure of ivermectin in Iceland will add substantial new information on how resistance can arise independently. This study aimed to determine the efficacy of subcutaneous injection of ivermectin for the treatment of Parascaris spp. infection in foals and to identify the Parascaris species present in the west and north of Iceland. A fecal egg count reduction (FECR) test (FECRT) was performed on 50 foals from 8 farms, including an untreated control group of 6 foals, from September to November 2019. The foals were between 3 and 5 mo of age at the start of the study and had not previously been treated with anthelmintic drugs. Each foal was treated subcutaneously with off-label use of Ivomec® injection 10 mg/ml or Noromectin® 1% at a dose of 0.2 mg/kg. The FECR for each farm was calculated in 2 ways, by the eggCounts package in R and by the Presidente formula (FECRT). Both calculation methods resulted in efficacy levels between 0% and 80.78%, indicating ivermectin resistance on all farms. We also confirmed, by karyotyping, that the species of equine ascarid present in the west and north of Iceland is Parascaris univalens. This study provides evidence for treatment failure of ivermectin against P. univalens infection in foals. Since Icelandic horses have been isolated on the island for more than 1,000 yr, this implies that resistance alleles have developed independently in the Icelandic Parascaris population. The actual clinical impact of ivermectin resistance is unknown but another drug of choice should be considered to treat Parascaris infection in foals in Iceland.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frida Martin
- Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Veterinary Public Health, Division of Parasitology, Box 7036, 750 07 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Vilhjálmur Svansson
- Institute for Experimental Pathology at Keldur, University of Iceland, Keldnavegur 3, 112 Reykjavik, Iceland
| | - Matthías Eydal
- Institute for Experimental Pathology at Keldur, University of Iceland, Keldnavegur 3, 112 Reykjavik, Iceland
| | - Charlotta Oddsdóttir
- Institute for Experimental Pathology at Keldur, University of Iceland, Keldnavegur 3, 112 Reykjavik, Iceland
| | - Maja Ernback
- Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Veterinary Public Health, Division of Parasitology, Box 7036, 750 07 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Isa Persson
- Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Veterinary Public Health, Division of Parasitology, Box 7036, 750 07 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Eva Tydén
- Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Veterinary Public Health, Division of Parasitology, Box 7036, 750 07 Uppsala, Sweden
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Oddsdóttir C, Riley SC, Leask R, Shaw DJ, Aurich C, Palm F, Fowden AL, Ricketts SW, Watson ED. Dynamics of activities of matrix metalloproteinases-9 and -2, and the tissue inhibitors of MMPs in fetal fluid compartments during gestation and at parturition in the mare. Theriogenology 2011; 75:1130-8. [PMID: 21220153 DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2010.11.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2010] [Revised: 11/10/2010] [Accepted: 11/10/2010] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
During late gestation in the mare, rapid fetal growth is accompanied by considerable placental growth and further invasion of the endometrium by microvilli. This growth requires extensive remodeling of the extracellular matrix (ECM). In early pregnancy, we know that matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9 and -2 are involved in the endometrial invasion during endometrial cup formation. The present study investigated whether MMPs are found in fetal fluids later in gestation and during parturition, and if there was a difference in their activities between normal and preterm delivery. Amniotic fluids were collected from pony mares during the latter half of gestation, and amniotic and allantoic fluids from pony and thoroughbred mares at foaling. The fluids were analysed for the activity of MMP-9 and -2, and TIMPs using zymography techniques. There was an increase (P = 0.002) in activity of latent MMP-9 when approaching normal foaling, and a decrease (P < 0.001) during foaling. MMP-2 activity did not change through gestation, or during foaling. When comparing samples from pregnancies resulting in preterm deliveries with samples from foaling mares, the activity of MMP-9 was lower (P < 0.001) and MMP-2 activity was higher (P = 0.004) during foaling than preceding preterm delivery. The activity of MMP-9 was lower (P = 0.002) prior to preterm delivery than before delivery of a live foal at term, whereas no difference (P = 0.07) was demonstrated for latent MMP-2 activity when comparing the same groups. The activity of TIMP-2 was higher (P < 0.001) in the pre-parturient period before normal foaling than preceding preterm delivery. These results suggest that MMPs may have a role as markers for high risk pregnancy in the mare.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlotta Oddsdóttir
- Division of Veterinary Clinical Studies, Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush Veterinary Centre, Easter Bush, Midlothian, EH25 9RG, UK
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Oddsdóttir C, Smith S, Watson ED. Leukocyte distribution in the equine endometrium as a response to acute induced endometritis. PFERDEHEILKUNDE 2008. [DOI: 10.21836/pem20080114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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Oddsdóttir C, Agerholm JS, Jörundsson E, Lind P. Preliminary diagnostic survey on causes of prenatal mortality in Icelandic cattle. Acta Vet Scand 2004; 45:225-8. [PMID: 15663082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/01/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- C Oddsdóttir
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, The Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University, Frederiksberg, Denmark
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