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Potomac horse fever

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is available for PHF, it does not cover all strains of the bacterium, and recent vaccine failures seem to be on the rise. Additionally, the vaccine usually produces a very weak immune response, which may only lessen the severity of the disease rather than prevent it. The vaccine is administered twice
133:. It is thought that the main mode of infection is by accidental ingestion of infected adult insects, who may fly into barns and die in stalls or on pastures after enclosure. Experimental infection has been produced with oral administration of infected insects and subcutaneous inoculation of 194:(20 to 40 percent of cases). Infected horses founder usually within three days of the initial symptoms, thought to be secondary to endotoxemia. Death may occur and is usually due to severe laminitis leading to founder. 146:; these insects hatch en masse and may be found littering the ground in nearby stables, where they are attracted by light. The entire natural history and life cycle of 329:
Cleaning water buckets and feed areas frequently and keeping food covered will reduce the chance that the horse will accidentally ingest infected insects
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a year, in early spring and in early summer, with the first one inoculation given before the mayflies emerge and the second administered as a booster.
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Supportive care for severe cases is aimed at minimizing the effects of endotoxemia and preventing laminitis. This may include
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has yet to be elucidated, but bats and birds may be wild reservoirs of infection. Unlike other causes of acute
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opt to initiate treatment right away, as the disease can progress quite quickly. Veterinarians may also run
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Several outbreaks of PHF have been found to coincide with mass emergences of burrowing mayflies of the genus
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Some veterinarians have started making recommendations for farm management to try to prevent this disease:
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Accidental ingestion of the mayfly is thought to be one of the main modes of transmission of PHF.
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barriers along bodies of water may encourage aquatic insects to stay near their places of origin
51:, in the 1980s, but cases have been described in many other parts of the United States, such as 26:) is a potentially-fatal febrile illness affecting horses caused by the intracellular bacterium 272: 280: 48: 249: 296: 206: 174:
Signs and symptoms of PHF include acute-onset fever, depression (sometimes profound),
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Turning off outside lights around the barn will prevent insects from being attracted
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or plasma for endotoxemia; supportive shoeing; low doses of intramuscular
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testing to look for the bacterium in the blood and feces. However, most
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Horses may not always display any other symptoms beyond a fever.
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due to protein imbalances, abortion by pregnant mares, and acute
137:. All attempts to transmit the disease using ticks have failed. 63:. Currently, it is found in more than 40 U.S. states and 248:, while severe cases are usually treated with intravenous 229:
may be taken to track the progress of laminitic horses.
114:(fluke). The life cycle of the fluke takes it through 166:, PHF is not spread directly from horse to horse. 43:. It was first described in areas surrounding the 121:and back into water, where it is ingested by the 205:Diagnosis of PHF is accomplished by measuring 259:and electrolytes to counteract the diarrhea; 125:stages of several aquatic insects, including 8: 225:panels to determine the course of care. 339: 244:. Mild cases may be treated with oral 363: 271:; administration of products such as 7: 361: 359: 357: 355: 353: 351: 349: 347: 345: 343: 367:Pascoa, Elaine. "PHF Prevention." 14: 75:The causative agent of PHF is 1: 386:The Merck Veterinary Manual 16:Bacterial disease of horses 429: 242:tetracycline antibiotics 32:. PHF is also known as 108:Neorickettsia risticii 103: 77:Neorickettsia risticii 29:Neorickettsia risticii 382:"Potomac Horse Fever" 219:complete blood counts 101: 110:is believed to be a 83:), an intracellular 154:in horses, such as 20:Potomac Horse Fever 369:Practical Horseman 277:activated charcoal 269:dimethyl sulfoxide 265:flunixin meglumine 263:such as Banamine ( 257:intravenous fluids 221:and chemistry and 170:Signs and symptoms 104: 81:Ehrlichia risticii 371:July 2008: 60-66. 240:responds well to 38:Equine Monocytic 34:Shasta River Crud 420: 397: 396: 394: 393: 378: 372: 365: 289:polymyxin B 281:nasogastric tube 238:N. risticii 148:N. risticii 135:N. risticii 49:Washington, D.C. 428: 427: 423: 422: 421: 419: 418: 417: 403: 402: 401: 400: 391: 389: 380: 379: 375: 366: 341: 336: 305: 267:); intravenous 250:oxytetracycline 235: 207:antibody titers 203: 172: 96: 73: 17: 12: 11: 5: 426: 424: 416: 415: 413:Horse diseases 405: 404: 399: 398: 373: 338: 337: 335: 332: 331: 330: 327: 324: 304: 301: 297:pentoxifylline 234: 231: 202: 199: 171: 168: 106:The vector of 95: 92: 72: 69: 15: 13: 10: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 425: 414: 411: 410: 408: 387: 383: 377: 374: 370: 364: 362: 360: 358: 356: 354: 352: 350: 348: 346: 344: 340: 333: 328: 325: 322: 318: 317: 316: 313: 310: 302: 300: 298: 294: 290: 286: 282: 278: 274: 270: 266: 262: 258: 253: 251: 247: 243: 239: 232: 230: 228: 224: 220: 216: 215:veterinarians 212: 208: 200: 198: 195: 193: 189: 185: 181: 177: 169: 167: 165: 164: 159: 158: 153: 149: 145: 144: 138: 136: 132: 128: 124: 120: 117: 113: 109: 100: 93: 91: 89: 86: 82: 78: 70: 68: 66: 62: 58: 54: 50: 47:northwest of 46: 45:Potomac River 42: 41: 35: 31: 30: 25: 21: 390:. Retrieved 385: 376: 368: 319:Maintaining 314: 306: 293:acepromazine 254: 237: 236: 204: 196: 173: 161: 155: 147: 141: 139: 134: 127:caddis flies 107: 105: 94:Transmission 80: 76: 74: 61:Pennsylvania 40:Ehrlichiosis 37: 33: 27: 23: 19: 18: 246:doxycycline 227:Radiographs 223:electrolyte 184:endotoxemia 176:inappetence 163:Clostridium 85:rickettsial 392:2007-06-14 334:References 303:Prevention 285:endotoxins 157:Salmonella 116:freshwater 79:(formerly 57:California 273:Biosponge 233:Treatment 201:Diagnosis 192:laminitis 143:Hexagenia 112:trematode 88:bacterium 53:Minnesota 407:Category 321:riparian 307:While a 283:to bind 131:mayflies 309:vaccine 178:, mild 152:colitis 388:. 2006 295:; and 261:NSAIDs 123:larval 119:snails 65:Canada 59:, and 188:edema 180:colic 71:Cause 279:via 160:and 129:and 36:and 275:or 211:PCR 209:or 24:PHF 409:: 384:. 342:^ 299:. 287:; 252:. 186:, 90:. 67:. 55:, 395:. 22:(

Index

Neorickettsia risticii
Ehrlichiosis
Potomac River
Washington, D.C.
Minnesota
California
Pennsylvania
Canada
rickettsial
bacterium

trematode
freshwater
snails
larval
caddis flies
mayflies
Hexagenia
colitis
Salmonella
Clostridium
inappetence
colic
endotoxemia
edema
laminitis
antibody titers
PCR
veterinarians
complete blood counts

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