• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.315-319
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• 2007

Fibrinopurulent peritonitis and abdominal abscesses associated with Streptococcus (S.) equi subsp. zooepidemicus is reported in a 1-year-old female thoroughbred horse. The horse died after showing 5-day history of the cold, severe abdominal distention, abdominal breathing, hyperthermia, anorexia, and loss of intestinal sound. At necropsy, several liters of turbid yellowish green fluid were seen in the abdominal cavity. Yellowish creamy and fibrinous or bloody materials were presented on the serosa of various abdominal organs that were intensively adhered with each other. Spleen and mesenteric lymph node were remarkably enlarged. Affected lobes of the lung showed severe congestion, hemorrhage and doughy consistency. Histologically, the lung showed hemorrhagic pneumonia with diffuse congestion and edema. Severe diffuse fibrinopurulent peritonitis with Gram-positive bacterial cocci and adjacent fibrosis were showed in the serosa of various abdominal organs such as liver, spleen, stomach, and intestine. And multifocal abscess pouches were presented in the granulation tissue of abdominal viscera. S. equi subsp. zooepidemicus was isolated from the peritoneal swab, abdominal organs, and lung. Hematogenous dissemination of bacteria from hemorrhagic pneumonia is proposed as the route of infection in this case.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.134-142
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• 2021

Objective: To understand the athletic characteristics of Thoroughbreds, high-throughput analysis has been conducted using horse muscle tissue. However, an in vitro system has been lacking for studying and validating genes from in silico data. The aim of this study is to validate genes from differentially expressed genes (DEGs) of our previous RNA-sequencing data in vitro. Also, we investigated the effects of exercise-induced stress including heat, oxidative, hypoxic and cortisol stress on horse skeletal muscle derived cells with the top six upregulated genes of DEGs. Methods: Enriched pathway analysis was conducted using the Database for Annotation, Visualization, and Integrated Discovery (DAVID) tool with upregulated genes in horse skeletal muscle tissue after exercise. Among the candidates, the top six genes were analysed through geneMANIA to investigate gene networks. Muscle cells derived from neonatal horse skeletal tissue were maintained and subjected to exercise-related stressors. Transcriptional changes in the top six genes followed by stressors were investigated using quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Results: The inflammation response pathway was the most commonly upregulated pathway after horse exercise. Under non-cytotoxic conditions of exercise-related stressors, the transcriptional response of the top six genes was different among types of stress. Oxidative stress yielded the most similar expression pattern to DEGs. Conclusion: Our results indicate that transcriptional change after horse exercise in skeletal muscle tissue strongly relates to stress response. The qRT-PCR results showed that stressors contribute differently to the transcriptional regulation. These results would be valuable information to understand horse exercise in the stress aspect.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.424-435
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• 2020

Objective: The study was conducted to investigate variations in the immunophysiological responses to exercise-induced stress in Jeju and Thoroughbred horses. Methods: Blood samples were collected from the jugular veins of adult Jeju (n = 5) and Thoroughbred (n = 5) horses before and after 30 min of exercise. The hematological, biochemical, and immunological profiles of the blood samples were analyzed. Blood smears were stained and observed under a microscope. The concentration of cell-free (cf) DNA in the plasma was determined using real time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and polymorphonuclear cells were separated using Polymorphprep, and the expression of various stress-related and chemokine receptor genes was measured using reverse transcriptase (RT) and real-time PCR. Results: After exercise, Jeju and Thoroughbred horses displayed stress responses with significantly increased rectal temperatures, cortisol levels, and muscle catabolism-associated metabolites. Red blood cell indices were significantly higher in Thoroughbred horses than in Jeju horses after exercise. In addition, exercise-induced stress triggered the formation of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) and reduced platelet counts in Jeju horses but not in Thoroughbred horses. Heat shock protein 72 and heat shock protein family A (Hsp70) member 6 expression is rapidly modulated in response to exercise-induced stress in the PBMCs of Jeju horses. The expression of CXC chemokine receptor 4 in PBMCs was higher in Thoroughbred horses than in Jeju horses after exercise. Conclusion: In summary, the different immunophysiological responses of Jeju and Thoroughbred horses explain the differences in the physiological and anatomical properties of the two breeds. The physiology of Thoroughbred horses makes them suitable for racing as they are less sensitive to exercise-induced stress compared to that of Jeju horses. This study provides a basis for investigating the link between exercise-induced stresses and the physiological alteration of horses. Hence, our findings show that some of assessed parameters could be used to determine the endurance performance of horses.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.220-225
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• 2009

The present study demonstrates a new approach that enables effective horse parentage testing using 22 ISAG microsatellite markers involving 6 heads of Thoroughbred horse(TB) and non-TB. In the comparison allele distribution between these horses, the alleles found in the TB were numerously detected in the non-TB. As results, we confirmed that these ISAG microsatellite markers might apply the pedigree registration of Korean native horse(Jeju horse).

• Journal of Animal Reproduction and Biotechnology
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.171-176
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• 2020

Advancing the estrous cycle of mares is an essential breeding strategy that is routinely conducted by Thoroughbred breeders to improve economic outcomes. For this purpose, Equilume light masks have been developed as an alternative to existing technologies such as artificial lighting or hormonal treatments because they are considered as valid as existing methods with additional animal welfare advantages. For example, with the Equilume light masks, horses can be let out into the pasture, whereas they have to be kept indoors during lighting treatment. Because the function of Equilume light mask on the estrous cycle of mares is influenced by environmental factors such as nutrition condition and temperature, Equilume light mask should be studied in various environments. The objective of the present study was thus to verify the effect of Equilume light masks on the onset of the estrous cycle in Thoroughbred mares in South Korea. Mares were randomly selected and separated into two groups at two Thoroughbred horse breeding farms. The mares in the treatment group were equipped with Equilume light masks from November 18 to February 10 the following year. The body condition, the number and size (> 35 mm) of uterine follicles, and the uterine horn score of the mares were assessed on January 6 and February 10. The body condition scores were not different between the two groups. The treatment with the Equilume light mask had no positive effects on developing follicles and the reproductive tract. In conclusion, the use of Equilume light masks did not influence the seasonal resumption of the estrus cycles in Thoroughbred mares in South Korea.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.636-639
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• 2007

Septicemic polyserositis and navel ill associated with Escherichia coli were reported in a 14-day-old male thoroughbred foal. The horse died after showing 12-day history of anorexia, lethargy, lameness and endophthalmus. Grossly, milky yellow abscesses were occupied in umbilicus, umbilical vein and artery. Large amounts of turbid pale yellow fluids were seen in pericardial sac, thoracic and abdominal cavity. Yellowish fibrinous materials were also presented in thoracic and abdominal cavity. Sticky pale yellow fluid and fibrinous materials were filled in stifle joint cavities of both hind limbs. Histologically, fibrino-purulent polyserositis and arthritis were observed. Severe omphalophlebitis with intra-lesional Gram negative bacterial colonies were noted in umbilical vein. Most of mesothelial cells in serosal cavities were severely hypertrophied. Pathogenic E. coli was purely isolated from ascites, thoracic and synovial fluids. Based on the results, the septicemic polyserositis may be originated from the umbilical cord infected with E. coli in this foal.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.201-208
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• 2011

Streptococcus equi subsp. zooepidemicus (S. zooepidemicus) is a pathogen of a variety of infections in horse. We studied biochemical and molecular characteristics of S. zooepidemicus isolated from the genital tract of Thoroughbred mares in Korea. Seventy-nine isolates were identified as S. zooepidemicus by biochemical and PCR method from 374 horses. The biochemical characteristics of S. zooepidemicus isolates were positive reaction of lactose and sorbitol. However, S. zooepidemicus isoltes were negative reaction of inulin, mannitol, raffinose, trehalose, aesculin hydrolysis, growth in 6.5% NaCl and variable reaction of maltose. Epidemiological investigations of S. zooepidemicus isolates were performed by fragment analysis of SzP (S. zooepidemicus protective protein) gene, CNE (collagen binding protein) gene and ISR (16s rRNA intergenic spacer region) gene using ABI Prism $3,130{\times}1$ Genetic Analyzer System. All isolates were shown single amplification size of 906 bp in CNE gene, but SzP and ISR gene were shown variable patterns of fragment size. The characteristics of S. zooepidemicus investigated in this study will be very useful for the prevention of infection and the studies of epidemiologic characteristics of S. zooepidemicus, causing the severe economic losses due to reproductive failures.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.27 no.9
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• pp.1236-1243
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• 2014

Genetics is important for breeding and selection of horses but there is a lack of well-established horse-related browsers or databases. In order to better understand horses, more variants and other integrated information are needed. Thus, we construct a horse genomic variants database including expression and other information. Horse Single Nucleotide Polymorphism and Expression Database (HSDB) (http://snugenome2.snu.ac.kr/HSDB) provides the number of unexplored genomic variants still remaining to be identified in the horse genome including rare variants by using population genome sequences of eighteen horses and RNA-seq of four horses. The identified single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were confirmed by comparing them with SNP chip data and variants of RNA-seq, which showed a concordance level of 99.02% and 96.6%, respectively. Moreover, the database provides the genomic variants with their corresponding transcriptional profiles from the same individuals to help understand the functional aspects of these variants. The database will contribute to genetic improvement and breeding strategies of Thoroughbreds.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.35 no.5
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• pp.247-249
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• 2018

A 3-year-old black Thoroughbred colt weighing 500 kg was admitted to the Equine Hospital of Korea Racing Authority (KRA) due to the chronic gait abnormality of the hindlimbs. The history revealed that the patient had run and fallen onto the fence of the farm about at the age of 1 year old and the lameness had been worsening insidiously since the accident. The degree of lameness was 2/5 in accordance with the AAEP lameness grading system in both hindlimbs at hand walking and trot. The lameness was exacerbated at lunging clockwise and counterclockwise on both hindlimbs. The definitive diagnosis of the bilateral osteoarthritis of coxofemoral joint was established using radiography under general inhalation anesthesia. The prognosis was considered to be poor with low expectancy for racing and the colt was expelled from the racecourse eventually. The clinicians are required to consider the possibility of osteoarthritis of coxofemoral joint presented with chronic hindlimb lameness although it is rare. This is the first report on the bilateral osteoarthritis coxofemoral joint in Republic of Korea.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.158-163
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• 2006

This work describes an outbreak of strangles due to Streptococcus equi subsp. equi in 1 to 2 years old Thoroughbred horses. A total of 7 samples were collected from 5 horses in two different horse farms during 2003. Six ${\beta}$-hemolytic colonies selected from each sample were identified by biochemical tests using API STREPTO followed by PCR amplification which is able to recognize unique region of SeM gene of S. equi subsp. equi. All colonies selected from the ruptured lymphadenitis of 2 horses in farm A were identified as S. dysgalactiae subsp. equisimillis. It seems to be secondary infection because the sampling sites have been already opened and the horses have been treated with antibiotics for a week. All colonies from 2 submandibular lymphadenitis samples in Farm B were S. equi subsp. equi while the isolates from 3 nasal discharges in this farm were mixed with S. equi subsp. zooepidemicus.