title: Is it the systemic inflammatory response syndrome or endotoxemia in horses with colic?
abstract: Some veterinarians describe particularly sick horses or neonatal foals as being endotoxemic, whereas others refer to the same animals as having the systemic inflammatory response syndrome. This article reviews the basis for the use of each of these terms in equine practice, and highlights the mechanisms underlying the response of the horse's innate immune system to key structural components of the microorganisms that initiate these conditions, including how some of those responses differ from other species. Current approaches used to treat horses with these conditions are summarized, and caution advised on extrapolating findings from other species to the horse.
authors.affiliation: Department of Large Animal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, 501 DW Brooks Drive, Athens, GA 30602, USA; Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, 501 DW Brooks Drive, Athens, GA 30602, USA. Electronic address: jmoore@uga.edu.
authors.forename: James N
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Moore
authors.affiliation: Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine, PO Box 334, Basseterre, Saint Kitts, West Indies.
authors.forename: Michel L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Vandenplas
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D003085:Colic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000662:veterinary*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D019446:Endotoxemia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000662:veterinary*; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006736:Horses
keywords: Endotoxin; Innate immunity; Lipopolysaccharide; Systemic inflammation; Toll-like receptors