title: Equine Protozoal Myeloencephalitis: An Updated Consensus Statement with a Focus on Parasite Biology, Diagnosis, Treatment, and Prevention.
abstract: Equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM) remains an important neurologic disease of horses. There are no pathognomonic clinical signs for the disease. Affected horses can have focal or multifocal central nervous system (CNS) disease. EPM can be difficult to diagnose antemortem. It is caused by either of 2 parasites, Sarcocystis neurona and Neospora hughesi, with much less known about N. hughesi. Although risk factors such as transport stress and breed and age correlations have been identified, biologic factors such as genetic predispositions of individual animals, and parasite-specific factors such as strain differences in virulence, remain largely undetermined. This consensus statement update presents current published knowledge of the parasite biology, host immune response, disease pathogenesis, epidemiology, and risk factors. Importantly, the statement provides recommendations for EPM diagnosis, treatment, and prevention.
authors: Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital, 2150 Georgetown Road, Lexington, Kentucky, 40511.|Department of Veterinary Science, Maxwell H. Gluck Equine Research Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY.
authors: S M
authors: SM
authors: Reed
authors: Department of Physiological Sciences, Center for Veterinary Health Sciences, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK.
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Furr
authors: Department of Veterinary Science, Maxwell H. Gluck Equine Research Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY.
authors: D K
authors: DK
authors: Howe
authors: New Bolton Center, University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, Kennett Square, PA.
authors: A L
authors: AL
authors: Johnson
authors: College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL.
authors: R J
authors: RJ
authors: MacKay
authors: Equine Diagnostic Solutions LLC, Lexington, KY.
authors: J K
authors: JK
authors: Morrow
authors: Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA.
authors: N
authors: N
authors: Pusterla
authors: Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, Blacksburg, VA.
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Witonsky
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003048:Coccidiosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000662:veterinary; D004679:Encephalomyelitis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000473:pathology; D006736:Horses; D018688:Neospora / Q000302:isolation & purification; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D012522:Sarcocystis / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012523:Sarcocystosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000662:veterinary
chemical_list: D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents
keywords: Encephalitis; Equine myeloencephalopathy; Equine neurologic; Equine protozoal disease; Myelitis; Neospora hughesi; Sarcocystis neurona