Equine Sports Medicine at New Bolton Center

antibody to the virus in clinics, complement fixation (CF) and neutralizing antibody titer. From their results, it was suggested that ELISA can be used in place of AG1D for control of EHV- 1 infection through titration of antibody to the virus in the field. The antigen for ELISA and AG1D was suggested to be VP 19, an inner component of the virus. An easily performed test that can provide accurate, rapidly available results for quantitation of horse IgG has been developed using nephelometry. This test is expected to be used for diagnosis of such immunological diseases as failure of passive transfer of colostral immunoglobulin from mares, which is the most common immunodeficiency disorder in foals. Correlation coefficient and p value among results for single radial immunodiffusion test and the nephelometry in 58 half-bred horses were 0.850 and <0.0005. The test was applied to quantitation of serum IgG from 100 race horses. The mean value was 1,603 mg/dl, with a standard deviation of 294.8 mg/dl, a minimum value of 1,004 mgidl, and a maximum value of 2,391 mg/dl. The test was also utilized in clinical practice on a farm. A relationship between IgG quantity at 7 days after birth and the period from birth to the first day of therapy for clinical illness was observed for 16 foals on the farm until 130 days after birth. The IgG quantities at seven days after birth was 140 mg/dl to 1,700 mg/dl. Twelve foals were treated for common cold, bronchitis or pneumonitis within 135 days after birth. This result suggested that foals have the same possibility for clinical illness, regardless of their IgG quantities at seven days after birth. However, treated foals with lower IgG quantities tended to show clinical illness earlier after birth.

Takeo Sugiura, et al.

J Equine Sci Vol. 8, No. 3 pp. 57-61, 1997

Takeo Sugiura, et al. J Equine Sci Vol. 8, No. 3 pp. 63-67, 1997

Equine Sports Medicine at New Bolton Center One of the recent initiatives at the New Bolton Center, the Center for Equine Sports Medicine, was established in 1994 to provide a dynamic venue to integrate research, clinical practice, and education for improved performance and welfare of the horse. Interest in treating injuries and developing other relevant areas that pertain to the sport horse is the common denominator among its participating faculty members who come from different backgrounds. The Research Program in Equine Sports Medicine presently includes four laboratories: Exercise and Performance Laboratory-- This lab, directed by Dr. Larry Soma, studies the effects of exercise on the cardiovascular and pulmonary systems as well as on the release of stress hormones and how medications affect these hormones and performance. The Farrier's Laboratory--Under the direction of Rob Sigafoos, this lab is concerned with polymeric footwear for horses. The Sigafoos glue-on shoes hallmark the achievements of this lab to date. Orthopedic Molecular Biology L a b o r a t o r y - - T h i s lab, under the direction of Dr. Dean Richardson, is exploring the world of molecular biology as it pertains to joints and joint disease (arthritis).

Univ. of PA School of Veterinary Medicine

Richard S. Reynolds, Jr. Comparative Orthopedic Research Laboratory - - U n d e r the direction of Dr. David Nunamaker, this lab studies bone healing-fracture fixation devices and the interaction of bone modeling and fatigue failure of bone.

Volume 18, Number 2, 1998

97