Effect of Low-Dose Human Interferon-alpha on Shipping Fever of Thoroughbred Racehorses

Abstract

To assess the effect of human interferon-alpha (IFNα) on shipping fever of Thoroughbred racehorses subjected to long-distance transportation, an IFNα preparation was orally administered to 48 horses three times (once daily, 3 successive days) before transportation (IFNα group). In the control group (25 horses), maltose was administered in the same way. These treatments induced no abnormal findings in Thoroughbred racehorses before transportation. Immediately after transportation, significant increases in rectal temperature were observed in both treatment groups, whereas the rectal temperature of the IFNα group tended to be lower than that of the control group. Although WBC, Fbg, and SAA immediately after transportation were significantly increased due to transportation in both groups, the extent of the increases in the IFNα group was significantly smaller than in the control group. Long-distance transportation had a relatively profound impact on Thoroughbred racehorses, which was mitigated by IFNα treatment.

Effects of pre-shipping marbofloxacin administration on fever and blood properties in healthy Thoroughbreds transported a long distance

“…A previous study tested the efficacy of IFN-α administration before transportation of racehorses [ 1 ]. That study showed that although IFN-α did not decrease the incidence of fever associated with transportation, IFN-α significantly reduced inflammation and improved the clinical conditions of horses compared with those of control horses [ 1 ].…”

“…A previous study tested the efficacy of IFN-α administration before transportation of racehorses [ 1 ]. That study showed that although IFN-α did not decrease the incidence of fever associated with transportation, IFN-α significantly reduced inflammation and improved the clinical conditions of horses compared with those of control horses [ 1 ]. In the present study, we prophylactically treated all the test horses with IFN-α at a dose similar to that used in the previous report [ 1 ], but we found significant differences in the numbers of horses with fever and in the results of the hematologic analysis after transportation.…”

“…All animals received IFN-α (BIMURON, Biovet, Tokyo, Japan) sublingually at 0.5 U/kg, every 24 hr, for 3 consecutive days before transportation, including the day of transportation [ 1 ]. The horses then were randomly divided into 3 groups of 16 horses (8 males, 8 females) each: an MRFX administration group (MRFX group), an ERFX administration group (ERFX group) and a control group.…”

“…Some of these previous studies have suggested prophylactic treatments intended to prevent fever associated with transportation. A decrease in the incidence of fever associated with transportation and improvement in clinical condition was reported for horses orally administered interferon-α (IFN-α) for 3 consecutive days before transportation to activate the immune system [ 1 ]. However, this protocol did not completely prevent fever associated with transportation, so further prophylactic measures are needed.…”

Interferons: application in veterinary medicine

“…Захисна дія людського інтерферону була продемонстро-вана у культурах клітин різних видів тварин: Пероральне уведення людського ре-комбінантного інтерферону коням суттєво по-кращувало стан тварин при запалювальних за-хворюваннях дихальних шляхів [78], а також зменшувало прояви лихоманки, спричиненої стресом перевезення, і покращувало стан тва-рин [3]. Рекомбінантний інтерферон-альфа (людський і тваринний), який вводили інтра-назально, захищав хутрових звірів (фреток) від сезонних проявів вірусу грипу [60].…”