A Comparative Review of Equine SIRS, Sepsis, and Neutrophils.
Authors: Sheats M Katie
Journal: Frontiers in veterinary science
Summary
Whilst human medicine has adopted a consensus definition of sepsis centred on dysregulated immune responses causing organ dysfunction, equine practitioners lack comparable diagnostic clarity, instead describing the condition broadly as a pathological systemic inflammatory response to infection. Sheats' comprehensive review examines the pivotal role of neutrophils—cells essential for fighting infection yet simultaneously capable of causing significant host tissue damage—in both the pathogenesis and potential therapeutic targeting of equine sepsis. The paper synthesises current understanding of systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) and sepsis mechanisms across species, highlighting that neutrophil dysfunction and activation patterns represent critical intervention points for prevention, diagnosis and treatment strategies. A fundamental gap persists in equine sepsis research: without standardised, consistently applied diagnostic criteria comparable to human medicine, practitioners cannot reliably identify at-risk patients or evaluate novel therapeutic approaches. For farriers, veterinarians and other equine professionals, this review underscores the urgent need for a unified classification framework to advance evidence-based sepsis management and ultimately improve clinical outcomes in horses.
Read the full abstract on PubMed
Practical Takeaways
- •Recognize that sepsis in horses involves dysregulated inflammation rather than simple infection—understanding neutrophil behavior helps explain why some infected horses deteriorate despite antimicrobial therapy
- •Monitor neutrophil changes as potential diagnostic and prognostic indicators; neutrophil dysfunction may offer intervention targets beyond just treating the primary infection
- •Advocate for and apply consistent sepsis definitions and staging in your practice to enable better communication with veterinary teams and contribute to evidence-based sepsis management protocols
Key Findings
- •Equine sepsis is characterized by dysregulated host systemic inflammatory response to infection, but lacks consensus definition unlike human medicine
- •Neutrophils are primary innate immune cells defending against infection but simultaneously contribute to host tissue injury during sepsis
- •Neutrophil dysfunction and behavior are critical targets for sepsis prevention, diagnosis, and treatment strategies
- •Standardized classification systems for sepsis diagnosis are essential but currently lacking in equine medicine, limiting comparative research across species