Topic:Antibiotics
Antibiotics are medications used to treat bacterial infections in horses. They work by either killing bacteria or inhibiting their growth, aiding the horse's immune system in overcoming the infection. Commonly used antibiotics in equine medicine include penicillin, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, and gentamicin. The selection of an antibiotic depends on factors such as the type of bacteria, the site of infection, and the horse's health status. Responsible use of antibiotics is essential to minimize the risk of resistance. This page compiles peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the efficacy, administration, and impact of antibiotics on equine health.
Antimicrobial Resistance of Coagulase-positive Staphylococcus Isolated From Healthy Crioulo Horses and Associated Risk Factors. Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global concern that must be addressed from a one health perspective. Horses are companion animals and their contact with humans facilitates exchange of resistant bacteria. This study aimed to evaluate AMR of coagulase-positive Staphylococcus (CoPS), including Staphylococcus aureus, isolated from healthy Crioulo horses. Swab samples from nostrils (n = 214) and skin (n = 107) of 107 horses from Porto Alegre, South Brazil, were used for CoPS isolation. The isolates were evaluated for AMR and a multivariate logistic regression was applied to identify the ris...
Case Report: Nuchal Bursitis Associated With Borrelia burgdorferi Infection in a Horse. Cases of cranial nuchal bursitis associated with infection have not been thoroughly described. Here, we describe the case of a 17-year-old mare that was presented for low head carriage, dull demeanor, and resistance to haltering. Imaging supported a diagnosis of nuchal bursitis, and bursoscopy with surgical debridement of the nuchal bursa was performed. was identified by molecular diagnostics in serial samples of the bursal fluid, with no other organisms identified. Serology revealed significant elevation in antibodies directed against OspA of , but not the typical infection markers, OspC an...
Intra-articular administration of antibiotics in horses: Justifications, risks, reconsideration of use and outcomes. Antibiotics have been injected intra-articularly by equine veterinarians for decades, either prophylactically when other drugs are administered for osteoarthritis or therapeutically to treat septic arthritis. This route of administration has also more recently gained attention in human orthopaedic clinical practice, particularly as an alternative to systemic antibiotic administration to treat infections following prosthetic arthroplasty. While the rationale for injecting antibiotics intra-articularly has been largely focused on achieving high local drug concentrations, there has been relativel...
Assessment on In Vitro Probiotic Attributes of Lactobacillus plantarum Isolated From Horse Feces. This study was designed to assess in vitro probiotic attributes of potent bacterium isolated from the feces of healthy horse. Initially, a total of eight bacteria were isolated from the feces and evaluated their antibacterial activities against indicator bacterial pathogens using agar well diffusion assay. Results showed significant (P < .05) antibacterial property of Lactobacillus plantarum strain LF4 against pathogens tested with maximum growth inhibitory activity of 320.16 ± 3.4 AU/mL against Staphylococcus aureus. Further, in vitro probiotic properties of strain LF4 were determined using ...
In Vivo Biofilm Formation of Pathogenic Leptospira spp. in the Vitreous Humor of Horses with Recurrent Uveitis. Equine recurrent uveitis (ERU) causes painful inflammatory attacks and oftentimes blindness in the affected eyes. The disease is considered a late sequela of systemic leptospirosis. The most effective therapy is the surgical removal of the vitreous (vitrectomy), which is not only therapeutic, but provides vitreous material that can be assessed diagnostically. For example, the lipL32 gene, culturable Leptospira spp., and anti-Leptospira antibodies have all been detected in vitreous samples obtained from eyes with chronic ERU. Despite this clear evidence of leptospiral involvement, the systemic ...
Practical Review of the Management of Animal Bites. Animal bites are common worldwide. Due to the plethora of animals, there are diverse pathogens with specific associated risks and treatment algorithms. It is crucial to understand these to develop and execute appropriate management plans. This practical review was designed to amalgamate the most common bites worldwide and synthesize data to help guide treatment plans. Methods: A PubMed literature search was performed focusing on the major animal bites. High-level studies were preferred and analyzed but lower-level studies were also used if high-level studies did not exist. Results: The tables ...
Pharmacokinetics of ceftiofur in the metacarpophalangeal joint after standing intravenous regional limb perfusion in horses. This study investigated the pharmacokinetics of ceftiofur after intravenous regional limb perfusion (IVRLP). Six horses were involved in 3 IVRLP sessions. For each session, operators with varying clinical experience placed the tourniquet. A wide-rubber tourniquet was applied in the antebrachium as 2 g of ceftiofur in a total volume of 100 mL was injected into the cephalic vein. Plasma and metacarpophalangeal synovial fluid samples were obtained to evaluate perfusate leakage and synovial fluid concentrations of ceftiofur over 24 h. Overall, mean plasma concentrations were not significantly diff...
Synergistic combinations of clarithromycin with doxycycline or minocycline reduce the emergence of antimicrobial resistance in Rhodococcus equi. The alarming increase in rifampin and macrolide resistance among Rhodococcus equi isolates highlights the need to identify alternative therapeutic options that can effectively control rhodococcosis in foals while limiting the further development of drug resistance. Objective: To evaluate bacterial killing, antibiotic synergism and mutant prevention concentrations (MPCs) of clarithromycin alone and in combination with doxycycline, minocycline or rifampin against clinical isolates of R equi. Methods: In vitro experiments. Methods: Bacterial time-kill, fractional inhibitory concentration (checker...
Gut Microbiota Manipulation in Foals-Naturopathic Diarrhea Management, or Unsubstantiated Folly? Diarrhea in foals is a problem of significant clinical and economic consequence, and there are good reasons to believe microbiota manipulation can play an important role in its management. However, given the dynamic development of the foal microbiota and its importance in health and disease, any prophylactic or therapeutic efforts to alter its composition should be evidence based. The few clinical trials of probiotic preparations conducted in foals to date show underwhelming evidence of efficacy and a demonstrated potential to aggravate rather than mitigate diarrhea. Furthermore, recent studie...
Ciprofloxacin reduces tenocyte viability and proteoglycan synthesis in short-term explant cultures of equine tendon. Fluoroquinolones are an effective, broad-spectrum antibiotic used to treat an array of bacterial infections. However, they are associated with an increased risk of tendinopathy and tendon rupture even after discontinuation of treatment. This condition is known as fluoroquinolone-associated tendinopathy, the underlying mechanisms of which are poorly understood. While many factors may be involved in the pathophysiology of tendinopathies in general, changes in tenocyte metabolism and viability, as well as alteration of proteoglycan metabolism are prominent findings in the scientific literature. T...
Antibody activities in hyperimmune plasma against the Rhodococcus equi virulence -associated protein A or poly-N-acetyl glucosamine are associated with protection of foals against rhodococcal pneumonia. The efficacy of transfusion with hyperimmune plasma (HIP) for preventing pneumonia caused by Rhodococcus equi remains ill-defined. Quarter Horse foals at 2 large breeding farms were randomly assigned to be transfused with 2 L of HIP from adult donors hyperimmunized either with R. equi (RE HIP) or a conjugate vaccine eliciting antibody to the surface polysaccharide β-1→6-poly-N-acetyl glucosamine (PNAG HIP) within 24 hours of birth. Antibody activities against PNAG and the rhodococcal virulence-associated protein A (VapA), and to deposition of complement component 1q (C՛1q) onto PNAG were d...
[Urachal patency in neonatal foals – a review of the literature]. Urachal patency is an umbilical disease in newborn foals. Etiologically, either the closure of the urachus remains absent after birth (persistent urachus) or the urachus was already closed and reopens at a later time (patent urachus). The most common causes of patent urachus are congenital defects, tearing of the navel above the predilection site, trauma, increased intravesical or abdominal pressure and umbilical infections. Patent urachus occurs more frequently in premature or weak and immunocompromised foals. Colts are more often affected than fillies. Typical clinical signs are apparent imm...
Antimicrobial Effects of Equine Platelet Lysate. The development of antimicrobial resistant bacteria and the lack of novel antibiotic strategies to combat those bacteria is an ever-present problem in both veterinary and human medicine. The goal of this study is to evaluate platelet lysate (PL) as a biological alternative antimicrobial product. Platelet lysate is an acellular platelet-derived product rich in growth factors and cytokines that is manufactured via plateletpheresis and pooled from donor horses. In the current study, we sought to define the antimicrobial properties of PL on select gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. Results ...
Clinical Outcome of Transcervical Infusion of a Combination of Procaine Penicillin and Gentamicin in Late-term Pregnant Mares. Transcervical intrauterine infusion of antibiotics may more effectively treat pathogens associated with fetal and neonatal disease in pregnant mares than standard systemic routes. The objective of this study was to assess the safety of transcervical antibiotic infusion by characterizing the gestational outcome in nine healthy pregnant pony mares following a single transcervical infusion of 2.4 million IU of procaine penicillin and 200 mg of gentamicin in a 10 mL volume during late gestation. Assessment of fetal-placental health was performed through serial measurement of the combined thickness...
Antimicrobial Resistance Spectrum Conferred by pRErm46 of Emerging Macrolide (Multidrug)-Resistant Rhodococcus equi. Clonal multidrug resistance recently emerged in Rhodococcus equi, complicating the therapeutic management of this difficult-to-treat animal- and human-pathogenic actinomycete. The currently spreading multidrug-resistant (MDR) "2287" clone arose in equine farms upon acquisition, and coselection by mass macrolide-rifampin therapy, of the pRErm46 plasmid carrying the (46) macrolide-lincosamide-streptogramin resistance determinant, and of an mutation. Here, we screened a collection of susceptible and macrolide-resistant strains from equine clinical cases using a panel of 15 antimicrobials agains...
A comprehensive review on avian chlamydiosis: a neglected zoonotic disease. Avian chlamydiosis is one of the important neglected diseases with critical zoonotic potential. Chlamydia psittaci, the causative agent, affects most categories of birds, livestock, companion animals, and humans. It has many obscured characters and epidemiological dimensions, which makes it unique among other bacterial agents. Recent reports on transmission from equine to humans alarmed the public health authorities, and it necessitates the importance of routine screening of this infectious disease. High prevalence of spill-over infection in equines was associated with reproductive losses. New...
Use of Antibiotics in Equines and Their Effect on Metabolic Health and Cecal Microflora Activities. In the race against deadly diseases, multiple drugs have been developed as a treatment strategy in livestock. Each treatment is based on a specific mechanism to find a suitable drug. Antibiotics have become a fundamental part of the equine industry to treat bacterial diseases. These antibiotics have specific doses and side effects, and understanding each parameter allows veterinarians to avoid or limit the adverse effects of such drugs. Use of antibiotics causes microbial imbalance, decreased microbial diversity and richness in both cecal and fecal samples. Antibiotics reduced metabolites prod...
The effects of signalment, diet, geographic location, season, and colitis associated with antimicrobial use or Salmonella infection on the fecal microbiome of horses. The fecal microbiome of healthy horses may be influenced by signalment, diet, environmental factors, and disease. Objective: To assess the effects of age, breed, sex, geographic location, season, diet, and colitis caused by antibiotic use (antimicrobial-associated diarrhea [AAD]) and Salmonella infection on fecal microbiota. Methods: Healthy horses (n = 80) were sampled from nonhospital environments across multiple geographical locations in the United States. Horses with AAD (n = 14) were defined as those that developed diarrhea secondary to antimicrobial use. Horses with Salmonella infect...
Vancomycin resistant Streptococcus equi subsp. equi isolated from equines suffering from respiratory manifestation in Egypt. Upper respiratory tract infections are common in horses and can be caused by a variety of pathogens, mainly subsp, which are a significant equine pathogen causing major health issues as well as financial losses to the equine industry. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of bacteria in equines in Egypt, and characterize vancomycin-resistant subsp phenotypically and genotypically. Methods: subsp was isolated from internal nares of horses. All strains were confirmed by polymerase chain reaction-based detection of genus-specific , A and I genes. Antibiotic susceptibility was determin...
Whole genome sequencing of methicillin-resistant and methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus isolated from 4 horses in a veterinary teaching hospital and its ambulatory service. Genomic characterization was conducted on 2 methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains isolated from 2 horses hospitalized during an overlapping period of time and 2 methicillin-sensitive S. aureus (MSSA) strains isolated from 2 distinct horses. Phylogenetic proximity was traced and the genotypic and phenotypic characteristics of the antimicrobial resistance of the strains were compared. Whole genome sequencing of MRSA strains for this report was similar but differed from whole genome sequencing of MSSA strains. The MRSA strains were closely related, belonging to sequence type ...
Synovial Concentration of Trimethoprim-Sulphadiazine Following Regional Limb Perfusion in Standing Horses. The aim of this study was to investigate the safety and pharmacokinetics of trimethoprim-sulphadiazine administered via intravenous regional limb perfusion (IVRLP) into the cephalic vein. According to the hypothesis, the drug could be administered without adverse effects and the synovial concentrations would remain above the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) for trimethoprim-sulphadiazine (0.5 and 9.5 µg/mL) for 24 h. Ten ( = 10) horses underwent cephalic vein IVRLP with an Esmarch tourniquet applied for 30 min. Four grams (4 g) of trimethoprim-sulphadiazine (TMP-SDZ) were diluted at 0.9...
Antimicrobial Selection for the Equine Practitioner. Antimicrobial drugs play an important, often central, role in the therapeutic management of mature horses and foals with a variety of illnesses, including those requiring critical care. Antimicrobial use must be based on rational principles involving thorough patient evaluation and sound clinical judgment that indicate a high likelihood that the patient has a bacterial infection and that antimicrobials are indicated to promote recovery. The aim of antimicrobial treatment is to inflict an insult on infecting bacteria sufficient to kill the organism or render it susceptible to inactivation by na...
Orthopedic Infections-Clinical Applications of Intravenous Regional Limb Perfusion in the Field. For the equine veterinarian, orthopedic emergencies are a common occurrence in clinical practice, with traumatic wounds of the distal limb and penetrating injuries of the hoof being some of the most common medical conditions to affect horses. Intravenous regional limb perfusion is a technique widely used for the treatment of orthopedic infections in horses. The objectives of this review are to discuss some of the clinical applications for this treatment modality in the field and to review the technique for the practitioner.
A novel Streptococcus species causing clinical mastitis in a pregnant donkey. An 8-y-old jenny was presented because of anorexia and mild depression. The jenny had weaned her colt 10 d before the admission. Upon arrival at the University of Illinois Veterinary Teaching Hospital, the heart rate was elevated, and the right udder was painful and swollen on palpation. Milk stripping of the affected side revealed purulent content; the contralateral udder had normal-appearing milk. Cytology of mammary gland secretions from the affected side revealed a large number of hypersegmented reactive neutrophils with phagocytized bacteria. Complete blood count, serum chemistry, and f...
Nonlinear Mixed-Effect Pharmacokinetic Modeling and Distribution of Doxycycline in Healthy Female Donkeys after Multiple Intragastric Dosing-Preliminary Investigation. Doxycycline (DXC) is a broad-spectrum antibacterial antimicrobial administered to horses for the treatment of bacterial infections which may also affect donkeys. Donkeys have a different metabolism than horses, leading to differences in the pharmacokinetics of drugs compared to horses. This study aimed to describe the population pharmacokinetics of DXC in donkeys. Five doses of DXC hyclate (10 mg/kg) were administered via a nasogastric tube, q12 h, to eight non-fasted, healthy, adult jennies. Serum, urine, synovial fluid and endometrium were collected for 72 h following the first administratio...
Comparison of equine synovial sepsis rate following intrasynovial injection in ambulatory versus hospital settings. Frequency of synovial sepsis in horses following intrasynovial injection has been reported, but not compared with respect to the environment in which the injection was performed. Objective: To describe occurrence of synovial sepsis following intrasynovial injections performed in ambulatory vs hospital settings. Methods: Retrospective cohort study. Methods: Records from the Colorado State University were evaluated (2014-2018) and horses receiving intrasynovial injections were identified. Patients presenting for septic synovial structures were excluded. Patient signalment, primary supervising se...
Sabulous cystitis in the horse: 13 cases (2013-2020). The objective of this study was to describe the clinical findings, medical management, and outcomes of horses with sabulous cystitis, and to describe a high flow bladder lavage procedure in horses that are standing or under general anesthesia. The medical records of 13 horses diagnosed with sabulous cystitis via cystoscopy between 2013 and 2020 were reviewed. Geldings (92%) and Warmbloods (46%) were overrepresented. The most common presenting complaint was urinary incontinence (69%). Complete blood cell count, serum biochemistry profile and urine cytology results were non-specific. Six (46%) h...
Current joint therapy usage in equine practice: Changes in the last 10 years. Osteoarthritis is a common clinical condition in the performance horse. In the last 10 years, there has been substantial growth in understanding of the disease and in the development of novel therapies. Objective: To document changes in clinical use of joint therapies over the past 10 years. We also aimed to understand how newly developed therapies have been added to routine clinical practice. Methods: Survey of veterinary professionals. Methods: We administered an electronic survey to members of the American Association of the Equine Practitioners. Questions from a similar survey in 2009 we...
Nasal colonization and antibiotic resistance patterns of Staphylococcus species isolated from healthy horses in Tripoli, Libya. The present study investigated the colonization rates and antimicrobial susceptibility of Staphylococcus species isolated from the nostrils of healthy horses. A nonselective laboratory approach was applied, followed by confirmation using a Phoenix automated microbiological system. Among the 92 horses included in the study, 48.9% (45/92) carried Staphylococcus species of mostly the coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) type yielding 70 Staphylococcus strains. Of these strains, 37.1% (26/70; 24 CoNS and 2 coagulase-positive staphylococci; CoPS) were identified as methicillin-resistant staphylo...