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.
Culturable Microbial Population From the Upper Respiratory Tract of 1,010 Clinically Healthy Horses in Southern Brazil. Microbiological diagnosis of equine respiratory infections is essential for disease management. However, reliable diagnosis can be a challenge due to colonization of the upper respiratory tract (URT) by a diverse microbial population, and because there is a lack of studies with samples from healthy animals. Aiming to guide adequate URT culture, this work reports culturable microbial population from the URT of 1,010 apparently healthy horses from 341 farms in Southern Brazil and identifies the putative presence of pathogenic microorganisms. Nasal swabs were cultured in 5% blood agar, and the is...
The Public Health Burden of Virulent Extended-Spectrum β-Lactamase-Producing Klebsiella pneumoniae Strains Isolated from Diseased Horses. has been associated with both nosocomial and community-acquired infections with mounting public health concern throughout the world. The purpose of this study was to investigate the burden of virulent extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing among diarrheic horses or those with respiratory illness to underscore the public health implication of such strains. Rectal and nasal swabs were gathered from 100 diseased horses (50 diarrheic and 50 with respiratory illness). The collected swabs were processed for isolation of ESBL-producing using a selective medium followed by phenotypic and ...
Determination of extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae isolated from horses with respiratory manifestation. The World Health Organization considers multidrug-resistant (MDR) a major global threat. Horses harbor commensal isolates of this bacterial species and potentially serve as reservoirs for human MDR bacteria. This study investigated antimicrobial resistance in horses caused by extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing . Unassigned: One hundred fifty-nine nasal swab samples were collected from horses with respiratory distress not treated with cefotaxime and erythromycin. Biochemical and serological identification was performed on all samples. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to de...
Effects of regional limb perfusion technique on concentrations of antibiotic achieved at the target site: A meta-analysis. Intravenous regional limb perfusions (RLP) are widely used in equine medicine to treat distal limb infections, including synovial sepsis. RLPs are generally deemed successful if the peak antibiotic concentration (Cmax) in the sampled synovial structure is at least 8-10 times the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) for the bacteria of interest. Despite extensive experimentation and widespread clinical use, the optimal technique for performing a successful perfusion remains unclear. The objective of this meta-analysis was to examine the effect of technique on synovial concentrations of antibi...
First study on diversity and antimicrobial-resistant profile of staphylococci in sports animals of Southern Thailand. Staphylococci are commensal bacteria and opportunistic pathogens found on the skin and mucosa. Sports animals are more prone to injury and illness, and we believe that antimicrobial agents might be extensively used for the treatment and cause the existence of antimicrobial-resistant (AMR) bacteria. This study aimed to investigate the diversity and AMR profile of staphylococci in sports animals (riding horses, fighting bulls, and fighting cocks) in South Thailand. Unassigned: Nasal (57 fighting bulls and 33 riding horses) and skin swabs (32 fighting cocks) were taken from 122 animals. Staphyloc...
Equine ulcerative keratitis in Belgium: Associated bacterial isolates and in vitro antimicrobial resistance in 200 eyes. To describe bacterial isolates and associated antibiotic resistance from horses with ulcerative keratitis in Belgium. Methods: Medical records from horses with ulcerative keratitis presented to the ophthalmology service of the Veterinary teaching hospital of Liege, Belgium, between 2014 and 2021 were evaluated. Bacterial isolates were identified and VITEK® 2 (Biomérieux) provided antimicrobial susceptibility testing and resistance detection. Results: Two hundred eyes of 196 horses were sampled. Ninety-seven eyes had a positive bacterial culture (48.5%) and 139 bacterial isolates were identif...
Rhodococcus equi foal pneumonia: Update on epidemiology, immunity, treatment and prevention. Pneumonia in foals caused by the bacterium Rhodococcus equi has a worldwide distribution and is a common cause of disease and death for foals. The purpose of this narrative review was to summarise recent developments pertaining to the epidemiology, immune responses, treatment, and prevention of rhodococcal pneumonia of foals. Screening tests have been used to implement earlier detection and treatment of foals with presumed subclinical R. equi pneumonia to reduce mortality and severity of disease. Unfortunately, this practice has been linked to the emergence of antimicrobial-resistant R. equi i...
Concentration of amikacin sulphate in synovial fluid when given in combination with dexamethasone phosphate in intravenous regional limb perfusion in standing horses. Eight horses underwent IVRLP at two occasions through a 23-gauge 2 cm long butterfly catheter. Regional anaesthesia of the ulnar, median and medial cutaneous antebrachial nerves was performed prior, and an 8 cm rubber tourniquet was placed on the proximal radius for 30 minutes following the infusion. The first infusion consisted of 2 g of amikacin sulphate and 10 mg of dexamethasone phosphate diluted with 0.9% NaCl to a total volume of 100 ml. The second perfusion was performed after a 2-week washout period, the same protocol was used but without dexamethasone phosphate. Synovial fluid s...
Characterisation of faecal microbiota in horses medicated with oral doxycycline hyclate. Antimicrobial-associated diarrhoea is a common adverse effect of antimicrobial treatment in horses and has been reported following the administration of oral doxycycline. The administration of antimicrobials has also been associated with changes in the equine intestinal microbiota diversity yet has not been explored under doxycycline treatment. Objective: To describe the dynamics of the faecal microbial diversity following a 5-day oral administration of doxycycline in healthy horses with Streptococcus zooepidemicus infected tissue chambers. Methods: Experimental prospective cohort study in a s...
Critically important antimicrobials are frequently used on equine racetracks. To characterize antimicrobial use on four racetracks in the eastern US during the peak racing 2017-2018 seasons. Handwritten daily treatment sheets provided by attending veterinarians who listed treatments administered to horses stabled at the racetrack were obtained. Information contained in the treatment sheets included the date, name of the horse and its trainer, type of treatment, and a brief (usually 1-word) indication for treatment. The handwritten data listed on the racetrack treatment sheets were manually transcribed and analyzed. A total of 2,684 antimicrobial prescriptions were recor...
Effect of perfusate volume on amikacin concentrations after saphenous intravenous regional limb perfusion in standing, sedated horses. To determine the influence of perfusate volume on synovial fluid amikacin concentrations in the joints of the hind limb after standing saphenous intravenous regional limb perfusion (IVRLP). Methods: Randomized crossover design. Methods: Six adult horses. Methods: Saphenous IVRLP was performed in 6 standing horses with 1 g of amikacin diluted with 0.9% NaCl to volumes of 10 ml, 60 ml, and 120 ml. Samples of synovial fluid from the tarsocrural, metatarsophalangeal, and hind limb distal interphalangeal joints were collected at 15 and 30 min after perfusate administration. Concentrations ...
Gut Microbiome Characteristics in feral and domesticated horses from different geographic locations. Domesticated horses live under different conditions compared with their extinct wild ancestors. While housed, medicated and kept on a restricted source of feed, the microbiota of domesticated horses is hypothesized to be altered. We assessed the fecal microbiome of 57 domestic and feral horses from different locations on three continents, observing geographical differences. A higher abundance of eukaryota (p < 0.05) and viruses (p < 0.05) and lower of archaea (p < 0.05) were found in feral animals when compared with domestic ones. The abundance of genes coding for microbe-...
Safety and efficacy of a feed additive consisting of zearalenone hydrolase produced by Escherichia coli DSM 32731 for all terrestrial animal species (Biomin GmbH). Following a request from the European Commission, the Panel on Additives and Products or Substances used in Animal Feed (FEEDAP) was asked to deliver a scientific opinion on zearalenone hydrolase (ZenA) produced by DSM 32731 when used as a feed additive for all terrestrial animals. The production strain DSM 32731 is genetically modified and harbours a kanamycin resistance gene. No viable cells of the production strain were detected in the final product, but uncertainty remains on the presence of recombinant DNA in the final product. The ZenA contained in the additive is safe for all terrestr...
Prevalence and WGS-based characteristics of Staphylococcus aureus in the nasal mucosa and pastern of horses with equine pastern dermatitis. Many contributing factors are involved in the development of equine pastern dermatitis (EPD). Among the most frequently suspected is Staphylococcus aureus, known for its pathogenic potential in skin and soft tissue infections. We therefore investigated the association between S. aureus carriage and EPD. Results: One hundred five EPD-affected horses and 95 unaffected controls were examined for the presence of methicillin-resistant and -susceptible Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA and MSSA) on the pastern skin and in the nostrils. S. aureus isolates were cultivated from swab samples on selective MSSA...
The disposition of trimethoprim and sulfadiazine in neonatal foals after intravenous administration. Septicaemia in the neonatal foal is caused by both Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria. The life-threatening nature of this condition requires treatment to be initiated with broad spectrum antimicrobial drugs pending antimicrobial susceptibility testing. Potentiated sulphonamides, for example, trimethoprim combined with sulfadiazine, could be clinically relevant options but their pharmacokinetics in the neonatal foal are unknown. To describe the plasma disposition of trimethoprim and sulfadiazine in neonatal foals and to relate the results to patterns in the minimum inhibitory concentrati...
Horses as a source of bioactive fecal strains Enterococcus mundtii. Bacteriocin-producing bacteria with probiotic character are known as nutritional supplements mainly for livestock. Among those beneficial bacteria we also found enterococci. Because the species strains Enterococcus mundtii also can produce bacteriocins, this study was focused on fecal strains E. mundtii from horses and their bioactivity with a view to their possible future use in breeding. Rectal removal from 47 horses (40 mares and 7 stallions), the Norik breed from Muráň were sampled in eastern Slovakia during November 2019 year. Horses age ranged from five months up to 23 years. Using MAL...
The Prevalence and Molecular Biology of Staphylococcus aureus Isolated from Healthy and Diseased Equine Eyes in Egypt. This work aimed to characterize S. aureus isolates from the eyes of healthy and clinically affected equines in the Kafrelsheikh Governorate, Egypt. A total of 110 animals were examined for the presence of S. aureus, which was isolated from 33 animals with ophthalmic lesions and 77 healthy animals. We also investigated the antimicrobial resistance profile, oxacillin resistance mechanism, and the major virulence factors implicated in many studies of the ocular pathology of pathogenic S. aureus. The association between S. aureus eye infections and potential risk factors was also investigated. The...
Characterisation of and risk factors for extended-spectrum β-lactamase producing Enterobacterales (ESBL-E) in an equine hospital with a special reference to an outbreak caused by Klebsiella pneumoniae ST307:CTX-M-1. Extended-spectrum β-lactamase producing Enterobacterales (ESBL-E) are important causative agents for infections in humans and animals. At the Equine Veterinary Teaching Hospital of the University of Helsinki, the first infections caused by ESBL-E were observed at the end of 2011 leading to enhanced infection surveillance. Contact patients were screened for ESBL-E by culturing infection sites and rectal screening. This study was focused on describing the epidemiology and microbiological characteristics of ESBL-E from equine patients of the EVTH during 2011-2014, and analysing putative risk fac...
Antibacterial Properties of Biodegradable Silver Nanoparticle Foils Based on Various Strains of Pathogenic Bacteria Isolated from the Oral Cavity of Cats, Dogs and Horses. Frequent occurrence of microbial resistance to biocides makes it necessary to find alternative antimicrobial substances for modern veterinary medicine. The aim of this study was to obtain biodegradable silver nanoparticle-containing (AgNPs) foils synthesized using non-toxic chemicals and evaluation of their activity against bacterial pathogens isolated from oral cavities of cats, dogs and horses. Silver nanoparticle foils were synthesized using sodium alginate, and glucose, maltose and xylose were used as reducing agents. The sizes of AgNPs differed depending on the reducing agent used (xylose...
Antimicrobial Susceptibility of Bacterial Isolates from Donkey Uterine Infections, 2018-2021. Endometritis is a common reproductive disease in equine animals. No investigation about the bacterial characteristics and antimicrobial susceptibility pattern of donkeys with endometritis has thus far been reported. Objective: To determine the common uterine bacterial isolates from donkeys with endometritis and to evaluate their susceptibility to antimicrobials used for the treatment thereof. Methods: Retrospective case-series. Methods: Medical records at an equine clinical diagnostic center were retrospectively reviewed to identify submissions from donkeys with bacterial endometritis between ...
Streptococcus equi culture prevalence, associated risk factors and antimicrobial susceptibility in a horse population from Colombia. The objectives of this study were to determine the prevalence of S. equi in a horse population in Colombia, to determine the risk factors associated with its detection in the guttural pouches and to report the antimicrobial susceptibility of the isolates. Fifteen farms and 137 horses >6 months of age were enrolled. Sampling was randomly, stratified and proportional to the population size of each farm. The guttural pouch (GP) was swabbed via endoscopic guidance and culture was performed. DNA extraction and conventional PCR were performed in colonies compatibles with S. equi, the PCR products we...
Assessment of listing and categorisation of animal diseases within the framework of the Animal Health Law (Regulation (EU) No 2016/429): antimicrobial-resistant Rhodococcus equi in horses. () was identified among the most relevant antimicrobial-resistant (AMR) bacteria in the EU for horses in a previous scientific opinion. Thus, it has been assessed according to the criteria of the Animal Health Law (AHL), in particular criteria of Article 7 on disease profile and impacts, Article 5 on its eligibility to be listed, Annex IV for its categorisation according to disease prevention and control rules as in Article 9 and Article 8 for listing animal species related to the bacterium. The assessment has been performed following a methodology previously published. The outcome is the med...
Increasing tourniquet number has no effect on amikacin concentration within the radiocarpal joint in horses undergoing intravenous regional limb perfusion. To determine whether IV regional limb perfusion (IVRLP) performed in the cephalic vein with a wide rubber tourniquet (WRT) applied proximal and distal to the carpus results in a higher peak concentration (Cmax) of amikacin in the radiocarpal joint (RCJ), compared with the Cmax for IVRLP using a single WRT proximal to the carpus. Methods: 7 healthy adult horses. Methods: Horses underwent IVRLP using standing sedation with 2 g of amikacin sulfate diluted to 60 mL by use of saline (0.9% NaCl) solution in the cephalic vein with 2 different tourniquet techniques; proximal WRT (P) and proximal and d...
Therapeutic Potential of Metabolites from Lactobacillus rhamnosus and Mare’s Milk in the Treatment of Dysbiosis. Ulcerative colitis is an inflammatory bowel disease that forms ulcerations in the mucous membrane of the colon and rectum, in which gut microbiota plays a pivotal role in its pathogenesis. Agents modulating microbial dysbiosis caused by colitis can help in the remission of this disease. The current study describes the potential therapeutic effects of active metabolites from Lactobacillus rhamnosus and mare's milk which have potential therapeutic values on the intestinal microbiota and proinflammatory cytokines. The analysis of the V1-V3 16S rDNA site revealed significant changes in the intesti...
Equine Proliferative Enteropathy in Weanling Foals on A German Breeding Farm: Clinical Course, Treatment and Long-Term Outcome. The goal of the current report was to describe the clinical signs, therapy and outcome of foals with suspected equine proliferative enteropathy (EPE) due to an infection with Lawsonia intracellularis. Forty foals, born on the same breeding farm, were diagnosed with suspected clinical EPE between September 2019 and January 2020. Data of these cases were analyzed retrospectively regarding the course of the disease, treatment, outcome and long-term prognosis. All horses, including randomly selected control horses, were reassessed about nine months after the suspicion of EPE. The horses affected w...
MMV020275 and MMV020490, promising compounds from malaria box for the treatment of equine piroplasmosis. Equine piroplasmosis is a tick-transmitted disease that is considered one of the most serious infectious diseases affecting equines. Searching for novel antipiroplasm drugs remains indispensable due to the emergence and spreading of resistant piroplasm parasites against the limited currently used drugs, diminazene aceturate and imidocarb dipropionate. Therefore, novel drugs with specified targets need to be identified and exploited. The inhibitory effects of Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV) Malaria Box compounds with potent in vitro anti-equine piroplasmosis activity were evaluated against ...
Ivermectin (IVM) Possible Side Activities and Implications in Antimicrobial Resistance and Animal Welfare: The Authors’ Perspective. Ivermectin has a wide number of many diverse functions. Certainly, it is irreplaceable for the treatment of parasitic pathologies in both human and veterinary medicine, and the latter represents the major field of its application. It has been called the "drug for the world's poor" because of its role as a saviour for those living on the margins of society, in underdeveloped areas afflicted by devastating and debilitating diseases, such as Onchocerciasis and Lymphatic filariasis. It showed huge, unexpected potential as an antibacterial (Chlamydia trachomatis and mycobacteria), and it has antivi...
In vitro antimicrobial activity of equine platelet lysate and mesenchymal stromal cells against common clinical pathogens. Septic arthritis is considered a medical emergency. Disease following bacterial colonization can lead to significant morbidity and mortality and requires costly treatment. Antimicrobial properties of regenerative therapies, including mesenchymal stromal cells and platelet products, have been researched extensively in human medicine. Although fewer studies have been conducted in veterinary species, they have shown promising results. The purpose of this study was to evaluate bacterial suppression by equine platelet lysate (EPL) and adipose-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (ASCs) in vitro. We hy...
Occurrence and Antimicrobial Susceptibility Profiles of Streptococcus equi subsp. zooepidemicus Strains Isolated from Mares with Fertility Problems. Streptococcus equi subsp. zooepidemicus (S. zooepidemicus), is a β-hemolytic Streptococcus belonging to the Lancefield group C; it is a rare human pathogen, but in horses, it is frequently associated with endometritis. This study aimed to isolate S. zooepidemicus strains, associated with bacterial endometritis in mares, and to define their antimicrobial resistance profile. Twenty-three isolates were recovered from one hundred ninety-six equine uterine swabs (11.7%). Bacterial identification was carried out by Api 20 Strep and confirmed by matrix assisted laser desorption ionization time of fl...
Assessment of animal diseases caused by bacteria resistant to antimicrobials: Horses. In this opinion, the antimicrobial-resistant bacteria responsible for transmissible diseases that constitute a threat to the health of horses have been assessed. The assessment has been performed following a methodology composed of information collected via an extensive literature review and expert judgement. Details on the methodology used for this assessment are explained in a separate opinion. A global state of play of antimicrobial-resistant spp. spp. and subsp and subsp. and subsp. has been provided. Among those bacteria, EFSA identified , and with more than 66% certainty as the mo...