FREE SHIPPING over $40
OVER 9000 FIVE-STAR REVIEWS
5% OFF ALL SUBSCRIPTIONS
100% HAPPINESS GUARANTEE
Analyze Diet
0
Home / Equine Research Bank / J Vet Intern Med / Antibiograms of field and hospital acquired equine neonatal ...
Journal of veterinary internal medicine2023; 37(3); 1193-1200; doi: 10.1111/jvim.16671

Antibiograms of field and hospital acquired equine neonatal bacterial fluid cultures in the Midwestern United States: 149 samples (2007-2018).

Abstract: Contemporary data reflecting local pathogens and their antibiograms is necessary to select empirical antimicrobial therapy for equine neonates. Objective: Describe bacterial isolates associated with equine neonatal infection and their antibiograms in the Midwestern United States. An increase in gram-positive infection and antibiotic resistance compared to previous literature was expected. Methods: Data from 149 fluid samples from 133 foals <30 days of age submitted for bacterial culture between January 2007 and December 2018. Methods: A retrospective evaluation of equine neonatal fluid cultures was performed. Fluid submission type, bacterial culture and antibiogram, empirical antibiotic treatment, and foal outcome was included. Isolate susceptibility to individual antimicrobials and combination protocols relevant to equine practice were recorded. The effect of recorded variables on foal survival was evaluated using Fisher's exact or chi-squared tests. Results: Ninety bacterial isolates (78 aerobes and 12 anaerobes) were identified and gram-positive organisms predominated (n = 50/90, 56%). Greater than 70% of aerobic isolates were susceptible to ampicillin, ceftiofur, chloramphenicol, trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole, and all penicillin/aminopenicillin and aminoglycoside combinations. Seventy-seven (n = 81/105) percent of foals survived. Survival was associated with a negative fluid culture and was not associated with empirical antimicrobial choice. Conclusions: Gram positive and anaerobic isolates associated with equine neonatal fluid cultures exceed that of previous reports. Historical empirical antimicrobial choices for equine neonatal infection in the Midwestern United States are supported by local antibiogram results.
© 2023 The Authors. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine.
Get Full Text
Publication Date: 2023-04-07 PubMed ID: 37029453PubMed Central: PMC10229355DOI: 10.1111/jvim.16671Google Scholar: Lookup
The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
LinkedInCopy
  • Journal Article

Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

The research paper investigates the types of bacterial infections and their resistance to antibiotics (antibiogram) in newborn horses (equine neonates) in the Midwestern United States, based on 149 fluid samples collected between 2007 and 2018. The goal of the study was to provide current data that can inform the choice of antibiotics used for treating these infections.

Research Methodology

  • The researchers collected data from 149 fluid samples from 133 foals that were less than 30 days old. These samples were submitted for bacterial culture between January 2007 and December 2018.
  • This examination was retrospective, meaning it looked back at past data. The review considered the type of fluid submission, the bacterial culture and its susceptibilities (antibiogram), the initial (empirical) antibiotic treatment chosen, and the outcome for each foal.
  • The researchers noted the susceptibility of the bacteria (in each isolate) to various individual antimicrobials and also to combinations of them – an important detail since antimicrobials are often used together in equine medicine.
  • They then used statistical tests (Fisher’s exact or chi-squared tests) to judge the potential influence of the recorded variables on the survival of the foals.

Research Findings

  • A total of 90 bacterial isolates were identified, of which 78 were aerobic and 12 anaerobic. Gram-positive organisms were the most represented (over half of the isolates).
  • Over 70% of the aerobic isolates were susceptible to several antimicrobials, including ampicillin, ceftiofur, chloramphenicol, trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole, and all combinations of penicillin/aminopenicillin and aminoglycosides.
  • Of the 133 foals whose fluid samples were covered in the study, 81 (77%) survived. Having a negative fluid culture was associated with survival, while the choice of initial (empirical) antibiotic was not.

Conclusions

  • The prevalence of gram-positive and anaerobic bacteria in equine neonatal fluid cultures has exceeded that of previous reports. This indicates that these types of infections may have become more common.
  • The research supports the use of historically chosen empirical antibiotics for equine neonatal infection in the Midwestern United States, as the local pathogens were mostly susceptible to these drugs.

Cite This Article

APA
Bookbinder LC, Mani R, Carr EA. (2023). Antibiograms of field and hospital acquired equine neonatal bacterial fluid cultures in the Midwestern United States: 149 samples (2007-2018). J Vet Intern Med, 37(3), 1193-1200. https://doi.org/10.1111/jvim.16671

Publication

Journal of veterinary internal medicine
ISSN: 1939-1676
NlmUniqueID: 8708660
Country: United States
Language: English
Volume: 37
Issue: 3
Pages: 1193-1200

Researcher Affiliations

Bookbinder, Lauren C
  • College of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA.
Mani, Rinosh
  • College of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA.
Carr, Elizabeth A
  • College of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA.

MeSH Terms

  • Animals
  • Horses
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Drug Resistance, Bacterial
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / therapeutic use
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests / veterinary
  • Penicillins
  • Hospitals

Conflict of Interest Statement

Authors declare no conflict of interest.

References

This article includes 33 references
  1. Wong DM, Wilkins PA. Defining the Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome in Equine Neonates.. Vet Clin North Am Equine Pract 2015 Dec;31(3):463-81.
    pubmed: 26612743doi: 10.1016/j.cveq.2015.08.001google scholar: lookup
  2. Giguère S, Weber EJ, Sanchez LC. Factors associated with outcome and gradual improvement in survival over time in 1065 equine neonates admitted to an intensive care unit.. Equine Vet J 2017 Jan;49(1):45-50.
    pubmed: 26538009doi: 10.1111/evj.12536google scholar: lookup
  3. Hoffman AM, Staempfli HR, Willan A. Prognostic variables for survival of neonatal foals under intensive care.. J Vet Intern Med 1992 Mar-Apr;6(2):89-95.
    pubmed: 1588547doi: 10.1111/j.1939-1676.1992.tb03157.xgoogle scholar: lookup
  4. Hytychová T, Bezděková B. Retrospective evaluation of blood culture isolates and sepsis survival rate in foals in the Czech Republic: 50 cases (2011-2013).. J Vet Emerg Crit Care (San Antonio) 2015 Sep-Oct;25(5):660-6.
    pubmed: 26220509doi: 10.1111/vec.12348google scholar: lookup
  5. Koterba AM, Brewer BD, Tarplee FA. Clinical and clinicopathological characteristics of the septicaemic neonatal foal: review of 38 cases.. Equine Vet J 1984 Jul;16(4):376-82.
    pubmed: 6479139doi: 10.1111/j.2042-3306.1984.tb01950.xgoogle scholar: lookup
  6. Marsh PS, Palmer JE. Bacterial isolates from blood and their susceptibility patterns in critically ill foals: 543 cases (1991-1998).. J Am Vet Med Assoc 2001 May 15;218(10):1608-10.
    pubmed: 11393374doi: 10.2460/javma.2001.218.1608google scholar: lookup
  7. Theelen MJ, Wilson WD, Edman JM, Magdesian KG, Kass PH. Temporal trends in prevalence of bacteria isolated from foals with sepsis: 1979-2010.. Equine Vet J 2014 Mar;46(2):169-73.
    pubmed: 23808819doi: 10.1111/evj.12131google scholar: lookup
  8. Levy MM, Evans LE, Rhodes A. The Surviving Sepsis Campaign Bundle: 2018 update.. Intensive Care Med 2018 Jun;44(6):925-928.
    pubmed: 29675566doi: 10.1007/s00134-018-5085-0google scholar: lookup
  9. Theelen MJP, Wilson WD, Byrne BA, Edman JM, Kass PH, Magdesian KG. Initial antimicrobial treatment of foals with sepsis: Do our choices make a difference?. Vet J 2019 Jan;243:74-76.
    pubmed: 30606442doi: 10.1016/j.tvjl.2018.11.012google scholar: lookup
  10. Furr M, McKenzie H 3rd. Factors associated with the risk of positive blood culture in neonatal foals presented to a referral center (2000-2014).. J Vet Intern Med 2020 Nov;34(6):2738-2750.
    pmc: PMC7694804pubmed: 33044020doi: 10.1111/jvim.15923google scholar: lookup
  11. Hackett ES, Lunn DP, Ferris RA, Horohov DW, Lappin MR, McCue PM. Detection of bacteraemia and host response in healthy neonatal foals.. Equine Vet J 2015 Jul;47(4):405-9.
    pubmed: 24917427doi: 10.1111/evj.12307google scholar: lookup
  12. Russell CM, Axon JE, Blishen A, Begg AP. Blood culture isolates and antimicrobial sensitivities from 427 critically ill neonatal foals.. Aust Vet J 2008 Jul;86(7):266-71.
    pubmed: 18616477doi: 10.1111/j.1751-0813.2008.00311.xgoogle scholar: lookup
  13. Stewart AJ, Hinchcliff KW, Saville WJ, Jose-Cunilleras E, Hardy J, Kohn CW, Reed SM, Kowalski JJ. Actinobacillus sp. bacteremia in foals: clinical signs and prognosis.. J Vet Intern Med 2002 Jul-Aug;16(4):464-71.
    pubmed: 12141310doi: 10.1892/0891-6640(2002)016<0464:sbifcs>2.3.co;2google scholar: lookup
  14. Toombs-Ruane LJ, Riley CB, Kendall AT, Hill KE, Benschop J, Rosanowski SM. Antimicrobial susceptibility of bacteria isolated from neonatal foal samples submitted to a New Zealand veterinary pathology laboratory (2004 to 2013).. N Z Vet J 2016 Mar;64(2):107-11.
    pubmed: 26496417doi: 10.1080/00480169.2015.1109006google scholar: lookup
  15. Martin GS, Mannino DM, Eaton S, Moss M. The epidemiology of sepsis in the United States from 1979 through 2000.. N Engl J Med 2003 Apr 17;348(16):1546-54.
    pubmed: 12700374doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa022139google scholar: lookup
  16. Corley KT, Pearce G, Magdesian KG, Wilson WD. Bacteraemia in neonatal foals: clinicopathological differences between Gram-positive and Gram-negative infections, and single organism and mixed infections.. Equine Vet J 2007 Jan;39(1):84-9.
    pubmed: 17228602doi: 10.2746/042516407x157585google scholar: lookup
  17. Sanchez LC, Giguère S, Lester GD. Factors associated with survival of neonatal foals with bacteremia and racing performance of surviving Thoroughbreds: 423 cases (1982-2007).. J Am Vet Med Assoc 2008 Nov 1;233(9):1446-52.
    pubmed: 18980499doi: 10.2460/javma.233.9.1446google scholar: lookup
  18. Hollis AR, Wilkins PA, Palmer JE, Boston RC. Bacteremia in equine neonatal diarrhea: a retrospective study (1990-2007).. J Vet Intern Med 2008 Sep-Oct;22(5):1203-9.
    pubmed: 18638014doi: 10.1111/j.1939-1676.2008.0152.xgoogle scholar: lookup
  19. Brook I. Clinical review: bacteremia caused by anaerobic bacteria in children.. Crit Care 2002 Jun;6(3):205-11.
    pmc: PMC137446pubmed: 12133179doi: 10.1186/cc1490google scholar: lookup
  20. Denstaedt SJ, Singer BH, Standiford TJ. Sepsis and Nosocomial Infection: Patient Characteristics, Mechanisms, and Modulation.. Front Immunol 2018;9:2446.
    pmc: PMC6232897pubmed: 30459764doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2018.02446google scholar: lookup
  21. Lafaurie M, d'Anglejan E, Donay JL, Glotz D, Sarfati E, Mimoun M, Legrand M, Oksenhendler E, Bagot M, Valade S, Bercot B, Molina JM. Utility of anaerobic bottles for the diagnosis of bloodstream infections.. BMC Infect Dis 2020 Feb 14;20(1):142.
    pmc: PMC7023744pubmed: 32059701doi: 10.1186/s12879-020-4854-xgoogle scholar: lookup
  22. Messbarger N, Neemann K. Role of Anaerobic Blood Cultures in Neonatal Bacteremia.. J Pediatric Infect Dis Soc 2018 Aug 17;7(3):e65-e69.
    pubmed: 29165580doi: 10.1093/jpids/pix088google scholar: lookup
  23. Opal SM, Cohen J. Clinical gram-positive sepsis: does it fundamentally differ from gram-negative bacterial sepsis?. Crit Care Med 1999 Aug;27(8):1608-16.
    pubmed: 10470773doi: 10.1097/00003246-199908000-00039google scholar: lookup
  24. Theelen MJP, Wilson WD, Byrne BA, Edman JM, Kass PH, Mughini-Gras L, Magdesian KG. Differences in isolation rate and antimicrobial susceptibility of bacteria isolated from foals with sepsis at admission and after ≥48 hours of hospitalization.. J Vet Intern Med 2020 Mar;34(2):955-963.
    pmc: PMC7096636pubmed: 32022351doi: 10.1111/jvim.15692google scholar: lookup
  25. Estell KE, Knych HK, Patel T, Edman JM, Magdesian KG. Pharmacokinetics of multiple doses of chloramphenicol in fed adult horses.. Vet J 2020 Mar;257:105446.
    pubmed: 32546355doi: 10.1016/j.tvjl.2020.105446google scholar: lookup
  26. Buonpane NA, Brown MP, Gronwall R, Stone HW, Miles N. Serum concentrations and pharmacokinetics of chloramphenicol in foals after a single oral dose.. Equine Vet J 1988 Jan;20(1):59-61.
    pubmed: 3366108doi: 10.1111/j.2042-3306.1988.tb01455.xgoogle scholar: lookup
  27. Willis AT, Magdesian KG, Byrne BA, Edman JM. Enterococcus infections in foals.. Vet J 2019 Jun;248:42-47.
    pubmed: 31113561doi: 10.1016/j.tvjl.2019.04.005google scholar: lookup
  28. Meyer S, Giguère S, Rodriguez R, Zielinski RJ, Grover GS, Brown SA. Pharmacokinetics of intravenous ceftiofur sodium and concentration in body fluids of foals.. J Vet Pharmacol Ther 2009 Aug;32(4):309-16.
    pubmed: 19614835doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2885.2008.01041.xgoogle scholar: lookup
  29. Wearn JM, Davis JL, Hodgson DR, Raffetto JA, Crisman MV. Pharmacokinetics of a continuous rate infusion of ceftiofur sodium in normal foals.. J Vet Pharmacol Ther 2013 Feb;36(1):99-101.
    pubmed: 22606991doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2885.2012.01403.xgoogle scholar: lookup
  30. Pusterla N, Hall TL, Wetzlich SE, Monmaney G, Collier JR, Hill JA, Tell LA. Pharmacokinetic parameters for single- and multi-dose regimens for subcutaneous administration of a high-dose ceftiofur crystalline-free acid to neonatal foals.. J Vet Pharmacol Ther 2017 Jan;40(1):88-91.
    pubmed: 27292121doi: 10.1111/jvp.12327google scholar: lookup
  31. Hall TL, Tell LA, Wetzlich SE, McCormick JD, Fowler LW, Pusterla N. Pharmacokinetics of ceftiofur sodium and ceftiofur crystalline free acid in neonatal foals.. J Vet Pharmacol Ther 2011 Aug;34(4):403-9.
    pubmed: 21083666doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2885.2010.01252.xgoogle scholar: lookup
  32. Dickinson AE, Summers JF, Wignal J, Boag AK, Keir I. Impact of appropriate empirical antimicrobial therapy on outcome of dogs with septic peritonitis.. J Vet Emerg Crit Care (San Antonio) 2015 Jan-Feb;25(1):152-9.
    pubmed: 25545023doi: 10.1111/vec.12273google scholar: lookup
  33. Durham AE. An evaluation of serum gentamicin concentrations and bacterial susceptibility to gentamicin in equine practice.. J Vet Intern Med 2018 May;32(3):1194-1201.
    pmc: PMC5980452pubmed: 29575239doi: 10.1111/jvim.15078google scholar: lookup

Citations

This article has been cited 1 times.
  1. Graham AE, Colgate VA, Floyd EF. Antibiograms of Bacterial Cultures From Equine Neonates at a United Kingdom Hospital: 381 Samples (2018-2023). J Vet Intern Med 2025 Sep-Oct;39(5):e70198.
    doi: 10.1111/jvim.70198pubmed: 40802493google scholar: lookup
Subscribe to our newsletter
Join 99,344 horse owners like you who receive our email updates on horse health and nutrition.