Association of Stenotrophomonas maltophilia infection with lower airway disease in the horse: a retrospective case series.
Abstract: Stenotrophomonas maltophilia is being reported with increasing frequency as a human nosocomial pathogen, especially among immuno-compromised patients. To the authors' knowledge, this pathogen has not previously been associated with lower airway disease in the horse. In this paper the clinical findings, laboratory diagnosis and response to treatment of seven cases of respiratory infection with S. maltophilia in horses, presented at three equine referral hospitals in Denmark in 2007, are described. In all cases there was a clinical history of chronic coughing and abundant mucopurulent exudate was observed in the lower trachea on endoscopy. On culture of tracheal aspirate, grey, slow-growing colonies, identified as S. maltophilia by both API 20NE identification and 16s ribosomal DNA sequencing, were identified. All isolates had a similar antibiotic susceptibility pattern characterised by resistance to all penicillins and cephalosporins, and to imipenem, gentamicin, amikacin and rifampicin. Ribotyping and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis of the S. maltophilia isolates from different patients indicated that they were either indistinguishable or closely related. This study indicates that S. maltophilia can be associated with chronic lower airway disease in the horse and provides useful initial insights into the diagnosis, therapy and epidemiology of this novel condition.
Copyright © 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Publication Date: 2009-09-15 PubMed ID: 19758829DOI: 10.1016/j.tvjl.2009.08.026Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary
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The research article discusses a study on the involvement of Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, a bacteria commonly found in human hospital infections, as a cause of lower airway disease in horses, a condition not previously associated with this pathogen. The study, carried out in Denmark in 2007, involved seven horses showing signs of chronic coughing and excessive mucus in the lower trachea. The results revealed similar antibiotic resistance patterns in all cases, suggesting that this new respiratory condition in horses might indeed be caused by S. maltophilia.
The Study
- The research involved examining seven cases of horses that had chronic coughing and abundant mucopurulent exudate (a type of thick, pus-like fluid) observed in the lower trachea through endoscopy procedures.
- Each of these horses was presented at three different equine referral hospitals in Denmark in 2007.
Methodology
- The researchers cultured tracheal aspirate (fluid drawn from the trachea) to identify the source of infection.
- The tracheal cultures produced grey, slow-growing colonies that were identified as S. maltophilia based on API 20NE identification (a method of identifying non-enteric Gram-negative bacteria) and 16S ribosomal DNA sequencing (a technique used to identify and classify bacteria).
Findings
- The isolated S. maltophilia strains all showed a very similar antibiotic susceptibility pattern, which included resistance to all penicillins and cephalosporins, as well as certain other antibiotics such as imipenem, gentamicin, amikacin, and rifampicin.
- Ribotyping (a technique used to identify strains of bacteria) and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (a method for separating large pieces of DNA) indicated the strains of S. maltophilia affecting different patients were either indistinguishable or closely related.
Conclusion
- The research provides valuable insights into the new-found association of S. maltophilia with chronic lower airway disease in the horse. It also offers a starting point for understanding the diagnosis, treatment, and epidemiology of this new condition.
- Further research is required for a more comprehensive understanding of the disease’s characteristics, its effective treatment, and potential prevention measures.
Cite This Article
APA
Winther L, Andersen RM, Baptiste KE, Aalbæk B, Guardabassi L.
(2009).
Association of Stenotrophomonas maltophilia infection with lower airway disease in the horse: a retrospective case series.
Vet J, 186(3), 358-363.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tvjl.2009.08.026 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Large Animal Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark. lwi@life.ku.dk
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Anti-Bacterial Agents / therapeutic use
- Cross Infection / veterinary
- Drug Resistance, Bacterial
- Female
- Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections / drug therapy
- Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections / microbiology
- Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections / transmission
- Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections / veterinary
- Horse Diseases / drug therapy
- Horse Diseases / microbiology
- Horse Diseases / transmission
- Horses
- Hospitals, Animal
- Male
- Microbial Sensitivity Tests / veterinary
- Respiratory Tract Infections / drug therapy
- Respiratory Tract Infections / microbiology
- Respiratory Tract Infections / transmission
- Respiratory Tract Infections / veterinary
- Retrospective Studies
- Stenotrophomonas maltophilia / drug effects
- Stenotrophomonas maltophilia / isolation & purification
Citations
This article has been cited 10 times.- Petrzik K, Brázdová S. Jojan: a novel virus that lyses Stenotrophomonas maltophilia from dog.. Virus Genes 2023 Oct;59(5):775-780.
- Mojica MF, Humphries R, Lipuma JJ, Mathers AJ, Rao GG, Shelburne SA, Fouts DE, Van Duin D, Bonomo RA. Clinical challenges treating Stenotrophomonas maltophilia infections: an update.. JAC Antimicrob Resist 2022 Jun;4(3):dlac040.
- Brooke JS. Advances in the Microbiology of Stenotrophomonas maltophilia.. Clin Microbiol Rev 2021 Jun 16;34(3):e0003019.
- Daniels S, Hepworth J, Moore-Colyer M. The haybiome: Characterising the viable bacterial community profile of four different hays for horses following different pre-feeding regimens.. PLoS One 2020;15(11):e0242373.
- Mercier-Darty M, Royer G, Lamy B, Charron C, Lemenand O, Gomart C, Fourreau F, Madec JY, Jumas-Bilak E, Decousser JW. Comparative Whole-Genome Phylogeny of Animal, Environmental, and Human Strains Confirms the Genogroup Organization and Diversity of the Stenotrophomonas maltophilia Complex.. Appl Environ Microbiol 2020 May 5;86(10).
- Jayol A, Corlouer C, Haenni M, Darty M, Maillard K, Desroches M, Lamy B, Jumas-Bilak E, Madec JY, Decousser JW. Are animals a source of Stenotrophomonas maltophilia in human infections? Contributions of a nationwide molecular study.. Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis 2018 Jun;37(6):1039-1045.
- Denet E, Vasselon V, Burdin B, Nazaret S, Favre-Bonté S. Survival and growth of Stenotrophomonas maltophilia in free-living amoebae (FLA) and bacterial virulence properties.. PLoS One 2018;13(2):e0192308.
- Welker E, Domfeh Y, Tyagi D, Sinha S, Fisher N. Genetic Manipulation of Stenotrophomonas maltophilia.. Curr Protoc Microbiol 2015 May 1;37:6F.2.1-14.
- Hansen N, Rasmussen AK, Fiandaca MJ, Kragh KN, Bjarnsholt T, Høiby N, Stender H, Guardabassi L. Rapid identification of Stenotrophomonas maltophilia by peptide nucleic acid fluorescence in situ hybridization.. New Microbes New Infect 2014 May;2(3):79-81.
- Liu J, Chen P, Zheng C, Huang YP. Characterization of maltocin P28, a novel phage tail-like bacteriocin from Stenotrophomonas maltophilia.. Appl Environ Microbiol 2013 Sep;79(18):5593-600.
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