FREE SHIPPING over $40
OVER 10000 FIVE-STAR REVIEWS
5% OFF ALL SUBSCRIPTIONS
100% HAPPINESS GUARANTEE
Analyze Diet
0
Journal of veterinary internal medicine2008; 22(5); 1203-1209; doi: 10.1111/j.1939-1676.2008.0152.x

Bacteremia in equine neonatal diarrhea: a retrospective study (1990-2007).

Abstract: Bacteremia in sick foals is associated with survival, but the association of bacteremia and diarrhea is not reported. Objective: Neonatal foals with diarrhea will commonly be bacteremic. Methods: One hundred and thirty-three neonatal foals. Methods: Records of all foals <30 days of age presenting with diarrhea between January 1990 and September 2007 were reviewed. Results: Sixty-six of 133 foals (50%) were bacteremic at admission, with 75 isolates from the 66 samples. The blood culture from a further 18 foals (13.5%) grew coryneform bacteria. Nine foals (6.8%) had 2 or more organisms grown on blood culture. One foal had 5 different organisms, interpreted as contamination. Forty-eight foals (36%) had no growth on admission blood cultures. No cultures isolated fungal organisms. Excluding coryneform bacteria, 43 isolates (57%) were Gram-negative organisms and 32 isolates (43%) were Gram-positive organisms. The most common isolate was Enterococcus spp. (22 isolates, 29%), followed by Pantoea agglomerans (13 isolates, 17%). IgG concentration at admission was not associated with blood culture status. Blood culture status was not associated with survival to hospital discharge. Conclusions: Bacteremia is common in neonatal foals with diarrhea. Decisions regarding antimicrobial selection should be made with these differences in mind.
Get Full Text
Publication Date: 2008-07-11 PubMed ID: 18638014DOI: 10.1111/j.1939-1676.2008.0152.xGoogle 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 study discussed investigates the occurrence and type of bacteremia (bacteria in the bloodstream) in neonatal foals (young horses) presenting with diarrhea. Their findings reveal the most common bacterial organisms found in these foals and suggest that this information should be considered when deciding on antimicrobial treatments.

Objective and Methodology of the Study

  • The study aims to uncover the frequency and types of bacteremia in neonatal foals suffering from diarrhea.
  • Medical records of 133 foals under 30 days old suffering from diarrhea and treated from January 1990 to September 2007 were examined.

Research Findings

  • Out of the 133 foals, 66 (or half of them) were bacteremic upon admission. These samples yielded 75 bacterial isolates.
  • In 18 additional foals (13.5%), blood cultures grew coryneform bacteria, a group of bacteria normally found on the skin.
  • Nine foals (6.8%) had two or more types of organisms grown in their blood cultures. Remarkably, one foal was found with five, which the researchers interpreted as contamination.
  • In 48 foals (36%), no bacterial growth was detected in their admission blood cultures.
  • Fungal organisms were not found in any of the cultures.
  • Out of all the isolates, 43 were Gram-negative and 32 were Gram-positive bacteria, excluding the coryneform.
  • The most common bacterium found was Enterococcus spp., displaying in 22 isolates (29%), trailed by Pantoea agglomerans in 13 isolates (17%).
  • The study found no connection between the IgG (an antibody) concentration at admission and the status of the blood culture.
  • There was also no relation observed between blood culture status and the survival of the foals till hospital discharge.

Conclusions

  • The research concludes that bacteremia is frequently observed in neonatal foals presenting with diarrhea.
  • Therefore, when selecting antimicrobial treatments for such cases, these microbial differences should be taken into account.

Cite This Article

APA
Hollis AR, Wilkins PA, Palmer JE, Boston RC. (2008). Bacteremia in equine neonatal diarrhea: a retrospective study (1990-2007). J Vet Intern Med, 22(5), 1203-1209. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1939-1676.2008.0152.x

Publication

Journal of veterinary internal medicine
ISSN: 0891-6640
NlmUniqueID: 8708660
Country: United States
Language: English
Volume: 22
Issue: 5
Pages: 1203-1209

Researcher Affiliations

Hollis, A R
  • New Bolton Center, Kennett Square, PA 19384, USA.
Wilkins, P A
    Palmer, J E
      Boston, R C

        MeSH Terms

        • Animals
        • Animals, Newborn
        • Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology
        • Bacteremia / microbiology
        • Bacteremia / veterinary
        • Bacteria / classification
        • Bacteria / drug effects
        • Critical Illness
        • Diarrhea / microbiology
        • Diarrhea / veterinary
        • Drug Resistance, Bacterial
        • Horse Diseases / microbiology
        • Horses
        • Immunity, Maternally-Acquired

        Citations

        This article has been cited 20 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
        2. Symoens A, Gauthier ML, Paillette L, Allano M, Lavoie JP, Leclère M. Evolution of in vitro antimicrobial resistance at an equine hospital over 4 decades. Can Vet J 2025 Aug;66(8):903-910.
          pubmed: 40786736
        3. Castelain DL, Dufourni A, Pas ML, Bokma J, de Bruijn E, Paulussen E, Lefère L, van Loon G, Pardon B. Retrospective cohort study on diseases and risk factors associated with death in hospitalized neonatal foals. J Vet Intern Med 2025 Jan-Feb;39(1):e17269.
          doi: 10.1111/jvim.17269pubmed: 39690128google scholar: lookup
        4. Kabir A, Lamichhane B, Habib T, Adams A, El-Sheikh Ali H, Slovis NM, Troedsson MHT, Helmy YA. Antimicrobial Resistance in Equines: A Growing Threat to Horse Health and Beyond-A Comprehensive Review. Antibiotics (Basel) 2024 Jul 29;13(8).
          doi: 10.3390/antibiotics13080713pubmed: 39200013google scholar: lookup
        5. Giraldo AF, Carballo R, Serrenho RC, Tran V, Valverde A, Renaud DL, Gomez DE. Association of the type of metabolic acidosis and non-survival of horses with colitis. Can Vet J 2023 Nov;64(11):1044-1050.
          pubmed: 37915775
        6. Bookbinder LC, Mani R, Carr EA. Antibiograms of field and hospital acquired equine neonatal bacterial fluid cultures in the Midwestern United States: 149 samples (2007-2018). J Vet Intern Med 2023 May-Jun;37(3):1193-1200.
          doi: 10.1111/jvim.16671pubmed: 37029453google scholar: lookup
        7. Gomez DE, Wong D, MacNicol J, Dembek K. The fecal bacterial microbiota of healthy and sick newborn foals. J Vet Intern Med 2023 Jan;37(1):315-322.
          doi: 10.1111/jvim.16596pubmed: 36519210google scholar: lookup
        8. Williams NJ, Slovis NM, Browne NS, Troedsson MHT, Giguėre S, Hernandez JA. Enterococcus durans infection and diarrhea in Thoroughbred foals. J Vet Intern Med 2022 Nov;36(6):2224-2229.
          doi: 10.1111/jvim.16568pubmed: 36285839google scholar: lookup
        9. Ricard RM, St-Jean G, Duizer G, Atwal H, Wobeser BK. A 13-year retrospective study of equine abortions in Canada. Can Vet J 2022 Jul;63(7):715-721.
          pubmed: 35784776
        10. Sanmartí J, Armengou L, Troya-Portillo L, Robles-Guirado JÁ, Bassols A, Ríos J, Jose-Cunilleras E. Plasma-Ionized Magnesium in Hospitalized Horses with Gastrointestinal Disorders and Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome. Animals (Basel) 2022 Jun 7;12(12).
          doi: 10.3390/ani12121479pubmed: 35739816google scholar: lookup
        11. Colmer SF, Luethy D, Abraham M, Stefanovski D, Hurcombe SD. Utility of cell-free DNA concentrations and illness severity scores to predict survival in critically ill neonatal foals. PLoS One 2021;16(4):e0242635.
          doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0242635pubmed: 33901192google scholar: lookup
        12. 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.
          doi: 10.1111/jvim.15923pubmed: 33044020google scholar: lookup
        13. Barr B. Nutritional management of the foal with diarrhoea. Equine Vet Educ 2018 Feb;30(2):100-105.
          doi: 10.1111/eve.12564pubmed: 32313395google scholar: lookup
        14. Taylor S. A review of equine sepsis. Equine Vet Educ 2015 Feb;27(2):99-109.
          doi: 10.1111/eve.12290pubmed: 32313390google scholar: lookup
        15. Mallicote M, House AM, Sanchez LC. A review of foal diarrhoea from birth to weaning. Equine Vet Educ 2012 Apr;24(4):206-214.
          doi: 10.1111/j.2042-3292.2011.00358.xpubmed: 32313387google scholar: lookup
        16. 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.
          doi: 10.1111/jvim.15692pubmed: 32022351google scholar: lookup
        17. Oliver-Espinosa O. Foal Diarrhea: Established and Postulated Causes, Prevention, Diagnostics, and Treatments. Vet Clin North Am Equine Pract 2018 Apr;34(1):55-68.
          doi: 10.1016/j.cveq.2017.11.003pubmed: 29395727google scholar: lookup
        18. Sprayberry KA. Ultrasonographic Examination of the Equine Neonate: Thorax and Abdomen. Vet Clin North Am Equine Pract 2015 Dec;31(3):515-43.
          doi: 10.1016/j.cveq.2015.09.004pubmed: 26612746google scholar: lookup
        19. Werners AH, Bryant CE. Pattern recognition receptors in equine endotoxaemia and sepsis. Equine Vet J 2012 Jul;44(4):490-8.
          doi: 10.1111/j.2042-3306.2012.00574.xpubmed: 22607193google scholar: lookup
        20. Frederick J, Giguère S, Sanchez LC. Infectious agents detected in the feces of diarrheic foals: a retrospective study of 233 cases (2003-2008). J Vet Intern Med 2009 Nov-Dec;23(6):1254-60.
          doi: 10.1111/j.1939-1676.2009.0383.xpubmed: 19747192google scholar: lookup
        Subscribe to our newsletter
        Join 99,780 horse owners like you who receive our email updates on horse health and nutrition.