Bacterial isolates from blood and their susceptibility patterns in critically ill foals: 543 cases (1991-1998).
Abstract: To assess microorganisms isolated from blood specimens obtained from critically ill neonatal foals and to evaluate their antimicrobial susceptibility patterns. Methods: Retrospective study. Methods: 543 neonatal foals. Methods: Medical records of foals that were < 1 month old and were admitted to a referral neonatal intensive care unit were reviewed for results of bacteriologic culture of blood and antimicrobial susceptibility patterns. Results: At least 1 microorganism was isolated from 155 of 543 (28.5%) foals. Escherichia coli was the most commonly isolated bacterium. A single gram-positive organism was detected in 49 foals. Although 90% of the E coli isolates were susceptible to amikacin, some gram-negative and gram-positive organisms had resistance against multiple antimicrobials. Conclusions: Gram-negative bacteria remain the most common isolates from blood of neonatal foals; however, gram-positive organisms were also found, and with greater prevalence than reported elsewhere. Susceptibility patterns may vary, and resistance to multiple antimicrobials may develop. This is especially true for organisms such as Enterobacter spp and Enterococcus spp. Prudent empirical treatment for neonatal sepsis should include broad-spectrum antimicrobials.
Publication Date: 2001-06-08 PubMed ID: 11393374DOI: 10.2460/javma.2001.218.1608Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary
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The research investigates the types of bacteria found in the blood of sick newborn foals and their resistance levels to different antibiotics. It concludes that the most commonly found bacteria types can develop resistance to many antimicrobials, leading to a recommendation to use wide-spectrum antibiotics when treating sepsis in neonatal foals.
Research Methodology
- The research is based on a retrospective study that scrutinized medical records of 543 newborn foals that were under a month old and admitted to a neonatal intensive care unit.
- The documents were evaluated for blood bacteriology culture results and patterns of antimicrobial susceptibility.
Research Findings
- Bacteria was isolated from around 28.5% of the foals (155 out of 543). The most commonly found bacterium was Escherichia coli, known as E. coli.
- A single type of gram-positive bacteria was detected in 49 of the foals.
- While 90% of the E. coli bacteria were susceptible to the antibiotic amikacin, other gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria showed resistance to several antimicrobials.
Research Conclusions
- The study found that gram-negative bacteria were most commonly isolated from the blood of neonatal foals. However, gram-positive bacteria were also detected, and even more frequently than reported in previous studies.
- The study also pointed out the existence of variability in susceptibility patterns to antibiotics and the potential for the development of resistance against multiple antimicrobials. This was found to be especially true for bacteria such as Enterobacter species and Enterococcus species.
- The researchers therefore suggest that when treating neonatal sepsis, broad-spectrum antimicrobials (antibiotics effective against a wide range of bacteria) should be used as a precaution.
Cite This Article
APA
Marsh PS, Palmer JE.
(2001).
Bacterial isolates from blood and their susceptibility patterns in critically ill foals: 543 cases (1991-1998).
J Am Vet Med Assoc, 218(10), 1608-1610.
https://doi.org/10.2460/javma.2001.218.1608 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- New Bolton Center, Department of Clinical Studies, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Kennett Square 19348, USA.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Animals, Newborn
- Drug Resistance, Bacterial
- Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial
- Escherichia coli / drug effects
- Escherichia coli / isolation & purification
- Escherichia coli Infections / microbiology
- Escherichia coli Infections / veterinary
- Female
- Gram-Negative Bacteria / drug effects
- Gram-Positive Bacteria / drug effects
- Horse Diseases / microbiology
- Horses
- Male
- Retrospective Studies
- Sepsis / microbiology
- Sepsis / veterinary
Citations
This article has been cited 19 times.- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Taylor S. A review of equine sepsis. Equine Vet Educ 2015 Feb;27(2):99-109.
- 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.
- Sheats MK. A Comparative Review of Equine SIRS, Sepsis, and Neutrophils. Front Vet Sci 2019;6:69.
- Awosile BB, Heider LC, Saab ME, McClure JT. Antimicrobial resistance in bacteria isolated from horses from the Atlantic Provinces, Canada (1994 to 2013). Can Vet J 2018 Sep;59(9):951-957.
- Wong DM, Ruby RE, Dembek KA, Barr BS, Reuss SM, Magdesian KG, Olsen E, Burns T, Slovis NM, Wilkins PA. Evaluation of updated sepsis scoring systems and systemic inflammatory response syndrome criteria and their association with sepsis in equine neonates. J Vet Intern Med 2018 May;32(3):1185-1193.
- Adams R, Smith J, Locke S, Phillips E, Erol E, Carter C, Odoi A. An epidemiologic study of antimicrobial resistance of Staphylococcus species isolated from equine samples submitted to a diagnostic laboratory. BMC Vet Res 2018 Feb 5;14(1):42.
- Sprayberry KA. Ultrasonographic Examination of the Equine Neonate: Thorax and Abdomen. Vet Clin North Am Equine Pract 2015 Dec;31(3):515-43.
- Cohen ND, Bourquin JR, Bordin AI, Kuskie KR, Brake CN, Weaver KB, Liu M, Felippe MJ, Kogut MH. Intramuscular administration of a synthetic CpG-oligodeoxynucleotide modulates functional responses of neutrophils of neonatal foals. PLoS One 2014;9(10):e109865.
- Staempfli SA, Saied A, Wakamatsu N, Serra V, Eades SC. Therapy resistant septic enteritis due to a jejunal malformation in a 5-day-old Thoroughbred colt. Can Vet J 2011 Feb;52(2):142-6.
- Wong DM, Vo DT, Alcott CJ, Stewart AJ, Peterson AD, Sponseller BA, Hsu WH. Adrenocorticotropic hormone stimulation tests in healthy foals from birth to 12 weeks of age. Can J Vet Res 2009 Jan;73(1):65-72.
- Clark C, Greenwood S, Boison JO, Chirino-Trejo M, Dowling PM. Bacterial isolates from equine infections in western Canada (1998-2003). Can Vet J 2008 Feb;49(2):153-60.
- Magid JH. Neonatal diarrhea and septicemia in an American Miniature Horse. Vet Clin North Am Equine Pract 2006 Apr;22(1):43-51.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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).
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