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Animals : an open access journal from MDPI2023; 13(11); 1814; doi: 10.3390/ani13111814

Bacterial Periodontitis in Horses: An Epidemiological Study in Southern Italy.

Abstract: Equine periodontal disease (EPD) is a painful oral inflammatory syndrome characterized by multifactorial pathogenesis. Although it is well known that bacterial proliferation and consequent gingivitis are caused by the decomposition process of food residues, in hypsodont species, the pathogenetic role and the different bacterial species involved in the progression of EPD must be fully clarified. This study aimed to investigate the association of bacteria, including the complex red bacteria (RCB), with EPD, and to evaluate possible EPD risk factors. Bacterial species, including , , (belonging to the RCB), , , and , were investigated in 125 oral swabs from healthy and EPD-affected horses using real-time multiplex PCR. Subsequently, possible risk factors (i.e., age, gender, and breed of the animals and type of feed used) were evaluated using univariate and multivariate analyses. spp. and spp. were detected in a significantly higher proportion of horses affected by EPD than in healthy animals, although pathogens belonging to RCB were detected in low number of horses. At the same time, none of the investigated pathogens was significantly associated with a particular stage of disease severity. Horses aged older than 20 years were at higher risk of EPD. The high rate of coinfection, statistically associated with EPD, supports the hypothesis that EPD is a complex syndrome characterized by the possible simultaneous involvement of several pathogens and an increased risk depending on the animal's age. Constant oral hygiene is the best prevention to prevent and treat the disease, especially in old animals.
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Publication Date: 2023-05-30 PubMed ID: 37889702PubMed Central: PMC10251870DOI: 10.3390/ani13111814Google Scholar: Lookup
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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.

This research article studies the relationship between different types of bacteria and equine periodontal disease (EPD), an inflammatory mouth disease in horses further assessing potential risk factors like age, gender, breed, and feed type. Whether bacterial proliferation and consequent inflammation are caused by the decomposition process of food residues in hypsodont species is also explored.

Objective and Method of the Study

  • The study is aimed at investigating the association of different bacterial species, including the complex red bacteria (RCB), with EPD and evaluating possible risk factors for the disease.
  • The bacterial species investigated are Fusobacterium nucleatum, Porphyromonas gingivalis, and Tannerella forsythia (all belonging to the RCB), Treponema denticola, Parvimonas micra, and Prevotella intermedia.
  • The team conducted tests on 125 oral swabs from healthy and EPD-affected horses using real-time multiplex PCR, a method used to detect and measure the presence of bacteria.
  • Subsequently, possible risk factors like the age, gender, breed of the horses, and type of feed used were evaluated using univariate and multivariate analyses – statistical techniques used to understand the impact of multiple variables on the research outcome.

Results

  • Two bacterial species, F. nucleatum and P. gingivalis, were found in a significantly higher proportion in horses affected by EPD than in healthy animals. However, pathogens belonging to RCB were detected in a low number of horses.
  • None of the investigated bacterial species was significantly associated with a specific stage of disease severity, suggesting the progression of EPD is a multifactorial issue.
  • The study found that horses aged 20 years and older were at a higher risk of developing EPD, highlighting age as a crucial risk factor.

Implications

  • These results support the hypothesis that EPD is a complex syndrome potentially involving multiple pathogens simultaneously.
  • It also puts emphasis on the importance of regular oral hygiene in horses for the prevention and treatment of EPD, particularly in older animals.

Cite This Article

APA
Occhiogrosso L, Capozza P, Buonavoglia A, Decaro N, Trotta A, Marin C, Corrente M. (2023). Bacterial Periodontitis in Horses: An Epidemiological Study in Southern Italy. Animals (Basel), 13(11), 1814. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13111814

Publication

Animals : an open access journal from MDPI
ISSN: 2076-2615
NlmUniqueID: 101635614
Country: Switzerland
Language: English
Volume: 13
Issue: 11
PII: 1814

Researcher Affiliations

Occhiogrosso, Leonardo
  • Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Bari Aldo Moro, 70010 Valenzano, Italy.
Capozza, Paolo
  • Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Bari Aldo Moro, 70010 Valenzano, Italy.
Buonavoglia, Alessio
  • Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Bari Aldo Moro, 70010 Valenzano, Italy.
Decaro, Nicola
  • Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Bari Aldo Moro, 70010 Valenzano, Italy.
Trotta, Adriana
  • Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Bari Aldo Moro, 70010 Valenzano, Italy.
Marin, Claudia
  • Department of Education, Psychology, Communication, University of Bari, 70121 Bari, Italy.
Corrente, Marialaura
  • Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Bari Aldo Moro, 70010 Valenzano, Italy.

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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