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Home / Equine Research Bank / Respir Res / Chlamydophila spp. infection in horses with recurrent airway...
Respiratory research2008; 9(1); 14; doi: 10.1186/1465-9921-9-14

Chlamydophila spp. infection in horses with recurrent airway obstruction: similarities to human chronic obstructive disease.

Abstract: Recurrent airway obstruction (RAO) in horses is a naturally occurring dust-induced disease mainly characterized by bronchiolitis which shows histological and pathophysiological similarities to human chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). In human COPD previous investigations indicated an association with Chlamydophila psittaci infection. The present study was designed (1) to clarify a possible role of this infectious agent in RAO and (2) to investigate the suitability of this equine disorder as a model for human COPD. Methods: Clinico-pathological parameters of a total of 45 horses (25 horses with clinical signs of RAO and 20 clinically healthy controls) were compared to histological findings in lung tissue samples and infection by Chlamydiaceae using light microscopy, immunohistochemistry, and PCR. Results: Horses with clinical signs of RAO vs. controls revealed more inflammatory changes in histology (p = 0.01), and a higher detection rate of Chlamydia psittaci antigens in all cells (p < 0.001) and bronchiolar epithelial cells alone (p < 0.001) by immunohistochemistry. The abundance of chlamydial inclusions increased with the severity of disease. PCR was positive in 60% of horses with RAO vs. 45% of the controls (p = 0.316). OmpA sequencing identified Chlamydophila psittaci (n = 9) and Chlamydophila abortus (n = 13) in both groups with no significant differences. Within the group of clinically healthy horses subgroups with no changes (n = 15) and slight inflammation of the small airways (n = 5) were identified. Also in the group of animals with RAO subgroups with slight (n = 16) and severe (n = 9) bronchiolitis could be formed. These four subgroups can be separated in parts by the number of cells positive for Chlamydia psittaci antigens. Conclusions: Chlamydophila psittaci or abortus were present in the lung of both clinically healthy horses and those with RAO. Immunohistochemistry revealed acute chlamydial infections with inflammation in RAO horses, whereas in clinically healthy animals mostly persistent chlamydial infection and no inflammatory reactions were seen. Stable dust as the known fundamental abiotic factor in RAO is comparable to smoking in human disease. These results show that RAO can be used as a model for human COPD.
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Publication Date: 2008-01-29 PubMed ID: 18230187PubMed Central: PMC2276488DOI: 10.1186/1465-9921-9-14Google Scholar: Lookup
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  • 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.

This study explores the link between Chlamydophila spp, a type of bacteria, and a respiratory disease in horses known as Recurrent Airway Obstruction (RAO). The researchers also suggest that this horse disease could serve as a model for studying human Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD).

Research Purpose

  • The researchers aimed to understand the potential role of Chlamydophila spp in the occurrence of RAO in horses.
  • They also wanted to investigate if RAO in horses, which shares certain features with human COPD, could be used as a model to understand human COPD better.

Methods

  • The study involved 45 horses, in which 25 horses showed clinical signs of RAO and the rest 20 were clinically healthy controls.
  • The researchers compared clinic-pathological parameters of the horses with histological findings in lung tissue samples.
  • They also used light microscopy, immunohistochemistry, and Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) to detect the infection by Chlamydiaceae.

Results

  • Horses with clinical RAO symptoms showed more inflammatory changes in lung tissue and higher detection rate of Chlamydia psittaci antigens in cells.
  • The researchers found an increased number of chlamydial inclusions with the severity of the disease.
  • Chlamydophila psittaci and Chlamydophila abortus were identified in both, horses with RAO and clinically healthy horses, with PCR testing positive in 60% of horses with RAO and 45% in controls.
  • The researchers also identified subgroups within clinically healthy horses and horses with RAO based on the severity of inflammation in small airways and bronchiolitis.

Conclusions

  • Results showed presence of Chlamydophila spp, both Chlamydophila psittaci and abortus, in lung tissues of both, clinically healthy horses and those with RAO.
  • In RAO-affected horses, there was evidence of acute chlamydial infection with inflammation, whereas in clinically healthy horses, there was evidence of mostly persistent chlamydial infection with no inflammatory reaction.
  • The study draws a parallel between dust in the stable, a factor in RAO, and smoking in human COPD, suggesting RAO in horses could serve as a model for studying human COPD.

Cite This Article

APA
Theegarten D, Sachse K, Mentrup B, Fey K, Hotzel H, Anhenn O. (2008). Chlamydophila spp. infection in horses with recurrent airway obstruction: similarities to human chronic obstructive disease. Respir Res, 9(1), 14. https://doi.org/10.1186/1465-9921-9-14

Publication

Respiratory research
ISSN: 1465-993X
NlmUniqueID: 101090633
Country: England
Language: English
Volume: 9
Issue: 1
Pages: 14

Researcher Affiliations

Theegarten, Dirk
  • Institute of Pathology and Neuropathology, University Duisburg-Essen Medical School, Hufelandstr, 55, D-45122 Essen, Germany. Dirk.Theegarten@uk-essen.de
Sachse, Konrad
    Mentrup, Britta
      Fey, Kerstin
        Hotzel, Helmut
          Anhenn, Olaf

            MeSH Terms

            • Airway Obstruction / microbiology
            • Airway Obstruction / pathology
            • Airway Obstruction / physiopathology
            • Animals
            • Chlamydophila Infections / complications
            • Chlamydophila Infections / pathology
            • Chlamydophila Infections / physiopathology
            • Chlamydophila psittaci / genetics
            • Chlamydophila psittaci / isolation & purification
            • DNA, Bacterial / analysis
            • Disease Models, Animal
            • Dust
            • Female
            • Fluorescent Antibody Technique
            • Horse Diseases / microbiology
            • Horse Diseases / pathology
            • Horse Diseases / physiopathology
            • Horses
            • Humans
            • Male
            • Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / microbiology
            • Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / pathology
            • Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / physiopathology
            • Recurrence
            • Respiratory Mucosa / microbiology
            • Respiratory Mucosa / pathology

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