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Home / Equine Research Bank / Sci Rep / Clostridioides difficile infection in thoroughbred horses in...
Scientific reports2023; 13(1); 13099; doi: 10.1038/s41598-023-40157-x

Clostridioides difficile infection in thoroughbred horses in Japan from 2010 to 2021.

Abstract: We encountered 34 Clostridioides difficile (C. difficile) infection (CDI) cases among Thoroughbred horses in Japan from 2010 to 2021. Among them, 79.4% (27/34) either died or were euthanised. The risk factors associated with CDI and mortality among Japanese Thoroughbred horses remain unclear. We used genetic methods to examine C. difficile strains and their relationships with prognosis. Twenty-two (64.7%) cases were hospitalised at the onset of colitis. Outcomes were balanced for hospitalisation rates at the onset of colitis. The mortality rates of cases treated with metronidazole (65.0%) were significantly lower than untreated cases (100%). The predominant genotype of C. difficile isolate was polymerase chain reaction ribotype (RT) 078, isolated from 12 cases (35.3%), followed by RT014 (six cases, 17.6%). Binary toxin (C. difficile transferase [CDT])-positive strains, including all RT078 strains, were isolated from 16 horses. Mortality rates in RT078 strain (75.0%) or CDT-positive strain (83.3%) cases were comparable to that in cases of other types. Sufficient infection control is needed to prevent CDI in Thoroughbred horses. A timely and prompt CDI diagnosis leading to metronidazole treatment would improve CDI outcomes.
© 2023. Springer Nature Limited.
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Publication Date: 2023-08-11 PubMed ID: 37567893PubMed Central: PMC10421859DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-40157-xGoogle Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

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This research looks into Clostridioides difficile infections in thoroughbred horses in Japan over the period of 2010 to 2021, exploring the factors related to the infection and its impact on the mortality rates among these horses, as well as the connection between different strains of the bacteria and the outcomes.

About Clostridioides difficile Infection in Horses

  • The study covers 34 cases of Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) in thoroughbred horses in Japan over an 11-year period.
  • Of these cases, a startling 79.4% resulted in the death or euthanisation of the horse, highlighting the severity and seriousness of CDI in these animals.
  • The primary causal factors contributing to the occurrence and fatality of CDI in Japanese thoroughbred horses are not clearly understood and remain an area of uncertainty.

Investigation and Findings

  • The researchers used genetic methods to study the strains of C. difficile bacteria and their impact on the infection’s progression.
  • Out of the total cases, 64.7% were found to be hospitalised when the infection developed.
  • Interestingly, the impact on outcomes was the same regardless of whether the infection started in the hospital or not. This indicates that the environmental factors don’t significantly contribute to the prognosis of the disease.
  • Horses treated with metronidazole showed significantly lower mortality rates (65%) compared to untreated cases (100% mortality rate), indicating that this antibiotic is effective in managing and potentially improving outcomes for horses with CDI.

Strains and their Relationships with Prognosis

  • The most common genotype of the C. difficile bacteria identified was the polymerase chain reaction ribotype (RT) 078, found in over a third of cases, followed by RT014.
  • Another type of strain, known as binary toxin (C. difficile transferase [CDT])-positive strains, was also identified in about half of the cases, inclusive of all RT078 strains.
  • Mortality rates were similar across different strains – RT078 strain (75.0%) and CDT-positive strain (83.3%) cases recorded comparably high mortality rates, indicating that strain type doesn’t significantly skew the chance of survival.

Recommendations

  • To tackle this issue, the researchers emphasise the need for good infection control practices in the care and treatment of thoroughbred horses. This will help in preventing the onset and spread of CDI amongst these horses.
  • They also recommend quick diagnosis and initiation of metronidazole treatment as it can significantly improve the outcomes for horses suffering from CDI.

Cite This Article

APA
Uchida-Fujii E, Niwa H, Senoh M, Kato H, Kinoshita Y, Mita H, Ueno T. (2023). Clostridioides difficile infection in thoroughbred horses in Japan from 2010 to 2021. Sci Rep, 13(1), 13099. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-40157-x

Publication

Scientific reports
ISSN: 2045-2322
NlmUniqueID: 101563288
Country: England
Language: English
Volume: 13
Issue: 1
Pages: 13099

Researcher Affiliations

Uchida-Fujii, Eri
  • Microbiology Division, Equine Research Institute, Japan Racing Association, Shiba 1400-4, Shimotsuke, Tochigi, 329-0412, Japan.
Niwa, Hidekazu
  • Microbiology Division, Equine Research Institute, Japan Racing Association, Shiba 1400-4, Shimotsuke, Tochigi, 329-0412, Japan. niwa@equinst.go.jp.
Senoh, Mitsutoshi
  • Department of Bacteriology II, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Gakuen 4-7-1, Musashimurayama, Tokyo, 208-0011, Japan.
Kato, Haru
  • Antimicrobial Resistance Center, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Aoba-Cho 4-2-1, Higashimurayama, Tokyo, 189-0002, Japan.
Kinoshita, Yuta
  • Microbiology Division, Equine Research Institute, Japan Racing Association, Shiba 1400-4, Shimotsuke, Tochigi, 329-0412, Japan.
Mita, Hiroshi
  • Clinical Veterinary Medicine Division, Equine Research Institute, Japan Racing Association, Shiba 1400-4, Shimotsuke, Tochigi, 329-0412, Japan.
Ueno, Takanori
  • Microbiology Division, Equine Research Institute, Japan Racing Association, Shiba 1400-4, Shimotsuke, Tochigi, 329-0412, Japan.

MeSH Terms

  • Horses / genetics
  • Animals
  • Metronidazole / therapeutic use
  • Clostridioides difficile / genetics
  • Japan / epidemiology
  • Clostridium Infections / drug therapy
  • Clostridium Infections / epidemiology
  • Clostridium Infections / veterinary
  • Ribotyping

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare no competing interests.

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