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Veterinary research communications2023; doi: 10.1007/s11259-023-10213-y

Detection of fungi in the airways of horses according to the sample site: a methodological study.

Abstract: Fungal detection in equine airways may be performed on either tracheal wash (TW) or bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) by either cytology or culture. However, method comparisons are sparse. Our objective was to determine the prevalence of fungi in airways of horses according to the sample site and laboratory methodology. Sixty-two adult horses, investigated in the field or referred for respiratory disease, were included. Tracheal wash, and BALF collected separately from both lungs, were collected using a videoendoscope. Fungi were detected in cytologic samples examined by light microscopy, and by fungal culture. Hay was sampled in the field. Prevalence of fungi was of 91.9% in TW and 37.1% in BALF. Fungi were cultured from 82.3% of TW and 20.9% of BALF. Fungal elements were observed cytologically in 69.4% of TW and 22.6% of BALF. In 50% of horses, the same fungi were detected in both TW and hay, but fungi detected in BALF and hay differed in all horses. Poor agreement was found for the detection of fungi between TW and BALF and between fungal culture and cytologic examination (Cohen's kappa coefficient (κ) < 0.20). Moderate agreement was found between cytologic examination of left and right lungs (κ = 0.47). The prevalence of fungi detected cytologically on pooled BALF was significantly different (p = 0.023) than on combined left and right BALF. Fungi were more prevalent in the TW than BALF, and results suggest that hay might not be the primary source of fungi of the lower respiratory tract of horses.
© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.
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Publication Date: 2023-09-13 PubMed ID: 37704768PubMed Central: 4913592DOI: 10.1007/s11259-023-10213-yGoogle 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 study compares methods to detect fungi in the airways of horses. It finds that fungi were more commonly detected in tracheal wash than bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and suggests that hay may not be the primary source of these fungi.

Research Background

  • The research attempts to compare two different methods for detecting fungal presence in the respiratory system of horses. The methods compared are tracheal wash (TW) which involves introducing a liquid into the trachea and then collecting it back for laboratory analysis, and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) which is a similar procedure but is aimed at collecting fluid from deeper within the lungs.
  • The study aims to determine the prevalence of fungi according to both the sample site and lab methodology, aiming to close the knowledge gap that currently exists, as previous comparisons of these methods are sparse.

Methodology

  • For this study, a total of 62 adult horses, both those referred due to respiratory disease and those investigated in the field, were included.
  • Both tracheal wash and BALF (collected from both lungs) were harvested from each horse using a videoendoscope, a device which allows for internal visualization of a patient’s body during sample collection.
  • Fungal presence was then detected using both light microscopy of the cytologic (cellular) samples and through fungal culture. Hay was also sampled for fungal presence.

Findings

  • The research found that the prevalence of fungi detected was significantly higher in TW samples (91.9%) than in BALF samples (37.1%). Further lab analysis demonstrated that fungi were cultured from 82.3% of TW samples and 20.9% of BALF samples.
  • Cytologically, fungal elements were found in 69.4% of TW samples and 22.6% of BALF samples.
  • In 50% of the horses, the same fungi were present in both tracheal wash and hay samples. However, in all cases, the fungi detected in BALF samples were different from those found in hay samples.
  • The study also reports poor agreement between the detection of fungi in tracheal wash and BALF samples, as well as between fungal cultures and cytologic examinations (Cohen’s kappa coefficient (k) < 0.20).
  • Moderate agreement was found between cytologic examinations of left and right lungs (k = 0.47).

Conclusion

  • The research concludes that fungi are more prevalent in samples from the trachea than from deeper within the lungs. Further, it also suggests that hay may not be the primary source of fungal presence in the lower respiratory tract of horses as unlike in tracheal wash samples, the same fungi were not found in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and collected hay samples.

Cite This Article

APA
Lemonnier LC, Couroucé A, Cessans M, Petit L, Cardwell JM, Barbazanges P, Toquet M-, Richard EA. (2023). Detection of fungi in the airways of horses according to the sample site: a methodological study. Vet Res Commun. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11259-023-10213-y

Publication

Veterinary research communications
ISSN: 1573-7446
NlmUniqueID: 8100520
Country: Switzerland
Language: English

Researcher Affiliations

Lemonnier, L C
  • CISCO-ONIRIS, Department of Equine Internal Medicine, University Veterinary Teaching Hospital, Oniris, 44300, Nantes, France. lemonnier.louise@gmail.com.
Couroucé, A
  • CISCO-ONIRIS, Department of Equine Internal Medicine, University Veterinary Teaching Hospital, Oniris, 44300, Nantes, France.
  • Université de Caen Normandie, BIOTARGEN UR7450, F-14000, Caen, France.
Cessans, M
  • CISCO-ONIRIS, Department of Equine Internal Medicine, University Veterinary Teaching Hospital, Oniris, 44300, Nantes, France.
Petit, L
  • LABÉO (Frank Duncombe), 1 route de Rosel, 14053, Caen, France.
Cardwell, J M
  • Department of Pathobiology and Population Sciences, Royal Veterinary College, Hatfield, Hertfordshire, UK.
Barbazanges, P
  • CISCO-ONIRIS, Department of Equine Internal Medicine, University Veterinary Teaching Hospital, Oniris, 44300, Nantes, France.
Toquet, M -P
  • Université de Caen Normandie, BIOTARGEN UR7450, F-14000, Caen, France.
  • LABÉO (Frank Duncombe), 1 route de Rosel, 14053, Caen, France.
Richard, E A
  • Université de Caen Normandie, BIOTARGEN UR7450, F-14000, Caen, France.
  • LABÉO (Frank Duncombe), 1 route de Rosel, 14053, Caen, France.

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Citations

This article has been cited 3 times.
  1. Savitske BJ, Dulli RJ, Paul NC, Washburn KE. Transtracheal Wash Fluid Collection and Analysis in Healthy Goats. J Vet Intern Med 2025 Sep-Oct;39(5):e70211.
    doi: 10.1111/jvim.70211pubmed: 40958735google scholar: lookup
  2. Karagianni AE, Richard EA, Toquet MP, Hue ES, Courouce-Malblanc A, McGorum B, Kurian D, Aguilar J, Mazeri S, Wishart TM, Pirie RS. Distinct Molecular Profiles Underpin Mild-To-Moderate Equine Asthma Cytological Profiles. Cells 2024 Nov 20;13(22).
    doi: 10.3390/cells13221926pubmed: 39594673google scholar: lookup
  3. Dély S, Gerber V, Peters LM, Sage SE. Association between equine asthma and fungal elements in the tracheal wash: An environment-matched case-control study. PLoS One 2024;19(9):e0309835.
    doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0309835pubmed: 39240830google scholar: lookup
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