Detection of Gastrointestinal Pathogens with Zoonotic Potential in Horses Used in Free-Riding Activities during a Countrywide Study in Greece.

The research study is about the detection of zoonotic gastrointestinal pathogens in horses in Greece. The study revealed a significant prevalence of these pathogens in horse populations and identified predictors associated with the infections.

Study objectives and methodology

• The study had two main objectives: to detect zoonotic gastrointestinal pathogens in horse fecal matter and to identify variables associated with these pathogens.
• Testing was conducted on fecal samples collected from 224 horses from different parts of Greece.
• The method used for detection was the BioFire FilmArray Gastrointestinal (GI) Panel, a technology based on multiplex-PCR, which can detect up to 22 pathogens.

Study findings

• The GI pathogens were found in the fecal samples of 97 horses, accounting for 43.3% of the total testing population.
• Zoonotic pathogens were more commonly found in horses that lived in courtyard housing (56%) compared to those in other types of housing (39.7%).
• The most frequently detected zoonotic pathogens were enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (19.2% of horses) and Shiga-like toxin-producing Escherichia coli stx1/stx2 (13.8%).

Predictors of infection

• Two significant predictors were found for the detection of at least one zoonotic pathogen in the fecal samples of horses. The first was the decreasing age of horses and the second was the presence of other livestock at the same location as the horses.
• Only the season of sampling (autumn) emerged as a significant predictor for detecting two zoonotic pathogens concurrently in the fecal samples of horses.

Significance of the study

• The findings from the study show the prevalence of zoonotic gastrointestinal pathogens in the horse population in Greece and highlight the potential risk factors for these infections.
• These results can be used to educate horse owners and caretakers about potential transmission risks and the importance of monitoring the health of their animals.
• The study emphasizes the importance of continuous surveillance for zoonotic pathogens in domestic animals to prevent and control the spread of diseases that can jump from animals to humans.