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Home / Equine Research Bank / J Vet Intern Med / Enterococcus durans infection and diarrhea in Thoroughbred f...
Journal of veterinary internal medicine2022; 36(6); 2224-2229; doi: 10.1111/jvim.16568

Enterococcus durans infection and diarrhea in Thoroughbred foals.

Abstract: Diarrhea remains an important cause of morbidity and mortality in neonatal foals, and correct identification of etiologic agents is essential for effective disease management. Objective: To examine the association between diarrhea and detection of Enterococcus durans or other enteropathogens in neonatal foals on 1 breeding farm in Kentucky, USA. Methods: Fifty-nine Thoroughbred foals and their broodmares. Methods: Prospective observational study. Study foals and broodmares were sampled and tested for E. durans and other enteropathogens during the first 10 days after foaling. The frequency of foals in which E. durans or other enteropathogens was compared between foals with or without diarrhea. Results: Seven of 59 foals developed diarrhea. The frequency of foals with E. durans infection was higher in foals with diarrhea 5/7 (71%), compared to foals without diarrhea 0/51 (0%; P < .01). Detection of E. durans in foals was associated with detection of E. durans in broodmares; in 2/7 (29%) foals with diarrhea, the 2 broodmares tested positive for E. durans, and, in 51/51 (100%) foals without diarrhea, all broodmares tested negative to E. durans (P = .01). Based on the spatial and temporal distribution of foals with diarrhea, 5 of 6 additional cases of diarrhea were attributed to lateral transmission of E. durans infection. Conclusions: Detection of E. durans was associated with diarrhea in foals. Implementation of enhanced biosecurity measures might mitigate disease transmission associated with E. durans infection in foals.
© 2022 The Authors. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine.
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Publication Date: 2022-10-26 PubMed ID: 36285839PubMed Central: PMC9708385DOI: 10.1111/jvim.16568Google Scholar: Lookup
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  • Observational Study
  • Veterinary
  • 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.

The research article explores the association between the Enterococcus durans infection and diarrhea in new-born Thoroughbred foals. The study establishes a strong link between the disease and the presence of E. durans, suggesting that enhanced biosecurity measures could help in controlling the transmission of the said bacterial infection.

Objective

  • The objective of this research was to investigate the relationship between diarrhea and the detection of Enterococcus durans or other enteropathogens (organisms that cause intestinal diseases) in neonatal Thoroughbred foals at a breeding farm in Kentucky, USA.

    • Methods

  • The study implemented a prospective observational approach wherein 59 Thoroughbred foals and their broodmares were sampled and tested for E. durans and other enteropathogens during the initial ten days after foaling.
  • The frequency of E. durans or other enteropathogens was compared between foals with diarrhea to those without the disease.

    • Results

  • Out of the 59 foals, seven developed diarrhea, and five of them tested positive for E. durans infection. None of the foals that did not develop diarrhea tested positive for this bacterium.
  • There was also a notable link between the detection of E. durans in foals and its presence in broodmares. Two broodmares, whose foals had diarrhea, tested positive for E. durans, while none of the broodmares whose foals did not have diarrhea tested positive for the bacteria.
  • Based on the spatial and temporal distribution of diarrhea cases, the researchers evaluated that additional cases of diarrhea could be attributed to lateral transmission of E. durans infection.

    • Conclusions

  • The research concluded a significant association of E. durans detection with diarrhea in foals. The results underscore the need for enhanced biosecurity measures to control E. durans spread among the foals, preventing the associated disease transmission.

    • Cite This Article

    APA
    Williams NJ, Slovis NM, Browne NS, Troedsson MHT, Giguėre S, Hernandez JA. (2022). Enterococcus durans infection and diarrhea in Thoroughbred foals. J Vet Intern Med, 36(6), 2224-2229. https://doi.org/10.1111/jvim.16568

    Publication

    Journal of veterinary internal medicine
    ISSN: 1939-1676
    NlmUniqueID: 8708660
    Country: United States
    Language: English
    Volume: 36
    Issue: 6
    Pages: 2224-2229

    Researcher Affiliations

    Williams, Natasha J
    • Hagyard Equine Medical Institute, Lexington, Kentucky, USA.
    Slovis, Nathan M
    • Hagyard Equine Medical Institute, Lexington, Kentucky, USA.
    Browne, Nimet S
    • Hagyard Equine Medical Institute, Lexington, Kentucky, USA.
    Troedsson, Mats H T
    • Gluck Equine Research Center, Lexington, Kentucky, USA.
    Giguėre, Steeve
    • Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA.
    • Department of Large Animal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA.
    Hernandez, Jorge A
    • Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA.

    MeSH Terms

    • Horses
    • Animals
    • Horse Diseases / epidemiology
    • Diarrhea / veterinary
    • Enterococcus
    • Bacterial Infections / veterinary
    • Animals, Newborn

    Conflict of Interest Statement

    Authors declare no conflict of interest.

    References

    This article includes 12 references
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