Epizootiological examination of a respiratory disease associated with mycoplasma infection in horse.

The researchers conducted a study to understand a respiratory disease in horses that is linked with Mycoplasma infection, finding a strong correlation between the presence of mycoplasmas and the illness in foals.

Study Design and Sample Collection

• The researchers carried out an epizootiological examination, a type of epidemiological study focusing on animal populations.
• A total of 585 samples were gathered from 92 adult female horses (mares) across two stud farms. In addition, 346 nasal swabs were collected from their young offspring (foals).

Mycoplasma Detection

• The samples were analyzed for the presence of mycoplasmas, which are a type of bacteria that lack a cell wall and therefore can change shape and invade body cells.
• The detection rates were significant, with 81.5% of mares and 71.7% of foals testing positive for mycoplasma. However, the rate of positive samples varied.

Disease Pattern

• The disease exhibited a specific pattern, with symptoms developing in 2-4 waves, each lasting for a period of 3-7 days and with intervals of 7-12 days in between.
• The occurrence of the disease began in April, primarily affecting foals born in February, with an average age of 88 days at the time of onset. As the disease progressed, the average age of affected foals decreased.

Correlation between Mycoplasma and Disease

• The study found a correlation between the presence of mycoplasmas in the nasal cavity and the disease affecting the foals. This suggests that this respiratory illness in horses is strongly associated with mycoplasma infection.
• This underscores the importance of testing for mycoplasmas in symptomatic foals and the need for future research to ascertain the specific mycoplasma strains contributing to the disease.