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Mycopathologia2012; 174(5-6); 511-517; doi: 10.1007/s11046-012-9562-7

Equine pythiosis: report in crossed bred (Criole Venezuelan) horses.

Abstract: Pythium insidiosum is a pathogenic oomycete known since 1890 that causes pythiosis in mammals. In this report, seven P. insidiosum isolates were recovered from Venezuelan horses and were characterized. The strains were recovered from biopsied tissues and kunkers collected from granulomatous masses located on the hind limb and from a nodular lesion in the left upper eyelid, which decrease the ability of the horses to be used for working purposes. The methods used to identify P. insidiosum isolates were based on the production of sporangia and zoospores, histopathology and PCR assay. To further characterize these strains, portions of the 18S rRNA genes of the seven isolates were sequenced. The sequences showed high homology to previously described P. insidiosum DNA sequences available in GenBank. Similar studies based on the morphological, histological and molecular data identified the etiological agent in samples of granulomatous lesions in these equines as P. insidiosum. In America, the infection has been diagnosed more frequently in equines of Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica and the United States of America.
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Publication Date: 2012-07-07 PubMed ID: 22772508DOI: 10.1007/s11046-012-9562-7Google 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 research is about a study conducted on seven Venezuelan horses afflicted with pythiosis, an infection caused by the pathogenic oomycete Pythium insidiosum. The research focuses on collecting and analyzing samples from granulomatous masses and nodular lesions, with the goal of achieving a better understanding of the organism and the disease it causes.

Research Context

  • The study is centered on Pythium insidiosum, a pathogen known since 1890 that infects mammals and causes a disease known as pythiosis. The disease displays as granulomatous masses and nodular lesions, especially on the hind limbs and eyelids, impairing the usability of the affected horses.
  • The conducted research involves seven cases from Venezuelan horses, aimed to provide an in-depth characterization of the disease in this region.

Research Method

  • The research team collected the P. insidiosum isolates from tissue biopsies and kunkers – hard, clotted masses formed by the disease. The collection was done from the granulomatous masses positioned on the hind limb and a nodular lesion on the left upper eyelid.
  • Identification of P. insidiosum isolates was conducted using methods based on the production of sporangia and zoospores – reproductive structures of the pathogen.
  • Other identification methods included histopathology (microscopic examination of affected tissues) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays, which is a technique to amplify and hence identify specific DNA sequences.

Characterization and Analysis

  • To further characterize the P. insidiosum strains causing the disease, the 18S rRNA genes of the seven isolates were sequenced. 18S rRNA is a part of the ribosomal RNA and its sequencing can provide a deeper understanding of the organism.
  • These sequences demonstrated high homology – similar sequence order and function – with previously described P. insidiosum DNA sequences in the GenBank, a genetic sequence database.
  • Throughout America, similar studies based on morphological, histological, and molecular data have identified the etiological agent (the cause of a disease) in granulomatous samples from horses as P. insidiosum.
  • There was also a mention of recorded frequency of this infection in horses from Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, and the U.S.

Significance of the Research

  • The findings of this research help expand existing knowledge about the occurrence, characteristics, and molecular identity of P. insidiosum causing pythiosis in equines.
  • By understanding the pathogen better, it opens possibilities for improving diagnosis, treatment, and prevention strategies for the disease.

Cite This Article

APA
Salas Y, Márquez A, Canelón J, Perazzo Y, Colmenárez V, López JA. (2012). Equine pythiosis: report in crossed bred (Criole Venezuelan) horses. Mycopathologia, 174(5-6), 511-517. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11046-012-9562-7

Publication

Mycopathologia
ISSN: 1573-0832
NlmUniqueID: 7505689
Country: Netherlands
Language: English
Volume: 174
Issue: 5-6
Pages: 511-517

Researcher Affiliations

Salas, Y
  • Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Centroccidental Lisandro Alvarado, Barquisimeto, Venezuela. ysalas@ucla.edu.ve
Márquez, A
    Canelón, J
      Perazzo, Y
        Colmenárez, V
          López, J A

            MeSH Terms

            • Animals
            • Female
            • Horse Diseases / microbiology
            • Horses / genetics
            • Hybridization, Genetic
            • Male
            • Pythiosis / microbiology
            • Pythiosis / veterinary
            • Pythium / genetics
            • Pythium / isolation & purification

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            Citations

            This article has been cited 5 times.
            1. Yolanda H, Krajaejun T. History and Perspective of Immunotherapy for Pythiosis. Vaccines (Basel) 2021 Sep 26;9(10).
              doi: 10.3390/vaccines9101080pubmed: 34696188google scholar: lookup
            2. Yolanda H, Krajaejun T. Review of methods and antimicrobial agents for susceptibility testing against Pythium insidiosum. Heliyon 2020 Apr;6(4):e03737.
              doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2020.e03737pubmed: 32322727google scholar: lookup
            3. Tonpitak W, Pathomsakulwong W, Sornklien C, Krajaejun T, Wutthiwithayaphong S. First confirmed case of nasal pythiosis in a horse in Thailand. JMM Case Rep 2018 Jan;5(1):e005136.
              doi: 10.1099/jmmcr.0.005136pubmed: 29568533google scholar: lookup
            4. Vasconcelos AB, França DA, Prado ACD, Yamauchi DH, Silva ACAD, Barros IO, Valença SRFA, Lucheis SB, Bosco SMG. Molecular Detection of Pythium insidiosum in Cutaneous Lesions of Horses from Northeastern Brazil. Animals (Basel) 2025 Sep 30;15(19).
              doi: 10.3390/ani15192863pubmed: 41096457google scholar: lookup
            5. Pereira DIB, Botton SA, Ianiski LB, Braga CQ, Maciel AF, Melo LG, Zambrano CG, Bruhn FRP, Santurio JM. Equidae pythiosis in Brazil and the world: a systematic review of the last 63 years (1960-2023). Braz J Microbiol 2024 Sep;55(3):2969-2981.
              doi: 10.1007/s42770-024-01435-6pubmed: 38967702google scholar: lookup
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