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Home / Equine Research Bank / Can Vet J / Granulocytic anaplasmosis in a horse from Nova Scotia caused...
The Canadian veterinary journal = La revue veterinaire canadienne2011; 52(5); 537-540;

Granulocytic anaplasmosis in a horse from Nova Scotia caused by infection with Anaplasma phagocytophilum.

Abstract: A 16-year-old Paint stallion was presented with intermittent fever, inappetance, lethargy, icterus, distal limb edema, and submandibular lymphadenopathy. The horse was native to Nova Scotia and had never left that province. Morulae were detected in granulocytes. Ananaplasma phagocytophilum infection was confirmed by serology and polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The horse responded to treatment with oxytetracycline. Anaplasmose granulocytaire chez un cheval de la Nouvelle-Écosse causée par une infection par Anaplasma phagocytophilum. Un étalon Paint âgé de 16 ans a été présenté avec une fièvre intermittente, de l’inappétence, de l’abattement, de l’ictère, un œdème du membre distal et une lymphadénopathie sous-maxillaire. Le cheval était originaire de la Nouvelle-Écosse et n’avait jamais quitté la province. Des morulas ont été détectées dans les granulocytes. L’infection par Ananaplasma phagocytophilum a été confirmée par sérologie et une réaction d’amplification en chaîne par la polymérase (PCR). Le cheval a répondu au traitement à l’oxytétracycline. (Traduit par Isabelle Vallières)
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Publication Date: 2011-11-02 PubMed ID: 22043078PubMed Central: PMC3078012
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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 discusses a case where a 16-year-old Paint stallion in Nova Scotia comes down with granulocytic anaplasmosis, a tick-borne disease caused by Anaplasma phagocytophilum. The horse’s symptoms are detailed, and its response to treatment with oxytetracycline is evaluated.

Background of Study

  • The study revolves around a 16-year-old Paint stallion, based in Nova Scotia, that displayed several symptoms, including intermittent fever, lack of appetite (inappetance), general slowness and tiredness (lethargy), yellowing of the skin, eyes and mucous membranes (icterus), swelling of the lower limbs (distal limb edema), and swollen and painful lymph nodes under the jaw (submandibular lymphadenopathy).
  • The horse had never left Nova Scotia, thus the infection was local, not contracted from another location.

Diagnosis and Confirmation

  • The researchers discovered certain formations (Morulae) within the granulocytes of the horse, a type of white blood cell. Morulae are a sign of intracellular bacterial infections, indicative of the disease called granulocytic anaplasmosis, which is caused by a bacterium known as Anaplasma phagocytophilum.
  • The presence of this infection was further backed up by serology – the study of serum, specifically looking for either antigens (substances that cause an immune response) or antibodies (proteins produced by the immune system to fight antigens) that would be present, due to the infection.
  • Adding another layer of certainty, the infection was also confirmed through Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). PCR is a genetic testing method which amplifies a single or few copies of a piece of DNA, generating thousands to millions of copies of a particular DNA sequence, aiding in the detection and identification of even a minimal amount of DNA from the bacteria causing the infection.

Treatment and Outcome

  • The horse received treatment in the form of oxytetracycline, which is a broad-spectrum antibiotic. The term ‘broad-spectrum’ means it is effective against a wide range of bacteria, including Anaplasma phagocytophilum.
  • The study concludes positively, as the horse responded well to the treatment with the presenting symptoms subsiding after the use of oxytetracycline.

Cite This Article

APA
Uehlinger FD, Clancey NP, Lofstedt J. (2011). Granulocytic anaplasmosis in a horse from Nova Scotia caused by infection with Anaplasma phagocytophilum. Can Vet J, 52(5), 537-540.

Publication

The Canadian veterinary journal = La revue veterinaire canadienne
ISSN: 0008-5286
NlmUniqueID: 0004653
Country: Canada
Language: English
Volume: 52
Issue: 5
Pages: 537-540

Researcher Affiliations

Uehlinger, Fabienne D
  • Department of Health Management, Atlantic Veterinary College, University of Prince Edward Island, 550 University Avenue, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island C1A 4P3. fuehlinger@upei.ca
Clancey, Noel P
    Lofstedt, Jeanne

      MeSH Terms

      • Anaplasma phagocytophilum / isolation & purification
      • Animals
      • Anti-Bacterial Agents / therapeutic use
      • Ehrlichiosis / diagnosis
      • Ehrlichiosis / drug therapy
      • Ehrlichiosis / veterinary
      • Horse Diseases / diagnosis
      • Horse Diseases / drug therapy
      • Horses
      • Male
      • Nova Scotia
      • Oxytetracycline / therapeutic use
      • Treatment Outcome

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      This article has been cited 10 times.
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