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Home / Equine Research Bank / Pathogens / Identification of the Novel Streptococcus equi subsp. zooepi...
Pathogens (Basel, Switzerland)2023; 12(6); 750; doi: 10.3390/pathogens12060750

Identification of the Novel Streptococcus equi subsp. zooepidemicus Sequence Type 525 in Donkeys of Abruzzo Region, Italy.

Abstract: sub. (SEZ) is described as a commensal bacterium of several animal species, including humans. Growing evidence supports the potential role of SEZ in the onset and progression of severe clinical manifestations of diseases in horses and other animals. In the present communication, we describe the diagnostic procedure applied to characterize the streptococcal infections caused by a novel SEZ sequence type (ST525) in donkeys raised on a farm in Abruzzo, Italy. The diagnostic process began with anamnesis and anatomopathological analysis, which revealed a severe bacterial suppurative bronchopneumonia associated with systemic vascular damage and haemorrhages. Then, SEZ infection was confirmed by applying an integrative diagnostic strategy that included standard bacterial isolation techniques, analytical tools for bacteria identification (MALDI-TOF MS), and molecular analysis (PCR). Furthermore, the application of the whole-genome sequencing approach helped us to identify the bacterial strains and the virulence factors involved in animal diseases. The novel SEZ-ST525 was identified in two cases of the disease. This new sequence type was isolated from the lung, liver, and spleen in Case 1, and from retropharyngeal lymph nodes in Case 2. Moreover, the presence of the virulence gene , a virulence factor carried by prophages in , was also found for the first time in an SEZ strain. The results of the present study highlight the need to apply an integrated diagnostic approach for the identification and tracking of pathogenic strains of SEZ, shedding new light on the re-evaluation of these bacteria as a causative agent of disease in animals and humans.
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Publication Date: 2023-05-23 PubMed ID: 37375440PubMed Central: PMC10305129DOI: 10.3390/pathogens12060750Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

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The research article is about the detection and investigation of a new type of bacterium, Streptococcus equi subsp. zooepidemicus ST525, in donkeys in the Abruzzo region of Italy. This bacterium, previously known as a harmless commensal in several species, is now linked to severe disease in horses and other animals, with the investigation revealing its role in causing serious bacterial bronchopneumonia and systemic vascular damage in donkeys.

The Diagnostic Process

  • The diagnostic process begins with anamnesis, which is a detailed medical history, and anatomopathological analysis, which is the examination of tissue in order to study the manifestations of disease.
  • The sequential steps of this procedure revealed a severe bacterial suppurative bronchopneumonia, which is an inflammation of the lungs due to bacterial infection, and systemic vascular damage and hemorrhages in the animal.

Confirmation of SEZ infection

  • Standard bacterial isolation techniques were used to initially identify the presence of a bacterial infection.
  • Analytical tools such as Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionisation Time of Flight Mass Spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) and molecular analysis through Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) were used for further confirmation and identification of the bacterium.
  • Through these methods, the infection with Streptococcus equi subsp. zooepidemicus (SEZ) was confirmed.

Whole-genome sequencing to identify pathogen and Virulence factors

  • The use of whole-genome sequencing, which is a comprehensive method for analyzing entire genomes, helped in identifying the specific strain of the bacterium and the virulence factors involved in the diseases.
  • The newly identified strain, SEZ-ST525, was found in two cases of the disease. Its presence was verified in lung, liver, and spleen samples in one case, and in retropharyngeal lymph nodes in the second case.
  • Moreover, the presence of the szp virulence gene, a factor that enhances the bacterium’s ability to infect, was found for the first time in an SEZ strain.

Implications of the Study

  • The study emphasizes the need for an integrated diagnostic approach for the identification and tracking of pathogenic strains of SEZ. This would help in effectively controlling and treating the diseases caused by them.
  • The findings also call for a re-evaluation of the consideration of SEZ as a harmless commensal bacterium, given its newly discovered role as a disease-causing agent in animals and potentially humans.

Cite This Article

APA
(2023). Identification of the Novel Streptococcus equi subsp. zooepidemicus Sequence Type 525 in Donkeys of Abruzzo Region, Italy. Pathogens, 12(6), 750. https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens12060750

Publication

Pathogens (Basel, Switzerland)
ISSN: 2076-0817
NlmUniqueID: 101596317
Country: Switzerland
Language: English
Volume: 12
Issue: 6
PII: 750

Researcher Affiliations

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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