FREE SHIPPING over $40
OVER 9000 FIVE-STAR REVIEWS
5% OFF ALL SUBSCRIPTIONS
100% HAPPINESS GUARANTEE
Analyze Diet
0
Home / Equine Research Bank / Vet Microbiol / Immunoprophylaxis of Rhodococcus equi pneumonia in foals.
Veterinary microbiology1997; 56(3-4); 193-204; doi: 10.1016/s0378-1135(97)00088-6

Immunoprophylaxis of Rhodococcus equi pneumonia in foals.

Abstract: An immunoprophylaxis program for R. equi infection of foals has been established on a number of thoroughbred breeding farms in Argentina over the past 4 years. Nearly 800 mares annually were immunized subcutaneously during the last 2 months of pregnancy with 2-3 doses of a vaccine containing soluble antigens of R. equi, including the virulence associated protein (VapA) and 'equi factors' exoenzymes. The mortality from R. equi pneumonia in the foals from vaccinated dams dropped from an average of 3% in the 5 years before the vaccination program was initiated to an average of 1.2% in the 4 years during which the program was applied (P < 0.02). On 3 farms, an additional 380 foals of vaccinated dams annually over 3 years also received at 25 days of age 600-1200 ml of hyperimmune plasma from donors immunized with this vaccine, and as well at 4 days of age in foals with poor transfer of R. equi antibodies from their dams. The average foal mortality because of R. equi in the 380 foals annually to which hyperimmune plasma was administered dropped from 5.8% on these 3 farms to 0.2% (P 600 mg%) collected at 2 days of age from foals of vaccinated mares, 36% showed a negative or weak positive AGID reaction, while the remainder had positive to strongly positive reactions.
Get Full Text
Publication Date: 1997-06-16 PubMed ID: 9226834DOI: 10.1016/s0378-1135(97)00088-6Google Scholar: Lookup
The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
LinkedInCopy
  • 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 discusses a vaccination program implemented in Argentina that resulted in reduced mortality from R. equi pneumonia in foals, with the study taking place on thoroughbred breeding farms over four years.

Vaccination Program on Thoroughbred Breeding Farms

  • The research team administered almost 800 mares with 2 to 3 doses of an R. equi vaccine during the last two months of pregnancy each year for four years. This vaccine contained soluble R. equi antigens, including the virulence-associated protein (VapA) and ‘equi factors’ exoenzymes.
  • The aim of the vaccination program was to increase foal immunity against R. equi pneumonia by passing immunity from the vaccinated mare to the foal.

Results of the Vaccination Program

  • The research noted a significant reduction in foal mortality due to R. equi pneumonia. Before this vaccination program, the mortality rate from R. equi pneumonia among foals was averaged at 3%. After the vaccination program, this average dropped to 1.2% in a span of four years.

Additional Hyperimmune Plasma Treatment

  • On three farms, the vaccination program was supplemented by administering hyperimmune plasma to 380 foals annually for three years.
  • These foals were given hyperimmune plasma, sourced from donors who had been vaccinated with the R. equi antigen vaccine, at 25 days old. Foals with poor R. equi antibody transfer from their dams also received the plasma at 4 days old.
  • This additional measure led to an even more dramatic drop in foal mortality from R. equi, from 5.8% to 0.2% on these three farms.

Attempts at Foal Vaccination and Serological Findings

  • The study also attempted to actively vaccinate foals owned by unvaccinated mares at 20, 30, and 40 days of age. However, this did not provide effective protection against R. equi pneumonia.
  • Serological tests were carried out using antigens prepared the same as the vaccination antigens. The results varied greatly, with some foals and mares presenting strong immune responses and others showing weak or no response.

Conclusion

  • The research suggests that immunization of pregnant mares, particularly supplemented with the administration of hyperimmune plasma to their foals, can be an effective immunoprophylaxis strategy against R. equi pneumonia.

Cite This Article

APA
Becú T, Polledo G, Gaskin JM. (1997). Immunoprophylaxis of Rhodococcus equi pneumonia in foals. Vet Microbiol, 56(3-4), 193-204. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0378-1135(97)00088-6

Publication

Veterinary microbiology
ISSN: 0378-1135
NlmUniqueID: 7705469
Country: Netherlands
Language: English
Volume: 56
Issue: 3-4
Pages: 193-204

Researcher Affiliations

Becú, T
  • Clinica Equina, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Polledo, G
    Gaskin, J M

      MeSH Terms

      • Actinomycetales Infections / immunology
      • Actinomycetales Infections / mortality
      • Actinomycetales Infections / prevention & control
      • Actinomycetales Infections / veterinary
      • Animals
      • Antigens, Bacterial / immunology
      • Argentina
      • Bacterial Proteins / immunology
      • Bacterial Vaccines
      • Complement Fixation Tests
      • Female
      • Horse Diseases
      • Horses
      • Immunity, Maternally-Acquired
      • Immunization, Passive / veterinary
      • Immunodiffusion
      • Lipoproteins / immunology
      • Pneumonia, Bacterial / immunology
      • Pneumonia, Bacterial / mortality
      • Pneumonia, Bacterial / prevention & control
      • Pneumonia, Bacterial / veterinary
      • Pregnancy
      • Rhodococcus equi
      • Virulence Factors

      Citations

      This article has been cited 9 times.
      1. Rivolta AA, Pittman DC, Kappes AJ, Stancil RK, Kogan C, Sanz MG. The type of anticoagulant used for plasma collection affects in vitro Rhodococcus equi assays.. BMC Res Notes 2022 Feb 14;15(1):50.
        doi: 10.1186/s13104-022-05933-4pubmed: 35164828google scholar: lookup
      2. Kahn SK, Cywes-Bentley C, Blodgett GP, Canaday NM, Turner-Garcia CE, Flores-Ahlschwede P, Metcalfe LL, Nevill M, Vinacur M, Sutter PJ, Meyer SC, Bordin AI, Pier GB, Cohen ND. Randomized, controlled trial comparing Rhodococcus equi and poly-N-acetyl glucosamine hyperimmune plasma to prevent R equi pneumonia in foals.. J Vet Intern Med 2021 Nov;35(6):2912-2919.
        doi: 10.1111/jvim.16294pubmed: 34738651google scholar: lookup
      3. Kahn SK, Cywes-Bentley C, Blodgett GP, Canaday NM, Turner-Garcia CE, Vinacur M, Cortez-Ramirez SC, Sutter PJ, Meyer SC, Bordin AI, Vlock DR, Pier GB, Cohen ND. Antibody activities in hyperimmune plasma against the Rhodococcus equi virulence -associated protein A or poly-N-acetyl glucosamine are associated with protection of foals against rhodococcal pneumonia.. PLoS One 2021;16(8):e0250133.
        doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0250133pubmed: 34437551google scholar: lookup
      4. Folmar CN, Cywes-Bentley C, Bordin AI, Rocha JN, Bray JM, Kahn SK, Schuckert AE, Pier GB, Cohen ND. In vitro evaluation of complement deposition and opsonophagocytic killing of Rhodococcus equi mediated by poly-N-acetyl glucosamine hyperimmune plasma compared to commercial plasma products.. J Vet Intern Med 2019 May;33(3):1493-1499.
        doi: 10.1111/jvim.15511pubmed: 31034109google scholar: lookup
      5. Rocha JN, Cohen ND, Bordin AI, Brake CN, Giguère S, Coleman MC, Alaniz RC, Lawhon SD, Mwangi W, Pillai SD. Oral Administration of Electron-Beam Inactivated Rhodococcus equi Failed to Protect Foals against Intrabronchial Infection with Live, Virulent R. equi.. PLoS One 2016;11(2):e0148111.
        doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0148111pubmed: 26828865google scholar: lookup
      6. Bordin AI, Pillai SD, Brake C, Bagley KB, Bourquin JR, Coleman M, Oliveira FN, Mwangi W, McMurray DN, Love CC, Felippe MJ, Cohen ND. Immunogenicity of an electron beam inactivated Rhodococcus equi vaccine in neonatal foals.. PLoS One 2014;9(8):e105367.
        doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0105367pubmed: 25153708google scholar: lookup
      7. Erganis O, Sayin Z, Hadimli HH, Sakmanoglu A, Pinarkara Y, Ozdemir O, Maden M. The effectiveness of anti-R. equi hyperimmune plasma against R. equi challenge in thoroughbred Arabian foals of mares vaccinated with R. equi vaccine.. ScientificWorldJournal 2014;2014:480732.
        doi: 10.1155/2014/480732pubmed: 24982958google scholar: lookup
      8. Giguère S, Hernandez J, Gaskin J, Prescott JF, Takai S, Miller C. Performance of five serological assays for diagnosis of Rhodococcus equi pneumonia in foals.. Clin Diagn Lab Immunol 2003 Mar;10(2):241-5.
        doi: 10.1128/cdli.10.2.241-245.2003pubmed: 12626449google scholar: lookup
      9. Kasuga-Aoki H, Takai S, Sasaki Y, Tsubaki S, Madarame H, Nakane A. Tumour necrosis factor and interferon-gamma are required in host resistance against virulent Rhodococcus equi infection in mice: cytokine production depends on the virulence levels of R. equi.. Immunology 1999 Jan;96(1):122-7.
        doi: 10.1046/j.1365-2567.1999.00657.xpubmed: 10233686google scholar: lookup
      Subscribe to our newsletter
      Join 99,344 horse owners like you who receive our email updates on horse health and nutrition.