Incidence of omphalitis in foals with different umbilical disinfection protocols.

Overview

• This study evaluated how effective different disinfectants are in preventing omphalitis (infection of the umbilical stump) in newborn foals.
• It compared several disinfection protocols to determine which one best reduces the risk of infection shortly after birth.

Background

• Omphalitis is a common infection of the umbilical stump in foals that can lead to serious complications, including systemic illness.
• Proper disinfection of the umbilical stump immediately after birth is crucial to prevent bacteria from causing infections.
• Although several disinfectants are used in practice, there is limited evidence comparing their effectiveness in foals.

Study Objective

• To compare the incidence of omphalitis in foals treated with different umbilical disinfection protocols.
• To identify which disinfection solution provides the most effective protection against infection.

Methods

• A prospective, blinded cohort study was conducted on a single stud farm across two foaling seasons (2023 and 2024).
• A total of 288 clinically healthy newborn foals were included and randomly assigned to one of six disinfection groups.
• Disinfection treatments included:
  • 0.5% chlorhexidine applied twice daily
  • 1% iodine in 90% ethanol applied twice daily
  • 0.05% hypochlorous acid applied twice daily
  • Two different “effective microorganism” products applied twice daily
  • 0.5% chlorhexidine applied once daily
• The umbilical stump was examined clinically during the first days of life to monitor for signs of omphalitis.
• Ultrasonography was performed on days 2 and 8 to assess internal umbilical structures.
• Cases of omphalitis were treated with antibiotics, and recovery outcomes were documented.

Results

• Overall, 13.9% (40 out of 288) of foals developed omphalitis during the study period.
• The incidence varied by disinfection protocol:
  • Lowest incidence: 0.05% hypochlorous acid group with 4.3% (2 of 47 foals) affected.
  • Highest incidence: once-daily 0.5% chlorhexidine group with 20.8% (11 of 53 foals) affected.
  • Other groups had intermediate infection rates.
• Statistical analysis showed only hypochlorous acid significantly lowered the incidence of omphalitis compared to the overall rate (p = 0.033).
• All foals that developed omphalitis recovered after receiving antibiotic treatment.

Conclusions

• Hypochlorous acid used twice daily as an umbilical disinfectant was the most effective protocol to prevent omphalitis in foals.
• This disinfectant showed a significant reduction in infection rates compared to other common solutions like chlorhexidine and iodine.
• Using hypochlorous acid for umbilical care could improve foal health outcomes by minimizing infection risk.
• The study supports the adoption of hypochlorous acid as a promising disinfectant for postnatal umbilical stump care in foals.