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Home / Equine Research Bank / BMC Vet Res / Lawsonia intracellularis in the feces of wild rodents and st...
BMC veterinary research2017; 13(1); 233; doi: 10.1186/s12917-017-1155-8

Lawsonia intracellularis in the feces of wild rodents and stray cats captured around equine farms.

Abstract: Proliferative enteropathy is a global enteric disease of particular importance in pigs. The causative bacterium, Lawsonia intracellularis, has a wide range of susceptible host species. Recently, L. intracellularis has been recognized as an etiologic agent of an emerging enteric disease in foals called equine proliferative enteropathy (EPE). The presence of L. intracellularis in nonruminant wildlife has raised questions regarding the role of these species in EPE transmission. Results: This study investigated exposure to L. intracellularis in wild rodents and feral cats from eight farms with confirmed EPE. Serum (42) and fecal (40) samples from resident foals and fecal samples (131), intestinal mucosa tissues (14), and mesenteric lymph nodes (14) from wild and feral animals were collected for the evaluation of the farm status and the molecular detection of L. intracellularis following the diagnosis of EPE in index cases. Fresh feces from wild rodents and feral cats were collected from the ground while walking the premises or after trapping the animals using live traps. A total of 3 brown rats, 7 house mice, 1 striped field mouse, 2 grey red-backed voles, and 3 feral cats showed evidence of prior exposure to L. intracellularis. Conclusions: Our data add to increasing evidence demonstrating the potential for L. intracellularis transmission and infection in wild rodents and feral cats and provide possible evidence of interspecies transmission. The exposure of wild rodents and feral cats provides potential evidence for the spillover of L. intracellularis to wildlife species and raises the question of spillback to horses. Additionally, these animals may represent an indicator of environmental exposure or may be actively involved in the transmission of L. intracellularis to foals by acting as potential reservoir/amplifier hosts. This study is the first to demonstrate the magnitude of L. intracellularis shedding in the feces of wild rodents and feral cats and to indicate the significant infection risk that wild rodents and feral cats pose to naïve horses in South Korea.
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Publication Date: 2017-08-11 PubMed ID: 28800756PubMed Central: PMC5553581DOI: 10.1186/s12917-017-1155-8Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

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This research reveals Lawsonia intracellularis, the bacterium responsible for an enteric disease in foals, in wild rodents and stray cats around equine farms, suggesting a potential risk of disease transmission to horses.

Study Overview

  • The study deals with the investigation of exposure to Lawsonia intracellularis in wild rodents and feral cats. L. intracellularis is known for causing proliferative enteropathy, an enteric disease more prevalent in pigs but recently associated with an emerging condition in foals known as equine proliferative enteropathy (EPE).
  • L. intracellularis presence in nonruminant wildlife species has triggered questions about these species’ roles in EPE transmission.
  • The study specifically looked at eight farms with confirmed EPE, collecting various types of samples, including serum and fecal samples from resident foals and fecal samples, intestinal tissues, and lymph nodes from wild and feral animals.

Investigation and Results

  • Researchers collected fresh feces from wild rodents and feral cats either from the ground while walking around the premises or after trapping the animals using live traps.
  • They found that 3 brown rats, 7 house mice, 1 striped field mouse, 2 grey red-backed voles, and 3 feral cats showed evidence of prior exposure to L. intracellularis. This significantly indicates that these creatures may act as potential reservoirs or amplifier hosts, actively involved in the transmission of L. intracellularis to foals.

Significance and Implications

  • The exposure of wild rodents and feral cats to L. intracellularis and the subsequent shedding of the bacterium in their feces point to a significant risk of infection for naïve horses.
  • This particular study presents the first demonstration of the extent of L. intracellularis shedding in the feces of wild rodents and feral cats. This further suggests a spillover of L. intracellularis to wildlife species and potentially, a spillback to horses.
  • In practical terms, these findings draw attention to wild rodents and feral cats as possible indicators of environmental exposure to L. intracellularis, particularly in places like South Korea where the study was conducted.

Cite This Article

APA
Hwang JM, Seo MJ, Yeh JY. (2017). Lawsonia intracellularis in the feces of wild rodents and stray cats captured around equine farms. BMC Vet Res, 13(1), 233. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12917-017-1155-8

Publication

BMC veterinary research
ISSN: 1746-6148
NlmUniqueID: 101249759
Country: England
Language: English
Volume: 13
Issue: 1
Pages: 233

Researcher Affiliations

Hwang, Jeong-Min
  • Veterinary Research Center, Green Cross Veterinary Products Co., Ltd., Kugal-dong 227-5, Giheung-gu, Yongin-si, Gyeonggi-do, 17066, Republic of Korea.
Seo, Myung-Ji
  • Division of Bioengineering, Incheon National University, Academy-ro 119, Incheon, 22012, Republic of Korea.
  • Department of Bioengineering and Nano-Bioengineering, Graduate School of Incheon National University, Academy-ro 119, Incheon, 22012, Republic of Korea.
Yeh, Jung-Yong
  • Department of Life Sciences, College of Life Sciences and Bioengineering, Incheon National University, Academy-ro 119, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon, 22012, Republic of Korea. yehjy@inu.ac.kr.
  • Previous address: Emerging & Exotic Diseases Research Laboratory, Foreign Animal Diseases Division, Animal, Plant, and Fisheries Quarantine and Inspection Agency, Anyang-ro 175, Manan-gu, Anyang-si, Gyeonggi-do, 14089, Republic of Korea. yehjy@inu.ac.kr.

MeSH Terms

  • Animals
  • Cats / microbiology
  • Desulfovibrionaceae Infections / blood
  • Desulfovibrionaceae Infections / veterinary
  • Feces / microbiology
  • Horse Diseases / diagnosis
  • Horse Diseases / microbiology
  • Horses / microbiology
  • Intestinal Diseases / microbiology
  • Intestinal Diseases / veterinary
  • Lawsonia Bacteria / isolation & purification
  • Muridae / microbiology
  • Republic of Korea / epidemiology

Conflict of Interest Statement

ETHICS APPROVAL: All animal handling, trapping, euthanasia and blood collection procedures were conducted in compliance with the regulations of the “Animal Care and Use Manual (No. 75/2011)” of the Animal, Plant, and Fisheries Quarantine and Inspection Agency (Anyang, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea) and the “Animal Protection Law (No. 10310/2010)” of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (Sejong, South Korea). In South Korea, this kind of study does not require formal ethical approval since the samples were collected from animals during regular pest control programs routinely organized by the farm owners according to the “Law on Infectious Disease Prevention and Management Act (No. 13639/20151229)” regulated under the authority of the Korea Ministry of Health and Welfare (Sejong, South Korea). CONSENT FOR PUBLICATION: Not applicable. COMPETING INTERESTS: None of the authors of this paper had a financial or personal relationship with other people or organizations that could inappropriately influence or bias the content of the paper. PUBLISHER’S NOTE: Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

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