Microbiologic changes during antimicrobial treatment and rate of relapse of distal respiratory tract infections in foals.
Abstract: Despite the high incidence of distal respiratory tract infection of undetermined cause on farms, to our knowledge, the microbiologic effects of conventional antimicrobial treatment for this condition have not been studied. We evaluated the possible pathogenic role of bacterial isolates from the distal airways of foals with clinical respiratory tract disease, by correlating changes in their numbers (increase or decrease) with clinical, endoscopic, and pulmonary cytologic signs of disease resolution during treatment with antimicrobial drugs. We also determined qualitative changes in in vitro antimicrobial susceptibility of bacterial isolates after 7 days of treatment and relapse rate of foals. Significant (P < 0.05) decrease in the numbers of an isolate in the airways was considered strong evidence of a pathogenic role in this disease syndrome. Foals with endoscopically confirmed distal respiratory tract infection (DRTI; n = 65) were selected at random for treatment (n = 56) or nontreatment (n = 9), and bronchial lavage specimens were cultured and evaluated cytologically before and after 7 days of treatment with trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMS) and a beta-lactam drug (penicillin, ampicillin, or sulbactam-ampicillin), the standard treatment in all foals. The effect of treatment was to abruptly reduce the clinical (nasal discharge, cough, adventitious lung sounds) and cytologic signs of airway infection. Severity of disease in nontreated foals, however, did not change or did worsen over time. Reduction in the frequency and numbers of Streptococcus zooepidemicus isolated during treatment supported a causal role for this organism in the clinical syndrome observed.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Publication Date: 1993-10-01 PubMed ID: 8250385
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- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
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The research article presents a study examining the role of bacteria in distal respiratory tract infections in foals, the effect of conventional antimicrobial treatment on these bacteria, and the relapse rate of the disease after treatment.
Research Background
- The researchers undertook this study as there was a lack of understanding about the microbiological impact of commonly used antibiotics on foals suffering from distal respiratory tract infections.
- The aim was to identify if the numbers of a particular bacteria increased or decreased with treatment, which could help determine its pathogenic role in the disease.
- Additionally, the team wanted to understand any changes in the bacteria’s susceptibility to antibiotics following treatment and the rate at which treated foals relapsed.
Research Design and Methodology
- The study involved foals with clinically and endoscopically confirmed distal respiratory tract infection.
- 65 Foals were randomly divided into two groups: 56 for treatment and 9 for non-treatment.
- Before and after a seven-day treatment period, the scientists performed bronchial lavages to obtain samples to study the bacteria present and evaluated them cytologically.
- The standard treatment comprised trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMS) and a beta-lactam antibiotic (penicillin, ampicillin, or sulbactam-ampicillin).
Findings and Results
- The study revealed a marked reduction in clinical and cytological signs of airway infection following treatment.
- For untreated foals, the severity of symptoms remained the same or worsened over time.
- A significant decrease in Streptococcus zooepidemicus count during treatment hinted at its potential role in the observed clinical syndrome.
- This observation suggests that therapeutic interventions could have a profound effect on the microbiological landscape associated with distal respiratory tract infections in foals.
Cite This Article
APA
Hoffman AM, Viel L, Prescott JF.
(1993).
Microbiologic changes during antimicrobial treatment and rate of relapse of distal respiratory tract infections in foals.
Am J Vet Res, 54(10), 1608-1614.
Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Clinical Studies, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Canada.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Anti-Bacterial Agents / therapeutic use
- Bacteria / drug effects
- Bacteria / isolation & purification
- Cohort Studies
- Horse Diseases / drug therapy
- Horse Diseases / epidemiology
- Horse Diseases / microbiology
- Horses
- Ontario / epidemiology
- Recurrence
- Respiratory Tract Infections / drug therapy
- Respiratory Tract Infections / epidemiology
- Respiratory Tract Infections / microbiology
- Respiratory Tract Infections / veterinary
- Trimethoprim, Sulfamethoxazole Drug Combination / therapeutic use
Citations
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