Moelerella wisconsensis: first isolation from lungs and spleen of a horse infected with Streptococcus dysgalactia subsp. equisimilis.
Abstract: Moellerella wisconsensis is a Gram-negative, facultative anaerobic bacillus of Entero-bacteriaceae family, and it is an uncommon pathogen in domestic animals. To date, five cases were reported including two dogs, two cattle, and a goat. Streptococcus equisimilis is the second common bacterial agent after the S. equi subsp. zooepidemicus in equine pneumonia cases. The present report describes the isolation of M. wisconses from lungs and spleen of a 10-year-old Arabian horse (May 08, 2022) at post-mortem examination being co-infected with S. equisimilis. Clinical and pathological findings included bilateral nasal discharge, conjunctivitis, sternal recumbency, severe diffuse necrosuppurative rhinitis, multi-focal fibrinopurulent pneumonia and purulent lymphadenitis. Polymerase chain reaction assays showed no viral nucleic acids of equid alphaherpesvirus (EHV) 1, EHV-4, equine arteritis virus and equine papilloma virus. The antibiogram test revealed that the isolate was sensitive to several antibiotics except colistin. Taken together, the present report documents the first isolation of M. wisconsensis from lungs and spleen of a horse; hence, experimental studies are needed to clarify the pathogenity and pathogenesis of M. wisconsensis.
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Publication Date: 2023-12-15 PubMed ID: 38174095PubMed Central: PMC10759777DOI: 10.30466/vrf.2023.1987898.3760Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary
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The research article presents the first instance of Moellerella wisconsensis, a type of bacteria, being identified in the lungs and spleen of a horse. This was found during a post-mortem examination of a horse co-infected with a type of Streptococcus bacteria.
Research Context
- The bacteria Moellerella wisconsensis, belonging to the Klebsiella family, is a facultatively anaerobic, Gram-negative bacillus. Usually, this bacterium is a rarely observed pathogen in household pets and livestock, with only five previous instances documented in two dogs, two cattle, and a goat.
- In equine pneumonia cases, the most frequent bacterial agent found after Streptococcus dysgalactiae subsp. equisimilis is Moellerella wisconsensis.
Case Description
- The present case study involves a 10-year-old Arabian horse. Post-mortem examination revealed the presence of Moellerella wisconsensis in the horse’s lungs and spleen. The horse was also suffering from a concurrent infection with Streptococcus dysgalactia.
- Clinical symptoms noted in the horse included bilateral nasal discharge, conjunctivitis (inflammation of the eye’s outermost layer), and sternal recumbency (lying down with sternum touching the ground).
- Pathological findings highlighted a severe widespread necrosuppurative rhinitis (nose inflammation involving pus and tissue death), multi-focal fibrinopurulent pneumonia (inflammation of the lungs with fibrous pus formation), and purulent lymphadenitis (inflammatory condition of lymph nodes involving pus).
Infection Investigation
- To further investigate the infection, Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) assays were conducted. These tests proved negative for the presence of viral nucleic acids from specific viruses such as equid alphaherpesvirus 1 and 4, equine arteritis virus, and equine papilloma virus. This suggests that these viruses were not involved in the animal’s condition.
- An antibiogram test, which determines the antibiotic sensitivity of bacteria, showed that the isolated Moellerella wisconsensis was sensitive to several antibiotics, with the exception of colistin.
Research Implication
- As this report details the first-ever documentation of Moellerella wisconsensis in a horse’s lungs and spleen, it indicates the need for further experimental studies. These future studies should aim to explore the pathogenicity (ability to cause disease) and pathogenesis (development of disease) of Moellerella wisconsensis in horses.
Cite This Article
APA
İncili CA, Eröksüz Y, Otlu B, Kara E, Tanrıverdi ES, Timurkan MÖ, Kalender H, Eröksüz H.
(2023).
Moelerella wisconsensis: first isolation from lungs and spleen of a horse infected with Streptococcus dysgalactia subsp. equisimilis.
Vet Res Forum, 14(12), 685-688.
https://doi.org/10.30466/vrf.2023.1987898.3760 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Firat University, Elazığ, Türkiye.
- Department of Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Firat University, Elazığ, Türkiye.
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Inonu University, Malatya, Türkiye.
- Department of Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Firat University, Elazığ, Türkiye.
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Inonu University, Malatya, Türkiye.
- Department of Virology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ataturk University, Erzurum, Türkiye.
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Firat University, Elazığ, Türkiye.
- Department of Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Firat University, Elazığ, Türkiye.
Conflict of Interest Statement
The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship and/or publication of this study.
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