Mycobacterium ulcerans infections in two horses in south-eastern Australia.
Abstract: Two horses were diagnosed as having Mycobacterium ulcerans infections. The first was a 21-year-old Quarterhorse-cross mare living in Mallacoota (a coastal town near the border of New South Wales and Victoria, Australia) that presented with lichenification, hair-loss and oedema on a fetlock, which subsequently ulcerated, as well as a non-healing ulcer on the wither. The second horse was a 32 year-old Standardbred gelding from Nicholson, near Bairnsdale, Victoria, that had an ulcerated lesion on its caudal thigh. Histologically, there were characteristic changes seen with M. ulcerans infections in other species, including extensive necrosis without associated granulomatous inflammation. The organisms were seen in Ziehl-Neelsen-stained smears or sections of the lesions from both horses and were isolated in culture from the first horse. A definitive diagnosis was provided by real-time polymerase chain reaction targeting the M. ulcerans-specific insertion sequence, IS2404. Delayed identification of the infectious agent in the first case led to the use of suboptimal antimicrobial therapy, resulting in failure to control the infection and the horse was subsequently euthanased. The second horse was successfully treated following surgical debulking of the centre of the lesion and one session of aggressive cryosurgery. Mycobacterium ulcerans should be considered in the differential diagnosis of unexplained lichenification with oedematous and ulcerated skin lesions in horses living in regions where this organism is endemic.
Publication Date: 2010-04-21 PubMed ID: 20402694DOI: 10.1111/j.1751-0813.2009.00544.xGoogle Scholar: Lookup
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Summary
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The study discusses two instances of Mycobacterium ulcerans infections in horses in southeastern Australia, detailing their symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, and final outcomes.
Case Descriptions
- The first case involved a 21-year-old Quarterhorse-cross mare located in Mallacoota, near the border of New South Wales and Victoria in Australia. The horse presented several notable symptoms, such as lichenification (a thickening and hardening of the skin), hair loss, and swelling on a fetlock (the joint located between the horse’s knee and its hoof), that eventually progressed into an ulcer. The horse also had a non-healing ulcer on its wither (the ridge between its shoulder blades).
- The second case concerned a 32-year-old Standardbred gelding from Nicholson, near Bairnsdale, Victoria. This horse had an ulcerated lesion on its rear thigh.
Diagnosis
- Both horses were diagnosed with Mycobacterium ulcerans infections. This conclusion was based on histological analysis, which revealed changes characteristic of M. ulcerans infection, such as the extensive necrosis (death of tissue) without the presence of granulomatous inflammation, also known as inflammation resulting from immune cells clustering to form granulomas.
- The bacterium was identified in Ziehl-Neelsen-stained smears or sections of the lesions from both horses, and it was successfully grown in culture from the first horse’s samples.
- The diagnosis was confirmed using real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR), a laboratory technique used to rapidly make millions to billions of copies of a specific DNA sequence. The technique targeted the M. ulcerans-specific insertion sequence, IS2404.
Therapeutic Outcomes
- In the first horse, delayed identification of M. ulcerans as the infectious agent led to the use of inadequate antimicrobial treatment, resulting in a failure to contain the infection. Consequently, the horse had to be euthanised.
- The second horse was treated successfully through surgical removal of the primary lesion’s center and an aggressive cryosurgery session, a procedure that uses extreme cold (produced by liquid nitrogen or argon gas) to destroy abnormal tissue.
Conclusion
- The study concludes that veterinarians should include Mycobacterium ulcerans as a possible cause when diagnosing unexplained lichenification with oedematous and ulcerated skin lesions in horses, particularly those living in regions where this bacterium is endemic.
Cite This Article
APA
van Zyl A, Daniel J, Wayne J, McCowan C, Malik R, Jelfs P, Lavender CJ, Fyfe JA.
(2010).
Mycobacterium ulcerans infections in two horses in south-eastern Australia.
Aust Vet J, 88(3), 101-106.
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1751-0813.2009.00544.x Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Main Street Veterinary Clinic, Bairnsdale, VIC, Australia.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Anti-Bacterial Agents / therapeutic use
- Combined Modality Therapy / veterinary
- Fatal Outcome
- Female
- Horse Diseases / diagnosis
- Horse Diseases / drug therapy
- Horse Diseases / surgery
- Horses
- Male
- Mycobacterium Infections, Nontuberculous / diagnosis
- Mycobacterium Infections, Nontuberculous / drug therapy
- Mycobacterium Infections, Nontuberculous / surgery
- Mycobacterium Infections, Nontuberculous / veterinary
- Mycobacterium ulcerans / isolation & purification
- Polymerase Chain Reaction / veterinary
- South Australia
- Treatment Outcome
- Victoria
Citations
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