Mycoplasma felis pleuritis in two show-jumper horses.

The research paper is about the identification of Mycoplasma felis as the cause of acute pleuritis in two show-jumping horses and how the conditions were resolved following specific treatments.

About the Illness

• The research focuses on a health condition called acute pleuritis, which is inflammation of the pleura—the membrane lining the chest cavity and enveloping the lungs. This case of acute pleuritis was identified in two show-jumping horses.
• The inflammation was caused by Mycoplasma felis, a bacteria typically associated with respiratory diseases in cats. Interestingly, it was the first time that M. felis was associated with inflammation in horses.
• This study expands our understanding on infectious diseases capable of affecting horses and points towards a need for increased oversight on inter-species bacterial transmissions.

Test Results and Findings

• The pleural fluid in these horses was found to be proteinaceous, meaning it contained a large amount of protein, and had a high concentration of neutrophils, a type of white blood cell that typically increases in response to bacterial inflammation. The fluid also had a markedly higher concentration of lactate.
• The researchers isolated M. felis from the pleural fluid in pure culture, confirming that this was the causative agent for the pleuritis.
• Additionally, the researchers observed a rise in serum antibodies specific to M. felis and a sharp decline in antibodies associated with equine influenza virus. The rising M. felis antibodies further supported the conclusion that this was the cause of the illness in these horses.

Treatment and Recovery

• The horses’ conditions improved after a series of treatments including a single drainage of the pleural fluid, intravenous fluids, antibiotics, and analgesics.
• Among the two horses, one developed a pneumothorax, or a collapsed lung, which also resolved following treatment.
• This recovery points out the effectiveness of the chosen treatment regime for such cases in horses, which can guide veterinary interventions for similar cases in the future.