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Home / Equine Research Bank / J Vet Intern Med / Nasopharyngeal bacterial and fungal microbiota in normal hor...
Journal of veterinary internal medicine2021; 35(6); 2897-2911; doi: 10.1111/jvim.16307

Nasopharyngeal bacterial and fungal microbiota in normal horses and horses with nasopharyngeal cicatrix syndrome.

Abstract: The nasopharyngeal bacterial and fungal microbiota of normal horses and those with nasopharyngeal cicatrix syndrome (NCS) are unknown. Objective: To describe the microbiota from nasopharyngeal washes of healthy horses and of horses acutely affected with NCS. Methods: Twenty-six horses acutely affected with NCS horses and 14 unaffected horses. Methods: Prospective, observational cohort study. Horses were recruited by investigators through personal communications in central Texas. Bacterial (16s RNA) and fungal (internal transcribed spacer) microbiota from nasopharyngeal washes were evaluated. Polymerase chain reaction for detection of Pythium insidiosum was performed. Results: Results indicated that 6 fungal genera (Alternaria, Bipolaris, Microascus, Spegazzinia, Paraconiothyrium, Claviceps) and 1 bacterial genera (Staphylococcus) were significantly different between affected and unaffected horses. The fungal genus Bipolaris had increased abundance in NCS affected horses and on NCS affected farms. Pythium insidiosum was absent in the nasopharyngeal wash of all horses, irrespective of health status. Conclusions: Significant differences were identified in the fungal microbiota in horses affected with NCS and farms affected with NCS compared to those unaffected. Therefore, Bipolaris warrants further investigation.
© 2021 The Authors. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine published by Wiley Periodicals LLC. on behalf of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine.
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Publication Date: 2021-11-16 PubMed ID: 34783081PubMed Central: PMC8692226DOI: 10.1111/jvim.16307Google Scholar: Lookup
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  • Journal Article
  • Observational Study
  • Veterinary

Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

The research article explores the differences in the bacterial and fungal microbiota in the nasopharynx of healthy horses and those affected by nasopharyngeal cicatrix syndrome (NCS), revealing significant alterations in the microbial populations, notably a spike in the abundance of a fungal genus known as Bipolaris, among the NCS-affected horses.

Study Purpose and Methodology

  • The overarching aim of this research was to describe the microbiota found in the nasopharynea of healthy horses versus those with nasopharyngeal cicatrix syndrome (NCS)–an uncommon and often devastating respiratory condition in horses.
  • The study was designed as a prospective, observational cohort trial, involving 14 unaffected horses and 26 affected by NCS, all of them recruited from the central Texas region.
  • To provide a scientific analysis of the microbial population, the researchers adopted a two-tiered approach including bacterial (16s RNA) and fungal (internal transcribed spacer) evaluation from nasopharyngeal washes.
  • Additionally, a polymerase chain reaction was applied to identify the presence of Pythium insidiosum, a pathogen known to cause serious infections in mammals.

Pivotal Findings

  • Upon comparison of the microbial populations among the affected and unaffected groups, significant disparities were observed in six fungal genera, namely Alternaria, Bipolaris, Microascus, Spegazzinia, Paraconiothyrium, and Claviceps, along with a bacterial genus named Staphylococcus.
  • The study found that Bipolaris, a genus of fungi, was substantially more prevalent in both horses and farms affected by NCS.
  • The pathogenic Pythium insidiosum, often associated with severe infections in different mammals, was not detected in the samples from any of the horses, regardless of health status.

Conclusions Drawn from the Research

  • The results suggest a significant differentiation in the fungal microbiota in horses and farms affected with NCS versus those that are not affected.
  • The increased abundance of the fungal genus Bipolaris stands out among the findings, emphasizing the requirement for a more detailed investigation into its role in the development of NCS.

Cite This Article

APA
Rodríguez N, Whitfield-Cargile CM, Chamoun-Emanuelli AM, Hildreth E, Jordan W, Coleman MC. (2021). Nasopharyngeal bacterial and fungal microbiota in normal horses and horses with nasopharyngeal cicatrix syndrome. J Vet Intern Med, 35(6), 2897-2911. https://doi.org/10.1111/jvim.16307

Publication

Journal of veterinary internal medicine
ISSN: 1939-1676
NlmUniqueID: 8708660
Country: United States
Language: English
Volume: 35
Issue: 6
Pages: 2897-2911

Researcher Affiliations

Rodríguez, Natalia
  • Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA.
Whitfield-Cargile, Canaan M
  • Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA.
Chamoun-Emanuelli, Ana M
  • Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA.
Hildreth, Elizabeth
  • EW Hildreth, DVM, Richmond, Texas, USA.
Jordan, Will
  • Jordan Equine Sports Medicine & Surgery, Waller, Texas, USA.
Coleman, Michelle C
  • Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA.

MeSH Terms

  • Animals
  • Cicatrix / pathology
  • Cicatrix / veterinary
  • Horse Diseases
  • Horses
  • Mycobiome
  • Prospective Studies
  • Pythium

Grant Funding

  • US Polo Association

Conflict of Interest Statement

Authors declare no conflict of interest.

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