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Home / Equine Research Bank / J Vet Intern Med / Pneumonia Caused by Klebsiella spp. in 46 Horses.
Journal of veterinary internal medicine2015; 30(1); 314-321; doi: 10.1111/jvim.13653

Pneumonia Caused by Klebsiella spp. in 46 Horses.

Abstract: Klebsiella spp. are implicated as a common cause of bacterial pneumonia in horses, but few reports describe clinical presentation and disease progression. Objective: To describe the signalment, clinicopathologic data, radiographic and ultrasonographic findings, antimicrobial susceptibility, outcome, and pathologic lesions associated with Klebsiella spp. pneumonia in horses. Methods: Forty-six horses from which Klebsiella spp. was isolated from the lower respiratory tract. Methods: Retrospective study. Medical records from 1993 to 2013 at the William R. Pritchard Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, University of California, Davis were reviewed. Exact logistic regression was performed to determine if any variables were associated with survival to hospital discharge. Results: Survival in horses <1 year old was 73%. Overall survival in adults was 63%. For adults in which Klebsiella pneumoniae was the primary isolate, survival was 52%. Mechanical ventilation preceded development of pneumonia in 11 horses. Complications occurred in 25/46 horses, with thrombophlebitis and laminitis occurring most frequently. Multi-drug resistance was found in 47% of bacterial isolates. Variables that significantly impacted survival included hemorrhagic nasal discharge, laminitis, and thoracic radiographs with a sharp demarcation between marked caudal pulmonary alveolar infiltration and more normal-appearing caudodorsal lung. Conclusions: Klebsiella spp. should be considered as a differential diagnosis for horses presenting with hemorrhagic pneumonia and for horses developing pneumonia after mechanical ventilation. Multi-drug resistance is common. Prognosis for survival generally is fair, but is guarded for adult horses in which K. pneumoniae is isolated as the primary organism.
Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine.
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Publication Date: 2015-10-23 PubMed ID: 26492860PubMed Central: PMC4913652DOI: 10.1111/jvim.13653Google Scholar: Lookup
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  • Journal Article

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.

This research paper analyzes the characteristics, manifestations, treatment, and progression of bacterial pneumonia caused by Klebsiella spp. in horses. The study evaluates 46 cases over a two-decade period, providing rich insight into the symptoms, treatment responses, and outcomes associated with this disease in horses, including a surprisingly high rate of multi-drug resistance.

Introduction and Methodology

  • This study aims to unveil the specificities of pneumonia caused by Klebsiella spp. in horses, especially since it is a common cause, but is widely underreported.
  • It provides a retrospective analysis of 46 horses diagnosed with Klebsiella pneumonia from 1993 to 2013 at the University of California’s William R. Pritchard Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital.
  • The researchers utilized various data sources, such as medical records, radiographs, ultrasonographic findings, and clinicopathologic analyses, to identify patterns and correlations related to this disease.
  • An exact logistic regression was performed to ascertain if any variable could predict a horse’s survival chances after being discharged from the hospital.

Results and Findings

  • The survival rate among horses younger than one year old was 73%, while in adult horses, it was about 63%.
  • In cases where Klebsiella pneumoniae was the only pathogen, the survival rate fell further to 52% in adult horses.
  • A significant number (11 out of 46) of horses developed pneumonia after undergoing mechanical ventilation.
  • Approximately half of the studied cases experienced complications, with thrombophlebitis and laminitis being the most prevalent.
  • It is noteworthy that 47% of the bacterial isolates exhibited multi-drug resistance, suggesting a significant treatment challenge.
  • Factors such as hemorrhagic nasal discharge, laminitis, and sharply demarcated images on thoracic radiographs significantly impacted the survival chances of the horses.

Conclusions

  • The study concluded that Klebsiella spp. should be regarded as a potential cause when diagnosing horses with hemorrhagic pneumonia or those that develop pneumonia post-mechanical ventilation.
  • Indeed, this pathogen’s common multi-drug resistance warrants specific attention to ensure appropriate treatment protocols.
  • The general prognosis for horses surviving this form of pneumonia is fair, but guarded in adult cases where K. pneumoniae is the only detected organism.

Cite This Article

APA
Estell KE, Young A, Kozikowski T, Swain EA, Byrne BA, Reilly CM, Kass PH, Aleman M. (2015). Pneumonia Caused by Klebsiella spp. in 46 Horses. J Vet Intern Med, 30(1), 314-321. https://doi.org/10.1111/jvim.13653

Publication

Journal of veterinary internal medicine
ISSN: 1939-1676
NlmUniqueID: 8708660
Country: United States
Language: English
Volume: 30
Issue: 1
Pages: 314-321

Researcher Affiliations

Estell, K E
  • William R. Pritchard Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, University of California, Davis, CA.
Young, A
  • William R. Pritchard Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, University of California, Davis, CA.
Kozikowski, T
  • William R. Pritchard Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, University of California, Davis, CA.
Swain, E A
  • William R. Pritchard Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, University of California, Davis, CA.
Byrne, B A
  • Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA.
Reilly, C M
  • Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA.
Kass, P H
  • Department of Population Health and Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA.
Aleman, M
  • Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA.

MeSH Terms

  • Animals
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / therapeutic use
  • Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial
  • Horse Diseases / microbiology
  • Horses
  • Klebsiella / drug effects
  • Klebsiella / isolation & purification
  • Klebsiella Infections / microbiology
  • Klebsiella Infections / pathology
  • Klebsiella Infections / veterinary
  • Pneumonia, Bacterial / microbiology
  • Pneumonia, Bacterial / prevention & control
  • Pneumonia, Bacterial / veterinary
  • Retrospective Studies

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Citations

This article has been cited 14 times.
  1. Hepworth-Warren KL, Estell K, Cowles B, Amodie D, Crisman M. Utility of serum amyloid A in monitoring clinical response to antimicrobial treatment in horses with bacterial pneumonia.. J Vet Intern Med 2023 Sep-Oct;37(5):1917-1922.
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