Polymerase chain reaction-based national surveillance programme to determine the distribution and prevalence of Taylorella equigenitalis in South African horses.
Abstract: The response to the first outbreak of contagious equine metritis in South Africa included pioneering a web-based platform to coordinate key aspects of a national, real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR)-based stallion screening programme to determine the distribution and prevalence of Taylorella equigenitalis in stallions and exposed mares. Objective: To define the hypothesised pre-existing status of T. equigenitalis in the South African equine population and progression of the epidemiological investigation via the implementation of a molecular diagnostic-based surveillance programme. Methods: Retrospective case series. Methods: Screening for T. equigenitalis was via a qPCR assay on genital swabs obtained from predilection sites in stallions and mares with subsequent confirmation using bacterial culture according to prescribed methods. Results: The initial outbreak investigation identified 4 horses including the index stallion and mare. Traceback of in-contact horses identified 26 horses, including a subpopulation focus at the South African Lipizzaner Centre where 24/33 resident stallions tested positive for T. equigenitalis on qPCR. The national screening programme identified an additional 9 stallions. A total of 39 horses (36 stallions and 3 mares) tested positive for T. equigenitalis by qPCR and T. equigenitalis was isolated from 23 of these stallions and 2 of these mares. In addition to the index property, an artificial breeding centre where the index case was first identified, an additional 12 properties with infected horses were identified in 3/9 provinces. Horses on 11 of these 12 properties were directly linked to the index property. Two incidents of T. equigenitalis transmission associated with artificial insemination were recorded. Conclusions: T. equigenitalis was present in a subpopulation focus within the South African horse population prior to the outbreak identification in April 2011. Horizontal fomite-associated spread was the most probable route of transmission between stallions. The targeted surveillance of stallions and exposed mares using a qPCR-based screening programme expedited investigation of the distribution and prevalence of T. equigenitalis infection in South African horses. The application of qPCR provided a sensitive and practical screening test for identification of T. equigenitalis-positive animals as part of an emergency response to the first identified cases of T. equigenitalis infection in South African horses.
© 2015 EVJ Ltd.
Publication Date: 2015-05-22 PubMed ID: 25764125DOI: 10.1111/evj.12439Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
- Contagious Equine Metritis
- Diagnosis
- Diagnostic Technique
- Disease Diagnosis
- Disease Outbreaks
- Disease Prevalence
- Disease Surveillance
- Disease Transmission
- Epidemiology
- Equine Health
- Horses
- Infection
- Infectious Disease
- Mares
- Polymerase Chain Reaction
- Stallion
- Taylorella equigenitalis
- Veterinary Care
- Veterinary Medicine
Summary
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The research article focuses on the use of a polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based surveillance program to identify the distribution and prevalence of a bacteria called Taylorella equigenitalis, that causes contagious equine metritis in horses, in South Africa.
Research Objective and Methods
- The aim of this research was to understand the pre-existing status of T. equigenitalis, a bacterium causing contagious equine metritis among horses, in the South African equine population and investigate its progression through a molecular diagnostic-based surveillance programme.
- The researchers used a retrospective case series study design for this research.
- The method of screening for T. equigenitalis was through a qPCR assay, where genital swabs were collected from certain sites in stallions and mares, and they were further confirmed using bacterial culture following prescribed methods.
Research Findings
- The initial investigation of the outbreak recognized 4 horses as potential carriers of these bacteria, including two key horses, the index stallion and mare.
- A subsequent traceback of in-contact horses identified an additional 26 horses carrying the bacteria, with a significant subset located at the South African Lipizzaner Centre.
- The PCR-based national screening program led to the identification of 9 more stallions carrying the infection, leading to a total of 39 horses, including 36 stallions and 3 mares.
- The bacteria were isolated from 23 of these stallions and 2 of these mares.
- Apart from the first breeding center where the outbreak was initially identified, 12 more properties with infected horses were identified in 3 out of 9 provinces in South Africa.
- Two instances of bacteria transmission through artificial insemination were also recorded.
Conclusion
- The study concludes that the bacteria T. equigenitalis was present in a specific group of South African horses even before the outbreak was identified in April 2011.
- The most probable route of transmission among the horses was through horizontal fomite-associated spread.
- The use of a qPCR-based screening program facilitated a quicker investigation of the distribution and prevalence of T. equigenitalis infection among South African horses.
- The PCR technique proved to be a sensitive and practical screening test for identifying T. equigenitalis-positive animals, assisting in emergency response to the first identified cases of T. equigenitalis infection in South African horses.
Cite This Article
APA
May CE, Guthrie AJ, Keys B, Joone C, Monyai M, Schulman ML.
(2015).
Polymerase chain reaction-based national surveillance programme to determine the distribution and prevalence of Taylorella equigenitalis in South African horses.
Equine Vet J, 48(3), 307-311.
https://doi.org/10.1111/evj.12439 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Section of Reproduction, Department of Production Animal Studies, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Onderstepoort, South Africa.
- Equine Research Centre, University of Pretoria, Onderstepoort, South Africa.
- Companion Animal Clinical Studies Department, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Onderstepoort, South Africa.
- Equine Research Centre, University of Pretoria, Onderstepoort, South Africa.
- Equine Research Centre, University of Pretoria, Onderstepoort, South Africa.
- Section of Reproduction, Department of Production Animal Studies, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Onderstepoort, South Africa.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Female
- Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections / epidemiology
- Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections / microbiology
- Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections / veterinary
- Horse Diseases / epidemiology
- Horse Diseases / microbiology
- Horses
- Male
- Polymerase Chain Reaction / veterinary
- Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Bacterial / epidemiology
- Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Bacterial / microbiology
- Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Bacterial / veterinary
- South Africa / epidemiology
- Taylorella equigenitalis / isolation & purification
Citations
This article has been cited 4 times.- Wasiński B, Złotnicka J, Kubajka M, Olejarczyk M, Szulowski K. Taylorella equigenitalis infections in Poland - results of current diagnostic investigations. J Vet Res 2025 Sep;69(3):339-344.
- Scholtz M, Guthrie AJ, Newton R, Schulman ML. Review of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Klebsiella pneumoniae as venereal pathogens in horses. Equine Vet J 2025 May;57(3):587-597.
- Mawhinney I, Bollard A. Enhanced detection of Taylorella equigenitalis by qPCR using 'Dry' swabs. J Equine Sci 2023 Mar;34(1):7-12.
- May CE, Guthrie AJ, Schulman ML. Direct culture-independent sequence typing of Taylorella equigenitalis obtained from genital swabs and frozen semen samples from South African horses. J Vet Diagn Invest 2019 Sep;31(5):792-794.
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