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Canadian journal of veterinary research = Revue canadienne de recherche veterinaire1986; 50(4); 479-484;

Quantitative fecal culture for early diagnosis of Corynebacterium (Rhodococcus) equi enteritis in foals.

Abstract: Quantitative culture of Corynebacterium (Rhodococcus) equi from feces of 17 foals on a farm (A) with an endemic C. equi infection problem and 26 foals on a farm (B) without the disease in the past decade was done with a selective medium at weekly or monthly intervals from April to August of 1984. Corynebacterium equi was observed in the feces of 16 of 17 foals on farm A, and 19 of 26 foals on farm B. The mean viable count of C. equi in one gram of feces was 4.1 +/- 3.7 (log10) on farm A, and 3.9 +/- 3.4 (log10) on farm B. Corynebacterium equi was recovered from feces of foals as young as two weeks old. Almost all foals at an age between two to four weeks shed the bacteria in the feces. During the observation period two foals showed clinical signs: fever, diarrhea, and cough, at four or five weeks old. At the same time the bacterial count per gram of feces increased from 4 to 7 or 8 (log10). They shed large number of bacteria in the feces and continued to show the clinical signs until death at 10 or 11 weeks old. One of the foals was diagnosed as having had C. equi enteritis and pneumonia by the postmortem recognition of lesions with bacteriological confirmation. The quantitative culture of the feces of foals at weekly intervals after birth on farm A was found to be very useful as an aid in early diagnosis of C. equi enteritis in foals.
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Publication Date: 1986-10-01 PubMed ID: 3791074PubMed Central: PMC1255252
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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 provides insights about using quantitative fecal culture as a method of early diagnosis for Corynebacterium (Rhodococcus) equi enteritis in foals, a bacterial disease that is common in young horses.

Research Context and Methodology

The researchers conducted their study on two farms — one where Corynebacterium equi infection was common (Farm A), and another where the disease had not been observed in the past decade (Farm B). They collected feces from 17 foals on Farm A and 26 foals on Farm B and used a selective medium to quantitatively culture the Corynebacterium equi.

  • A total of 43 foals’ feces were sampled at weekly or monthly intervals from April to August of 1984.
  • By using quantitative culture, the researchers looked for instances of the bacteria in the foal’s feces, and at what level.

Findings

The study’s significant findings were as follows:

  • Corynebacterium equi was found in the feces of almost all of the foals, irrespective of the farm’s infection history, indicating that the bacteria is commonly present at an early age.
  • There was an increase in the bacterial count from 4 to 7 or 8 (log10) in foals presenting clinical signs of infection, such as fever, diarrhea, and cough. This increase coincided with the foals’ illness and suggested that a higher bacterial count could be a marker of active infection.

Implications

The results suggests that quantitative fecal culture could serve as an early detection method for Corynebacterium equi enteritis in foals.

  • By monitoring the bacterial count in foals from birth, the researchers were able to identify the onset of the infection sooner. The early detection of a rise in bacterial count could potentially allow for earlier intervention and possibly improve the outcome for the affected foal.
  • The study also highlighted how pervasive the bacteria might be, as it was present in most of the sampled foals, even if they did not exhibit signs of illness.

Conclusion

The paper concludes by emphasizing the utility of the quantitative culture of foal feces as an aid in early diagnosis of Corynebacterium equi enteritis in foals. Further research could extend this study’s findings and determine how early intervention, facilitated by this early detection method, could impact the prognosis for foals infected with Corynebacterium equi.

Cite This Article

APA
Takai S, Iimori S, Tsubaki S. (1986). Quantitative fecal culture for early diagnosis of Corynebacterium (Rhodococcus) equi enteritis in foals. Can J Vet Res, 50(4), 479-484.

Publication

Canadian journal of veterinary research = Revue canadienne de recherche veterinaire
ISSN: 0830-9000
NlmUniqueID: 8607793
Country: Canada
Language: English
Volume: 50
Issue: 4
Pages: 479-484

Researcher Affiliations

Takai, S
    Iimori, S
      Tsubaki, S

        MeSH Terms

        • Actinomycetales Infections / diagnosis
        • Actinomycetales Infections / microbiology
        • Actinomycetales Infections / veterinary
        • Animals
        • Culture Media
        • Enteritis / diagnosis
        • Enteritis / microbiology
        • Enteritis / veterinary
        • Feces / microbiology
        • Horse Diseases / diagnosis
        • Horse Diseases / microbiology
        • Horses
        • Predictive Value of Tests
        • Rhodococcus / growth & development
        • Rhodococcus / isolation & purification

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        Citations

        This article has been cited 8 times.
        1. Cohen ND, Flores-Ahlschewde P, Gonzales GM, Kahn SK, da Silveira BP, Bray JM, King EE, Blair CC, Bordin AI. Fecal concentration of Rhodococcus equi determined by quantitative polymerase chain reaction of rectal swab samples to differentiate foals with pneumonia from healthy foals. J Vet Intern Med 2022 May;36(3):1146-1151.
          doi: 10.1111/jvim.16438pubmed: 35475581google scholar: lookup
        2. Cohen ND, Kahn SK, Bordin AI, Gonzales GM, da Silveira BP, Bray JM, Legere RM, Ramirez-Cortez SC. Association of pneumonia with concentrations of virulent Rhodococcus equi in fecal swabs of foals before and after intrabronchial infection with virulent R. equi. J Vet Intern Med 2022 May;36(3):1139-1145.
          doi: 10.1111/jvim.16409pubmed: 35322902google scholar: lookup
        3. Kopper JJ, Willette JA, Kogan CJ, Seguin A, Bolin SR, Schott HC 2nd. Detection of pathogens in blood or feces of adult horses with enteric disease and association with outcome of colitis. J Vet Intern Med 2021 Sep;35(5):2465-2472.
          doi: 10.1111/jvim.16238pubmed: 34382708google scholar: lookup
        4. Willingham-Lane JM, Berghaus LJ, Berghaus RD, Hart KA, Giguère S. Effect of Macrolide and Rifampin Resistance on Fitness of Rhodococcus equi during Intramacrophage Replication and In Vivo. Infect Immun 2019 Oct;87(10).
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