Serological and Bacteriological Surveillance of Glanders Among Horses in Central Region of Iran.
Abstract: Glanders is the oldest and very contagious disease among horses caused by Burkholderia mallei. The disease occurs as a chronic form in horses. Hence, because of the prolonged shedding, numerous horses can potentially get infected by one horse with glanders. Glanders is endemic in Iran and this causes occasional occurrence in horse population of the country. The aim of this study was to determine the incidence of B.mallei infection in horses in two central provinces of Iran. A total of 517 serum samples were collected from stable horses in Tehran and Alborz provinces. Among the studied horses, seven presented fever, anorexia, dyspnea, subcutaneous abscesses, nasal and cutaneous discharges, emaciation, and lymphadenopathy. Nasal and ocular discharges and subcutaneous abscesses were sampled for bacterial culture and PCR. The sera were examined by means of complement fixation test (CFT) and indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (iELISA). Seropositive cases were further examined by Mallein test. The results derived from the present study indicated that only 1.35% of the studied horses were positive in CFT, iELISA and Mallein test, of which only in 42.85% B.mallei was successfully cultured on blood agar and glycerinated nutrient media and confirmed by PCR. Periodic serological tests along with quarantine can benefit reduction of the occurrence of the disease in horses in Iran.
Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Publication Date: 2023-04-30 PubMed ID: 37448262DOI: 10.1016/j.jevs.2023.104535Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
- Anorexia
- Burkholderia mallei
- Complement Fixation
- Diagnosis
- Disease control
- Disease Diagnosis
- Disease Surveillance
- Disease Treatment
- Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA)
- Epidemiology
- Equine Health
- Glanders
- Horses
- Infectious Disease
- Polymerase Chain Reaction
- Public Health
- Pyrexia
- Serological Surveys
- Veterinary Medicine
Summary
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The research article investigates the prevalence of Glanders, a highly infectious disease in horses caused by the bacterium Burkholderia mallei, in the central region of Iran. Results indicate a low percentage of affected horses, with feasible control measures suggested being regular testing and quarantining.
Introduction to Glanders
- Glanders is a long-known, severe disease that affects horses. It is caused by the bacterium Burkholderia mallei.
- It is referred to as a chronic condition in horses because once infected, a horse can shed the bacterium over a long period, potentially infecting many other horses.
- In Iran, the disease is endemic, meaning it is regularly found among the horse population, leading to sporadic outbreaks.
Purpose of the Study
- The goal of this research was to determine the incidence of Burkholderia mallei infections in horses in two central provinces of Iran.
- This was done by collecting and analyzing serum samples from 517 horses stabled in areas within the Tehran and Alborz provinces.
Study Methodology
- Of the horses studied, seven exhibited symptoms including fever, anorexia, breathing difficulties, underneath-the-skin abscesses, discharges from the nose and skin, weight loss, and swollen lymph nodes.
- These symptoms were indicative of Glanders, leading the researchers to perform additional tests.
- Samples were taken from nasal and ocular discharges as well as subcutaneous abscesses for bacterial culture and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing.
- They also tested the horse’s blood serum using the complement fixation test (CFT) and indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (iELISA).
- Horses that tested positive in the initial serological tests were further investigated with the Mallein test, which is known for its high specificity for Burkholderia mallei.
Key Findings
- The results showed that only 1.35% of the horses studied tested positive for Glanders through CFT, iELISA, and the Mallein test.
- However, the bacterium Burkholderia mallei could only be successfully cultured in 42.85% of those positively tested horses, which was verified using PCR.
Conclusion and Recommendations
- The study concludes by recommending that to decrease the presence of Glanders in horses within Iran, periodic serological tests and quarantining should be implemented.
- These measures could assist in the early detection and control of the spread of the disease among the horse populations in the region.
Cite This Article
APA
Dehghan Rahimabadi P, Nazari A, Kamyabi M, Mosavari N.
(2023).
Serological and Bacteriological Surveillance of Glanders Among Horses in Central Region of Iran.
J Equine Vet Sci, 127, 104535.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jevs.2023.104535 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Karaj Branch, Islamic Azad University, Karaj, Iran.
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.
- Department of Animal Sciences, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Delaware, Newark, DE.
- Department of Tuberculin and Mallein, Razi Vaccine and Serum Research Institute, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Karaj, Iran. Electronic address: nmosavari@gmail.com.
MeSH Terms
- Horses
- Animals
- Glanders / diagnosis
- Glanders / epidemiology
- Iran / epidemiology
- Abscess / veterinary
- Burkholderia mallei
- Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / veterinary
- Horse Diseases / epidemiology
Citations
This article has been cited 1 times.- Sukmanadi M, Khairullah AR, Wardhani BWK, Mustofa I, Aliyah SH, Moses IB, Ahmad RZ, Khalisa AT, Pratama BP, Kusala MKJ, Kurniasih DAA, Akintunde AO, Fauziah I, Wibowo S, Furqoni AH, Fauzia KA, Melati I, Kurniawan M'. Glanders: Historical military use and potential bioterrorism concern. Open Vet J 2025 Sep;15(9):3912-3930.
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