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Species of Candida as a component of the nasal microbiota of healthy horses.
Abstract: Respiratory infections are a common problem among equines and occur with variable rates of morbidity and mortality. Although some fungal species are considered primary agents of respiratory tract infections in several mammals, their relevance in respiratory diseases of equines is frequently neglected. In the present study, we performed an active search for Candida spp. in the nasal cavity of horses. The presence of Candida spp. was investigated through the use of nasal swabs that were streaked on culture media. These yeasts were identified through physiological testing and their in vitro antifungal susceptibility were also characterized. The analysis of the material from the nasal cavity of 97 randomly chosen horses resulted in the isolation of Candida spp. from 35 animals (36.08%), out of which 18 (32.14%) were C. famata, 14 (25%) C. parapsilosis, 12 (21.42%) Meyerozyma guilliermondii (C. guilliermondii), 11 (19.64%) C. tropicalis and 1 (1.78%) Wickerhamomyces anomalus (C. pelliculosa). The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values ranged from 0.03125-1 μg/ml for amphotericin B; and from 0.03125-> 16 μg/ml and 0.125 to > 64 μg/ml for itraconazole and fluconazole, respectively. Resistance to fluconazole and itraconazole was observed among C. tropicalis (n = 3) and C. guilliermondii (n = 1). The data show a predominance of non-C. albicans Candida species in the nasal microbiota of healthy equines, including antifungal resistant isolates, reiterating the importance of monitoring fungal pathogens in these animals.
Publication Date: 2013-05-08 PubMed ID: 23651178DOI: 10.3109/13693786.2013.777858Google Scholar: Lookup The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
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 focuses on the prevalence and diversity of Candida species, a type of fungus, present in the nasal cavities of healthy horses. It also highlights the resistance of some of these fungal species to common antifungal medications.
Goal and Methodology of the Study
- The study aimed to explore the prevalence and relevance of Candida species in the respiratory health of horses. In human and other mammalian health, certain fungal species are seen as primary agents in respiratory tract infections. This study applied a similar lens to equine health, studying horses’ nasal cavity for the presence and effect of Candida spp.
- Nasal swabs from 97 randomly selected horses were cultured to identify the presence and types of Candida species. Once these samples were collected, they were streaked on culture media to support the growth of the yeasts in a controlled environment for further study.
Findings on Candida Species
- Candida spp. was found in almost 36% of the sampled horses. The species identified included C. famata (32.14%), C. parapsilosis (25%), Meyerozyma guilliermondii (21.42%), C. tropicalis (19.64%), and Wickerhamomyces anomalus (1.78%).
- The study showed a predominance of non-C. albicans Candida, which is different from human infection patterns where C. albicans is usually the principal pathogen.
Antifungal Susceptibility Testing
- The study also looked at the resistance of these species to commonly used antifungal medications. The medications tested were amphotericin B, itraconazole, and fluconazole and their effective concentrations were determined through minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) tests.
- The results illustrated varying levels of resistance among the Candida species to the tested medications. Resistance to both fluconazole and itraconazole was observed in some isolates of C. tropicalis and C. guilliermondii.
Significance of the Study
- This study’s findings underscore the importance of consistent monitoring of fungal pathogens in horses. Given their prevalence in healthy horses, Candida species could potentially play a significant role in equine respiratory infections.
- The observed drug resistance among some Candida isolates signals the need for developing and employing alternative therapies to manage and control potential fungal infections in horses.
Cite This Article
APA
Cordeiro Rde A, Bittencourt PV, Brilhante RS, Teixeira CE, Castelo-Branco Dde S, Silva ST, De Alencar LP, Souza ER, Bandeira Tde J, Monteiro AJ, Sidrim JJ, Rocha MF.
(2013).
Species of Candida as a component of the nasal microbiota of healthy horses.
Med Mycol, 51(7), 731-736.
https://doi.org/10.3109/13693786.2013.777858 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- * Department of Pathology and Legal Medicine, School of Medicine, Specialized Medical Mycology Center, Postgraduate Program in Medical Microbiology, Federal University of Ceará , Fortaleza-CE , Brazil.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Antifungal Agents / pharmacology
- Candida / classification
- Candida / drug effects
- Candida / isolation & purification
- Female
- Horses / microbiology
- Male
- Microbiological Techniques / methods
- Microbiota
- Mycology / methods
- Nasal Mucosa / microbiology
Citations
This article has been cited 9 times.- Centeno-Martinez RE, Mohan S, Davidson JL, Schoonmaker JP, Ault A, Verma MS, Johnson TA. The bovine nasal fungal community and associations with bovine respiratory disease. Front Vet Sci 2023;10:1165994.
- Rodríguez N, Whitfield-Cargile CM, Chamoun-Emanuelli AM, Hildreth E, Jordan W, Coleman MC. Nasopharyngeal bacterial and fungal microbiota in normal horses and horses with nasopharyngeal cicatrix syndrome. J Vet Intern Med 2021 Nov;35(6):2897-2911.
- Chen X, Qiu C. Respiratory tract mucous membrane microecology and asthma. Ann Transl Med 2019 Sep;7(18):495.
- Wu JY, Zhou DY, Zhang Y, Mi F, Xu J. Analyses of the Global Multilocus Genotypes of the Human Pathogenic Yeast Candida tropicalis. Front Microbiol 2019;10:900.
- Wu JY, Guo H, Wang HM, Yi GH, Zhou LM, He XW, Zhang Y, Xu J. Multilocus sequence analyses reveal extensive diversity and multiple origins of fluconazole resistance in Candida tropicalis from tropical China. Sci Rep 2017 Feb 10;7:42537.
- Álvarez-Pérez S, García ME, Peláez T, Martínez-Nevado E, Blanco JL. Antifungal Susceptibility Testing of Ascomycetous Yeasts Isolated from Animals. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2016 Aug;60(8):5026-8.
- Brilhante RS, Rodrigues PH, de Alencar LP, Riello GB, Ribeiro JF, de Oliveira JS, Castelo-Branco Dde S, Bandeira Tde J, Monteiro AJ, Rocha MF, Cordeiro Rde A, Moreira JL, Sidrim JJ. Evidence of Fluconazole-Resistant Candida Species in Tortoises and Sea Turtles. Mycopathologia 2015 Dec;180(5-6):421-6.
- Zhou Y, Qiu X, Yuan T, Wang Q, Du L, Wang L, Ding Z. Research hotspots and frontiers of application of mass spectrometry breath test in respiratory diseases. Front Med (Lausanne) 2025;12:1618588.
- Neira-Egea P, Alamar Malvoisin C, de la Cuesta-Torrado M, Bautista-Erler C, Vitale V, Jolly S, Cesarini C. Gastric Candidiasis in Five Horses: A Case Series. Microorganisms 2025 Jul 25;13(8).
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