Strangles.
Abstract: The etiology, epizootiology, pathogenesis, and clinical presentation of strangles are described. Streptococcus equi, the causative organism, is highly host-adapted to Equidae and shows no antigenic variation. Protective immunity apparently is mediated by a combination of serum opsonic and nasopharyngeal mucosal humoral responses. Vaccines based on M protein or inactivated bacterial suspensions may reduce the clinical attack rate by 50%, a level of protection much lower than that produced during recovery from strangles.
Publication Date: 1993-08-01 PubMed ID: 8358649DOI: 10.1016/s0749-0739(17)30403-0Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
- Review
Summary
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The article focuses on Strangles, a highly contagious disease in horses caused by the bacterium Streptococcus equi. It discusses the cause, spread, development and the clinical signs of this disease, as well as the role of vaccination in minimizing infection rate.
Etiology and Epizootiology of Strangles
- The article begins by identifying Strangles as an infectious disease in horses that is caused by a bacterium called Streptococcus equi. This bacterium is uniquely adapted to its hosts in the equine family, meaning that it has evolved specifically to infect these types of animals.
- The epizootiology, or the pattern of disease spread in populations of animals, is also discussed. Given the infectious nature of Strangles, understanding how it spreads among horses is crucial in determining prevention and control methods.
Pathogenesis and Clinical Presentation
- The pathogenesis of Strangles, which is the biological mechanism that leads to the disease, is discussed in the research. Streptococcus equi is able to initiate an infection in the nasopharyngeal tract of horses by overcoming the body’s initial defenses and establishing itself within the host.
- Following infection, the clinical presentation of Strangles includes symptoms like fever, nasal discharge, and the characteristic swelling of the lymph nodes that give the disease its name.
Immunity and Vaccination
- The role of the horse’s immune system in combating Strangles is addressed. The article suggests that protection against the disease is likely achieved through a combination of serum opsonic and nasopharyngeal mucosal humoral responses. This refers to the body’s ability to recognize and destroy the infectious bacterium, both in the bloodstream and in the nasopharynx where the bacterium initially establishes infection.
- The article concludes with a discussion on the effectiveness of vaccines in reducing the incidence of Strangles. Vaccines that are based on M protein or inactivated bacterial suspensions are suggested to reduce the clinical attack rate by 50%, although this rate of protection is significantly less than what is achieved following recovery from the disease. This implies that while vaccination can help minimize the spread of the disease, natural recovery provides a more robust immune response and longer-term protection against reinfection.
Cite This Article
APA
Timoney JF.
(1993).
Strangles.
Vet Clin North Am Equine Pract, 9(2), 365-374.
https://doi.org/10.1016/s0749-0739(17)30403-0 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Veterinary Science, University of Kentucky, Lexington.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Horse Diseases / etiology
- Horses
- Respiratory Tract Infections / complications
- Respiratory Tract Infections / etiology
- Respiratory Tract Infections / veterinary
- Streptococcal Infections / complications
- Streptococcal Infections / etiology
- Streptococcal Infections / veterinary
Citations
This article has been cited 11 times.- Waśniewska-Włodarczyk A, Pepaś R, Janowicz R, Konopka W. Streptococcus equi subsp. equi in Retropharyngeal Abscess: Case Report and Review of Literature. Microorganisms 2022 Oct 14;10(10).
- Brankston G, Rossi TM, O'Sullivan TL, Greer AL. Diagnostic testing patterns for Streptococcus equi subsp. equi in Ontario horses during the years 2008 to 2018. Can Vet J 2021 Jun;62(6):629-636.
- Mitchell C, Steward KF, Charbonneau ARL, Walsh S, Wilson H, Timoney JF, Wernery U, Joseph M, Craig D, van Maanen K, Hoogkamer-van Gennep A, Leon A, Witkowski L, Rzewuska M, Stefańska I, Żychska M, van Loon G, Cursons R, Patty O, Acke E, Gilkerson JR, El-Hage C, Allen J, Bannai H, Kinoshita Y, Niwa H, Becú T, Pringle J, Guss B, Böse R, Abbott Y, Katz L, Leggett B, Buckley TC, Blum SE, Cruz López F, Fernández Ros A, Marotti Campi MC, Preziuso S, Robinson C, Newton JR, Schofield E, Brooke B, Boursnell M, de Brauwere N, Kirton R, Barton CK, Abudahab K, Taylor B, Yeats CA, Goater R, Aanensen DM, Harris SR, Parkhill J, Holden MTG, Waller AS. Globetrotting strangles: the unbridled national and international transmission of Streptococcus equi between horses. Microb Genom 2021 Mar;7(3).
- Timoney JF, Suther P, Velineni S, Artiushin SC. The Antiphagocytic Activity of SeM of Streptococcus equi Requires Capsule. J Equine Sci 2014;25(2):53-6.
- Hobo S, Niwa H, Anzai T, Jones JH. Changes in Serum Antibody Levels after Vaccination for Strangles and after Intranasal Challenge with Streptococcus equi subsp. equi in Horses. J Equine Sci 2010;21(3):33-7.
- Liu M, Lei B. IgG Endopeptidase SeMac does not Inhibit Opsonophagocytosis of Streptococcus equi Subspecies equi by Horse Polymorphonuclear Leukocytes. Open Microbiol J 2010 Apr 8;4:20-5.
- Paillot R, Robinson C, Steward K, Wright N, Jourdan T, Butcher N, Heather Z, Waller AS. Contribution of each of four Superantigens to Streptococcus equi-induced mitogenicity, gamma interferon synthesis, and immunity. Infect Immun 2010 Apr;78(4):1728-39.
- Liu M, McClure MJ, Zhu H, Xie G, Lei B. The Two-Component Regulatory System VicRK is Important to Virulence of Streptococcus equi Subspecies equi. Open Microbiol J 2008;2:89-93.
- Kelly C, Bugg M, Robinson C, Mitchell Z, Davis-Poynter N, Newton JR, Jolley KA, Maiden MC, Waller AS. Sequence variation of the SeM gene of Streptococcus equi allows discrimination of the source of strangles outbreaks. J Clin Microbiol 2006 Feb;44(2):480-6.
- Rask E, Righetti F, Ruiz A, Bjerketorp J, Frosth S, Frykberg L, Jacobsson K, Guss B, Flock JI, Henriques-Normark B, Hartman E, Gustafsson A, Paillot R, Waller AS. Closing the Stable Door on Strangles: Serological Responses of Vaccinated Horses on a Farm Following the Arrival of a New Horse. Animals (Basel) 2025 Dec 13;15(24).
- Righetti F, Hentrich K, Flock M, Frosth S, Jacobsson K, Bjerketorp J, Pathak A, Ido N, Henriques-Normark B, Frykberg L, Paillot R, Guss B, Wood T, Flock JI, Waller AS. Neutralisation of the Immunoglobulin-Cleaving Activity of Streptococcus equi Subspecies equi IdeE by Blood Sera from Ponies Vaccinated with a Multicomponent Protein Vaccine. Vaccines (Basel) 2025 Oct 17;13(10).
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