Suspected bacterial meningoencephalitis in two adult horses.

The study explores two instances of potential bacterial meningoencephalitis in adult horses, a rare condition, which is more commonly found in young horses. This research aids in understanding the symptoms, diagnosis, and effective treatment of this disease.

About Meningoencephalitis in Horses

• It is an infection of the central nervous system in horses, specifically bacterial meningitis or meningoencephalitis.
• The infection is commonly seen in neonatal horses as a result of septicaemia — a severe bloodstream infection.
• In adult horses, such infections are quite rare, and most reported cases have unfortunately ended fatally.
• Most often, it is the Streptococcal species identified as the primary organism causing these infections. Thus, it’s postulated that this disease could be a secondary complication arising from upper respiratory tract infections.

Clinical Signs and Diagnosis

• The clinical symptoms of meningoencephalitis in horses can vary significantly, leading to challenges in diagnosis.
• In most instances, postmortem has been the definitive procedure for diagnosis. This is done by investigating the tissues of the deceased animal to find the cause of death.

Study Cases and Successful Treatments

• This paper analyzes two cases of presumptive meningoencephalitis in adult horses.
• While providing a detailed outline of the disease progression in these cases, the research also presents successful treatment strategies, thereby providing hope for better management and potential cure of this disease in adult horses.