Treatments for Endometritis in Mares Caused by Streptococcus equi Subspecies zooepidemicus: A Structured Literature Review.
Abstract: Bacterial infections are the main causes of endometritis in mares. It is well known that the most common bacterial pathogen is Streptococcus equi subspecies zooepidemicus (SEZ). This structured review was completed according to the PRISMA procedure to search endometritis treatment protocols published between 1990 and 2020 it was our intent to evaluate the actual effects of different treatment protocols for endometritis caused by SEZ. The trials included were collected from Pubmed, CAB and Agricola. Ten articles with 116 horses and 17 different interventions were identified. The results of this structured review indicated that the reported antibiotics, immunomodulatory agents and fresh white blood cell treatments were superior for treating SEZ caused endometritis in mares, whereas oxytocin and uterine lavage alone may not be as effective as presumed. The inclusion and evaluation of more randomized controlled trials may be helpful for further elucidation of the differences.
Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Publication Date: 2021-02-24 PubMed ID: 34119209DOI: 10.1016/j.jevs.2021.103430Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary
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The research article focuses on the treatments for endometritis in horses caused by the bacterium, Streptococcus equi subspecies zooepidemicus. The study evaluates various protocols according to the PRISMA procedure, and suggests that antibiotics, immunomodulatory agents, and fresh white blood cell treatments are more effective than oxytocin and uterine lavage alone.
About the Study
- This research article is a structured review of literature published between 1990 and 2020 on the various treatments of endometritis in mares, specifically caused by the bacterium Streptococcus equi subspecies zooepidemicus (SEZ). Endometritis is inflammation of the uterus, which is often due to bacterial infections.
- The study was conducted in accordance with the PRISMA procedure, a set of specific rules and procedures meant to ensure the reliability and objectivity of systematic reviews and meta-analyses.
- The investigators reviewed ten articles, including a total of 116 horses and 17 different interventions.
Findings of the Study
- The study findings suggest that the most efficacious treatments for SEZ-caused endometritis in mares are antibiotics, immunomodulatory agents (treatments that modify, stimulate, or suppress the body’s immune response) and fresh white blood cell treatments.
- The researchers found that other treatments such as oxytocin and uterine lavage (a cleansing process that flushes the uterus with a solution) were not as effective as initially believed.
Recommendations and Future Implications
- The authors conclude that more randomized controlled trials are needed to further understand the differences in treatments and to establish more effective interventions for mares suffering from endometritis caused by SEZ.
- The findings from these trials can potentially improve the prognosis for mares suffering from this condition and lead to better overall equine health.
- The results also suggest a need for revisiting current treatment protocols and exploring alternatives to oxytocin and uterine lavage for this specific condition.
Cite This Article
APA
Li J, Zhao Y, Gao Y, Zhu Y, Holyoak GR, Zeng S.
(2021).
Treatments for Endometritis in Mares Caused by Streptococcus equi Subspecies zooepidemicus: A Structured Literature Review.
J Equine Vet Sci, 102, 103430.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jevs.2021.103430 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Equine Clinical Diagnostic Center, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agriculture University, Beijing, China.
- Equine Clinical Diagnostic Center, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agriculture University, Beijing, China.
- University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover Foundation, Hannover, Germany.
- Equine Clinical Diagnostic Center, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agriculture University, Beijing, China.
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK.
- College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agriculture University, Beijing, China. Electronic address: zengshenming@gmail.com.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Anti-Bacterial Agents / therapeutic use
- Endometritis / drug therapy
- Endometritis / veterinary
- Female
- Horse Diseases / therapy
- Horses
- Streptococcal Infections / drug therapy
- Streptococcal Infections / veterinary
- Streptococcus equi
Citations
This article has been cited 11 times.- Nocera FP, Capozzi L, Simone D, Pizzano F, Iovane V, Bianco A, Parisi A, De Martino L. Multi-locus sequence typing and in vitro antimicrobial resistance of equine Streptococcus equi subspecies zooepidemicus strains. Vet Res Commun 2023 Aug 26;.
- Tyrnenopoulou P, Fthenakis GC. Clinical Aspects of Bacterial Distribution and Antibiotic Resistance in the Reproductive System of Equids. Antibiotics (Basel) 2023 Mar 28;12(4).
- Koirala S, Pantuzza C, Costa MO. Survival of Streptococcus equi subsp. zooepidemicus on environmental samples is affected by material type and incubation temperature. Vet Res Commun 2023 Apr 17;.
- Schouten I, Bernys-Karolys A, Schneider P, Dror T, Ofer L, Shimoni C, Nissim-Eliraz E, Shpigel NY, Schlesinger S. Mesenchymal stromal cells modulate infection and inflammation in the uterus and mammary gland. BMC Vet Res 2023 Mar 30;19(1):64.
- Zhao Y, Zhu Y, Liu B, Mi J, Li N, Zhao W, Wu R, Holyoak GR, Li J, Liu D, Zeng S, Wang Y. Antimicrobial Susceptibility of Bacterial Isolates from Donkey Uterine Infections, 2018-2021. Vet Sci 2022 Feb 5;9(2).
- Costa MO, Harding JCS, Huang Y, Nosach R. Streptococcus equi subsp. zooepidemicus infection of pigs leads to shedding in faeces and a carrier state. Transbound Emerg Dis 2022 Sep;69(5):e1503-e1509.
- Mohamed E, Van Cleemput J, Şahin B, Van den Broeck W, Boyen F, Nauwynck H. Streptococcus equi subsp. zooepidemicus Supernatant Containing Streptolysin S Alters the Equine Nasal and Vaginal Mucosa, Modulating Equine Herpesvirus 1, 3 and 4 Infections. Viruses 2025 Jul 14;17(7).
- Costa MO, Rusk R, Peters L. Occupational exposure and human carriage of Streptococcus equi subsp. zooepidemicus resulting in multiple livestock outbreaks. One Health 2025 Jun;20:101063.
- Jonas LC, Youngs CR, Schmitz-Esser S. Combined analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequencing data reveals core vaginal bacteria across livestock species. Front Microbiol 2025;16:1524000.
- Li L, Li S, Ma H, Akhtar MF, Tan Y, Wang T, Liu W, Khan A, Khan MZ, Wang C. An Overview of Infectious and Non-Infectious Causes of Pregnancy Losses in Equine. Animals (Basel) 2024 Jul 2;14(13).
- Zhang X, Gao Y, Mai Z, Li Y, Wang J, Zhao X, Zhang Y. Untargeted Metabolomic Analysis Reveals Plasma Differences between Mares with Endometritis and Healthy Ones. Animals (Basel) 2024 Jun 29;14(13).
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