Dataset Information

Markers of long term silent carriers of Streptococcus equi ssp. equi in horses.

ABSTRACT: Background: Difficulty in detection of silent carriers of Streptococcus equi is a key reason for its continued spread to immunologically naïve groups of horses.

Objective: To determine whether clinical examination, markers of inflammation, or serology differentiate silent carriers of S. equi in recovered comingled horses.

Animals: Ninety-eight warmblood yearlings and 72 unaffected mares on a large breeding farm (outbreak A), 38 mature Icelandic horses at a riding stable (outbreak B), and 27 mixed breed horses at a boarding stable (outbreak C).

Methods: Prospective observational study 6 months to 2?years after strangles outbreaks. Carriers were defined as any animal positive on culture or qPCR to S. equi from nasopharyngeal lavage or guttural pouch endoscopy and lavage. Most horses had complete physical exams and 1 group included evaluation of white blood cell counts and serum amyloid A. Sera from all horses was tested for antibodies to antigens A and C of S. equi using an enhanced indirect ELISA. Descriptive statistics were calculated. Data were compared using paired t tests, Wilcoxon ranked test, chi square, or the Fishers exact test. Significance was set at P?
Results: Apart from weanlings at 6 months in outbreak A, there was no significant association between any clinical markers or serology with carrier state (P = .06-1). Moreover, 3/12 culture positive carriers were seronegative to S. equi.

Conclusions and clinical importance: Silent carriers of S. equi do not differ clinically or on markers of inflammation to their noncarrier herd-mates. Moreover, serology alone will not distinguish carriers in comingled horses.

SUBMITTER: Pringle J

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7694814 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Markers of long term silent carriers of Streptococcus equi ssp. equi in horses.

Pringle John J Venner Monica M Tscheschlok Lisa L Waller Andrew S AS Riihimäki Miia M

Journal of veterinary internal medicine 20201019 6

<h4>Background</h4>Difficulty in detection of silent carriers of Streptococcus equi is a key reason for its continued spread to immunologically naïve groups of horses.<h4>Objective</h4>To determine whether clinical examination, markers of inflammation, or serology differentiate silent carriers of S. equi in recovered comingled horses.<h4>Animals</h4>Ninety-eight warmblood yearlings and 72 unaffected mares on a large breeding farm (outbreak A), 38 mature Icelandic horses at a riding stable (outbr ...[more]

PMID: 33074578

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Project description:BACKGROUND: Streptococcus equi ssp. equi is the causative agent of 'Strangles' in horses. This is a debilitating condition leading to economic loss, yard closures and cancellation of equestrian events. There are multiple genotypes of S. equi ssp. equi which can cause disease, but to date there has been no systematic study of strains which are prevalent in Ireland. This study identified and classified Streptococcus equi ssp. equi strains isolated from within the Irish equine industry. RESULTS: Two hundred veterinary isolates were subjected to SLST (single locus sequence typing) based on an internal sequence from the seM gene of Streptococcus equi ssp equi. Of the 171 samples which successfully gave an amplicon, 162 samples (137 Irish and 24 UK strains) gave robust DNA sequence information. Analysis of the sequences allowed division of the isolates into 19 groups, 13 of which contain at least 2 isolates and 6 groups containing single isolates. There were 19 positions where a DNA SNP (single nucleotide polymorphism) occurs, and one 3 bp insertion. All groups had multiple (2-8) SNPs. Of the SNPs 17 would result in an amino acid change in the encoded protein. Interestingly, the single isolate EI8, which has 6 SNPs, has the three base pair insertion which is not seen in any other isolate, this would result in the insertion of an Ile residue at position 62 in that protein sequence. Comparison of the relevant region in the determined sequences with the UK Streptococcus equi seM MLST database showed that Group B (15 isolates) and Group I (2 isolates), as well as the individual isolates EI3 and EI8, are unique to Ireland, and some groups are most likely of UK origin (Groups F and M), but many more probably passed back and forth between the two countries. CONCLUSIONS: The strains occurring in Ireland are not clonal and there is a considerable degree of sequence variation seen in the seM gene. There are two major clades causing infection in Ireland and these strains are also common in the UK.

Dataset Information

Markers of long term silent carriers of Streptococcus equi ssp. equi in horses.

Publications

Markers of long term silent carriers of Streptococcus equi ssp. equi in horses.

Similar Datasets

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