Aim:The aim was to determine the occurrence of streptococci in equines in Jammu (R. S. Pura, Katra), characterization of Streptococci equi subsp. equi and Streptococcus equi subsp. zooepidemicus with respect to their virulence traits and to determine antibiotic sensitivity pattern of virulent Streptococcus isolates.Materials and Methods:A total of 96 samples were collected from both clinically affected animals (exhibiting signs of respiratory tract disease) and apparently healthy animals and were sent to laboratory. The organisms were isolated on Columbia nalidixic acid agar containing 5% sheep blood as well as on sheep blood agar and confirmed by cultural characteristics and biochemical tests. Molecular detection of Streptococcus was done directly from cultures using sodA and seM gene-based polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Antibiogram was performed against five antibiotics such as amoxicillin, penicillin G, streptomycin, rifampicin, and methicillin.Results:During this study, a total 40 streptococcal isolates were obtained out of which 2 isolates were of S. equi subsp. equi, 12 isolates were from S. equi subsp. zooepidemicus. In the PCR-based detection, we revealed amplicons of 235 bp and 679 bp for confirmation of sodA and seM gene, respectively. In antibiogram, two isolates of S. equi subsp. equi were found resistant to penicillin G, and all other isolates were found sensitive to amoxicillin and streptomycin.Conclusion:The majority of streptococcal infections was due to S. equi subsp. Zooepidemicus, and thus was recognized as a potential pathogen of diseases of equines besides S. equi subsp. equi.

In concern for animal diseases, the goal of vaccination is to prevent or reduce clinical diseases associated with the infectious agent, but it can also be used as a means of managing or eradicating a disease from a particular region. In outbreak situations, it is therefore important to be able to detect active infection in vaccinated animals. It was to satisfy this requirement that the term Differentiation of Infected from Vaccinated Animals (DIVA) was coined in 1999 by Jan T van Oirschot [1]. This term is now used replacing the older 'marker vaccines'. The DIVA principle has now also been extended to include subunit and killed whole virus vaccines [2]. DIVA principle is based on a DIVA vaccine producing an antibody response that is different from the antibody response produced by the wild-type virus. More recently, the use of genetic DIVA has been introduced, which is based on identifying genetic differences between live vaccines and the field viruses.

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