Equine glanders in Turkey

Abstract

In the course of an epidemiological study of glanders on a number of Turkish islands in the Sea of Marmara, 1128 horses were examined by using the intracutaneous mallein test. Thirty-five (3-1 per cent) developed an increase in rectal temperature and a swelling at the point of injection. Ten of these horses were killed and glanders was confirmed in five cases by the presence of lesions and by the immunohistological demonstration of the causative agent, Burkholderia mallei. Clinical and pathological findings indicated that in all cases the infection was restricted to the mucous membrane of the nasal cavity with its parasinus, the nostrils and the upper lips. It was confirmed that equine glanders is endemic in Turkey.

Morphological Characteristics of Three Classic Forms of Natural Equine Glanders – A Disease With High Zoonotic Significance

“…Histopathologic lesions include marked vasculitis and thrombosis in the upper airways with infi ltration of neutrophilic granulocytes and macrophages ( Figure 3A), pyogranulomatous nodules in the lungs and suppurative lymphadenitis and lymphangitis with leukocyte necrosis [12]. Nasal lesions heal with a formation of a large amount of mature fi brous tissue ( Figure 3B).…”

Discrimination ofBurkholderia mallei/pseudomalleifromBurkholderia thailandensisby sequence comparison of a fragment of the ribosomal protein S21 (rpsU) gene

“…The disease manifests as respiratory tract infection, acute septicemia, and abscess formation in multiple organs [3,6]. B. mallei is an obligate parasite of solipeds causing the rare but often fatal zoonosis glanders [7,8]. B. mallei and B. pseudomallei were initially considered to be two distinct species.…”

Evaluation of PCR, DNA hybridization and immunomagnetic separation — PCR for detection of Burkholderia mallei in artificially inoculated environmental samples

“…Presently, the disease has been eradicated from many countries through countermeasures like intensive blood testing, rigorous killing of positive animals and strict trading restrictions [4]. However, glanders is believed to be still endemic in Middle East, Northern Africa and Asia [5]. Outbreaks of glanders have also been reported from India and Pakistan [6,7].…”