Actinobacillus equulisubsp.equuliassociated with equine valvular endocarditis

Abstract

Microbiological and pathological data from a case of equine valvular endocarditis are reported. Limited information is available on the pathogenic potential of equine Actinobacillus species as several strains originate from apparently healthy horses. After the establishment of two subspecies within this species, this seems to be the first report of an etiological association between A. equuli subsp. equuli and equine endocarditis. Furthermore, new information on some phenotypical characteristics of this subspecies is reported, compared to previous findings.

A retrospective study of equine actinobacillosis cases

“…14,15 Both subspecies can cause respiratory infections, septicemia, metritis, mastitis, arthritis, endocarditis, meningitis, mare reproductive loss syndrome, cellulitis, and peritonitis. 1,6,10,18,30,32 Contributing factors for systemic actinobacillosis in foals include failure or partial failure of passive transfer (FPT) and unsanitary conditions in the birthing environment. 30 In adult horses, systemic actinobacillosis has traditionally been rare and is often associated with underlying disease or another predisposing factor.…”

Alterações patológicas em potros infectados por Actinobacillus equuli subsp. haemolyticus

“…Nos potros, o agente é frequentemente isolado de articulações, rins, pulmão e intestino (STEWART et al, 2002 (PLATT, 1973;COLLINS et al, 1994), peritonite (PLATT, 1973;COLLINS et al, 1994;PATTERSON-KANE et al, 2001), hemorragia pulmonar (PUSTERLA et al, 2008), endocardite valvular (AALBAEK et al, 2007), septicemia (PATTERSON-KANE et al, 2001) e abortos (SCHLAFER & MILLER, 2007). Os animais jovens quando infectados apresentam geralmente prostração e morte repentina (BAKER, 1972;PLATT 1973;STEWART et al, 2002).…”

Actinobacillus suis and Actinobacillus equuli, emergent pathogens of septic embolic nephritis, a new challenge for the swine industry

“…equuli, a non-hemolytic subspecies is associated with "sleepy foal disease", a clinical condition characterized by acute septicemia of foals with purulent nephritis which eventually becomes chronic in the form of "joint ill", a polyarthritis . Infections in adult horses due to A. equuli are less common and generally more localized as it is described in cases of arthritis, endocarditis (Aalbaek et al 2007), abortion (Webb et al 1976), septicemia, nephritis, pneumonia (Carr et al 1997, Pusterla et al 2008, and orchitis (Patterson-Kane et al 2001). A few cases of acute and chronic peritonitis caused by A. equuli infection have also been documented in adult horses (Gay and Lording 1980, Golland et al 1994, Patterson-Kane et al 2001.…”