Transmission ofStreptococcus equiSubspecieszooepidemicusInfection from Horses to Humans

Abstract

Streptococcus equi subspecies zooepidemicus (S. zooepidemicus) is a zoonotic pathogen for persons in contact with horses. In horses, S. zooepidemicus is an opportunistic pathogen, but human infections associated with S. zooepidemicus are often severe. Within 6 months in 2011, 3 unrelated cases of severe, disseminated S. zooepidemicus infection occurred in men working with horses in eastern Finland. To clarify the pathogen’s epidemiology, we describe the clinical features of the infection in 3 patients and compare the S. zooepidemicus isolates from the human cases with S. zooepidemicus isolates from horses. The isolates were analyzed by using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis, multilocus sequence typing, and sequencing of the szP gene. Molecular typing methods showed that human and equine isolates were identical or closely related. These results emphasize that S. zooepidemicus transmitted from horses can lead to severe infections in humans. As leisure and professional equine sports continue to grow, this infection should be recognized as an emerging zoonosis.

Multidrug resistant bacteria isolated from septic arthritis in horses

“…The wide occurrence of these pathogens causing septic arthritis in horses can be justified by the presence of this group of microorganisms on the skin of animals, making it easy for traumatic inoculation into the articular region, contamination of intra-articular administration of drugs (iatrogenic route) (Steel et al 2013), or systemic dissemination from the upper respiratory tract (Songer & Post 2005, Orsini 2006). In addition, Pelkonen et al (2013) warned about the zoonotic potential of Streptococcus equi subsp. zooepidemicus in Finland as a causative agent of an emerging disease with severe evolution in humans, given the risk of transmission to humans that are in close contact with infected horses.…”

Safkan İngiliz ve Arap Yarış Atlarında Görülen Beta Hemolitik Streptococcus Türlerinin Sitolojik Bulgular Eşliğinde Çeşitli Vücut Bölgelerinden İzolasyonu ve Antibiyotik Duyarlılıkları

“…S. zooepidemicus was also reported as an etiologic agent in canine infectious respiratory disease [10] and has also been reported to cause septicaemia, meningitis, nefritis and arthritis in humans [11][12][13][14] . Molecular typing methods showed that human and equine isolates were identical and closely related, according to these datas S. zooepidemicus should also be recognized as an emerging zoonosis [15] . S. equisimilis is considered to be an infrequent pathogenic agent isolated from horses.…”

Polyarthritis in Goat-Kids Caused by Streptococcus Equi Subspecies Zooepidemicus

“…Infectious respiratory disease of dogs [6], stranglers in horses [7], mastitis in goats [8], polyserositis in alpaca [9], rhinitis and meningitis of cats [10], septicemia, and wound infections in lambs, puppies, and greyhounds, septicemias in chickens and dolphins, lymphadenitis in guinea pigs [5], hemorrhagic pneumonia in broilers [11] are examples of its wide range of pathogenicity. Although S. zooepidemicus is an opportunistic pathogen for horses, infections in humans are often severe [12]. Human infections with S. zooepidemicus usually occur after consumption of unpasteurized products from goat and cow milk, pork meat or close contacts with horses and dogs [3,4,[12][13][14].…”

“…Although S. zooepidemicus is an opportunistic pathogen for horses, infections in humans are often severe [12]. Human infections with S. zooepidemicus usually occur after consumption of unpasteurized products from goat and cow milk, pork meat or close contacts with horses and dogs [3,4,[12][13][14]. Clinical manifestations of human infections with S. zooepidemicus include pharyngitis, septicemia, meningitis, purulent arthritis and endocarditis [14].…”