Retropharyngeal lymph node infection in horses: 46 cases (1977–1992)

Abstract

A retrospective study of 46 horses with retropharyngeal lymph node (RPLN) infection presented to the Rural Veterinary Centre between 1977 and 1992 was undertaken. Horses aged less than one year were most commonly represented (46%). Thirty-nine percent of cases had been exposed to horses with confirmed or suspected strangles (Streptococcus equi subsp equi infection) within the previous 8 weeks. Most frequent signs were unilateral or bilateral swelling of the throat region (65%), respiratory stertor/dyspnoea (35%), purulent nasal discharge (20%), inappetence and signs of depression (15%), and dysphagia (9%). All horses had a soft tissue density in the retropharyngeal region on radiographs. Rhinopharyngoscopy, ultrasonography, haematology as well as cytological and microbial analysis of material aspirated from the soft tissue swelling facilitated diagnosis in some horses. Fifteen horses (33%) were treated with procaine penicillin intramuscularly for 4 to 7 days followed by oral trimethoprim-sulphadimidine for 7 to 14 days. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs were administered to 6 horses. Four required tracheostomy for severe respiratory distress. The 15 horses treated medically responded to treatment and were discharged from hospital. Three horses (6%) with mild signs received no treatment and recovered uneventfully. Twenty-eight horses (61%) underwent general anaesthesia and surgical drainage of a RPLN abscess. Nineteen received procaine penicillin G for 4 to 7 days. Four of the nine horses that did not receive antibiotic treatment after surgery required further surgical drainage 10 days to 7 weeks after the initial surgery. Limited follow-up information was available for 37 horses.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Determination of Adsorption Capacity of Alum Hydroxide {Al (OH) 3} Gel for Streptococcus equi sub specie equi and Streptococcus dysgalacltae sub species equisimillis

“…Despite these controversies and uncertainty about precise mechanism of action of aluminium adjuvants, adsorption is still considered to be a very important parameter for the function of aluminium adjuvants [7]. Thus, measuring the degree of adsorption is one of the parameters that can be controlled in the formulation process during manufacture of aluminium adsorbed vaccines to achieve consistency in production.…”

“…Sulphate ions were removed from alum hydroxide gel and after complete removal of sulphate ions NaOH drops were used to maintain the pH as depicted by Lindblad et al and Gupta et al [7,27]. To minimize variations, a specific preparation (Alhydrogel ® , aluminium hydroxide, from Superfos Biosector, Vedbaek, Denmark) was selected as a scientific standard for evaluation of our aluminium hydroxide adjuvant [28].…”

“…Originally it was used as adjuvant as such in tetanus vaccine [5]. Though there is a continuous research for adjuvants and many adjuvants other than aluminium compounds have been discovered likewise Sepic oil (Montanid ® ) but aluminium compounds will be continued to be used as adjuvants for vaccines for many years due to their good track record of safety, low cost, and adjuvanticity with a variety of antigens [6][7][8]. As far as the adsorption of antigens on aluminium adjuvants is concerned either during in situ precipitation of aluminium adjuvants or onto preformed aluminium gels it depends upon physical and chemical characteristics of antigen, type of aluminium adjuvant and conditions of adsorption [9][10][11][12].…”

“…The reasons for this optimum concentration of adjuvant are unknown. It is speculated that a certain minimum amount of aluminium compound is necessary to form a depot at the site of injection or to optimally stimulate macrophages [7]. Excessive amounts of aluminium compounds may suppress immunity by covering the antigen completely with mineral compounds [14,15] or through toxicity to macrophages [9].…”

Concentration Dependent Antigenic Response to Formalin Inactivated Streptococcus equi Isolates in Rabbits

“…It has low mortality 1-2% but morbidity goes as high as 100%. It has a great threat to healthy horses kept in stables and horses used for breeding and race purposes [1,2]. Streptococcus equi is sensitive to the majority of antibiotics but in vivo treatment gets fail in both early (Before the development of lymph node abscesses) as well as in later stages (After the development of lymph node abscesses) as declared by Harington et al and Sweeney et al [3,4].…”