Strangles in Arabian horses in Egypt: Clinical, epidemiological, hematological, and biochemical aspects

Abstract

Aim:Respiratory tract infections are considered the major problem of equine worldwide. Strangles is an infectious and highly contagious respiratory bacterial disease of equine caused by Streptococcus equi. This study is aimed to evaluate some clinical and epidemiological investigation associated with strangles and to study the hematological and biochemical changes in 20 Arabian horse naturally infected with S. equi during the disease and after 10 days from treatment by procaine penicillin with benzathine penicillin.Materials and Methods:A total of 490 Arabian horses have been examined, 120 (24.5%) have been clinically diagnosed as strangles. Under complete aseptic conditions, nasal swabs and pus samples from those were collected for bacterial culture. 20 horses from the positive infected with S. equi have been treated by 6 mg/kg b.wt procaine penicillin with 4.5 mg/kg b.wt benzathine penicillin deep intramuscular injection/twice dose/4 days interval.Results:102 horses (20.8%) were found positive for S. equi. Horses with age group under 1 year were the most prone to strangles (32.25%) followed by horses of the age group from 1 to 2 years (20%) and finally of the age group over 2-4 years (11.89%). Hematological parameters revealed anemia in the infected horses, while leucogram revealed a significant increase in the total leucocytic, granulocytic and monocytic counts without a significant change in the lymphocytic count. Biochemical parameters revealed a significant increase in serum aspartate aminotransferase, total proteins, globulins, cardiac troponin I (cTnI), and potassium. In other side, hypoalbuminemia and hyponatremia have been reported, whereas alanine aminotransferase activity and creatinine level showed non-significant changes. Respiratory acidosis has been exhibited in the infected horses. Treatment of horses by procaine penicillin with benzathine penicillin revealed improvement of these parameters toward the healthy horses.Conclusion:S. equi easily spreads from infected to susceptible horses through contaminated water and other fomites. Therefore, good biosecurity is very important if the welfare and economic costs of an outbreak are to be reduced. The presence of respiratory acidosis with increased of cTnI could indicate pneumonia secondary to strangles with risk of heart involvement.

Study on β-haemolyticstreptococci infection inEquines at different seasons and ages

“…This disagree with Mir [1] who recorded a low prevalence 4/77(5.20%). Our data agree with previous reports [12,13,15] PCR assay proved to be highly sensitive and highly specific (100%) in confirming all the Streptococcus equiisolates.This agree with many authors [17,11,1,18].…”

“…Our data agree with that of who stated that, Strangles can be observed extremely at the end of the rainy season and looks as acute attacks of outbreaks of high morbidity and low deaths rates. Similar findings had been reported previously [12,13,19,15].…”

Alleviating effects of β‐glucan inOreochromis niloticuson growth performance, immune reactions, antioxidant, transcriptomics disorders and resistance toAeromonas sobriacaused by atrazine

“…After sixty days of ATZ exposure, blood samples from all groups were obtained by puncturing the caudal vein. The samples with anticoagulant were used for leucogram analysis; serum was collected by centrifugation (Hashem, Mahmoud, & Farag, ; Hashem, Neamat‐Allah, & Gheith, ; Mahmoud, ; Neamat‐Allah, ; Neamat‐Allah & Damaty, ; Neamat‐Allah & Mahmoud, ; Salem, Badr, & Neamat‐Allah, ) used for the biochemical tests.…”

The potential benefits of dietary β‐glucan against growth retardation, immunosuppression, oxidative stress and expression of related genes and susceptibility to Aeromonas hydrophila challenge in Oreochromis niloticus induced by herbicide pendimethalin

“…After eight weeks, blood samples from all groups were gotten by pricking the caudal vein with and/or without anticoagulant (Hashem et al., 2018; Neamat‐Allah, 2015; Salem et al., 2011) for leucogram analysis and serum gather by centrifugation at 1008 g /15 min for the assessment of some biochemical markers (Mahmoud, Essawi et al., 2020; Neamat‐Allah & Damaty, 2016; Neamat‐Allah, Ali, et al, 2020; Neamat‐Allah & Mahmoud, 2019). Once sacrificing the all fish by cervical amputation, the liver and spleen samples were promptly stored at −80°C till real‐time PCR assay was done.…”