Difference between revisions of "Actinobacillus equuli"

Revision as of 14:14, 20 July 2010

Commensal of the equine intestinal and reproductive tract
Pathogenesis and clinical signs:
- Foals infected in utero or or after birth via the umbilicus
- Infection at birth causes severe enteritis and septicaemia within 24 hours, known as sleepy foal disease
- Foals become pyrexic and recumbent
- Death usually occurs within 1-2 days
- In foals that survive neonatal infection the condition progresses to cause joint infections and purulent nephritis, enteritis or pneumonia
- A. equuli in arthritis of horses
- Abortion, septicaemia and peritonitis in horses
Diagnosis:
- Specimens cultured on blood agar and MacConkey agar and incubated aerobically for 1-3 days
- Sticky colonies with variable haemolysis on blood agar
- Lactose-fermenting colonies on MacConkey agar
Treatment and control:
- Antimicrobials ineffective unless early in course of disease
- Blood trasfusion and administration of colostrum
- Good hygiene
- Consider prophylactic antibiotics for new-born foals
- Bacteria susceptible to streptomycin, tetracyclines and ampicillin
In other animals:
- Septicaemia in piglets
- Arthritis and enteritis in pigs
- Enteritis in calves
- RTX group cytotoxin present

foals
bacteria from the septicaemia localise in the liver and other tissues, including the kidney

@@ Line 7: / Line 7: @@
 **In foals that survive neonatal infection the condition progresses to cause joint infections and purulent nephritis, enteritis or pneumonia
 **''A. equuli'' in [[Joints Inflammatory - Pathology#In Horses|arthritis of horses]]
-**Abortion, septicaemia and [[Peritonitis - Pathology#In horses|peritonitis in horses]]
+**Abortion, septicaemia and [[Peritonitis#In horses|peritonitis in horses]]
 *Diagnosis:
 **Specimens cultured on blood agar and MacConkey agar and incubated aerobically for 1-3 days