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Journal of Clinical Microbiology, January 2005, p. 120-126, Vol. 43, No. 1
0095-1137/05/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/JCM.43.1.120-126.2005
Copyright © 2005, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Association between Respiratory Disease and Bacterial and Viral Infections in British Racehorses

J. L. N. Wood,* J. R. Newton, N. Chanter,{dagger} and J. A. Mumford

Animal Health Trust, Lanwades Park, Kentford, Newmarket, Suffolk, United Kingdom

Received 25 February 2004/ Returned for modification 31 May 2004/ Accepted 6 September 2004

Respiratory disease is important in horses, particularly in young Thoroughbred racehorses, and inflammation that is detected in the trachea and bronchi (termed inflammatory airway disease [IAD]) is more significant in this population in terms of impact and frequency than other presentations of respiratory disease. IAD, which is characterized by neutrophilic inflammation, mild clinical signs, and accumulation of mucus in the trachea, may be multifactorial, possibly involving infections and environmental and immunological factors, and its etiology remains unclear. This 3-year longitudinal study of young Thoroughbred racehorses was undertaken to characterize the associations of IAD and nasal discharge with viral and bacterial infections. IAD was statistically associated with tracheal infection with Streptococcus pneumoniae (capsule type 3), Streptococcus zooepidemicus, Actinobacillus spp., and Mycoplasma equirhinis and equine herpesvirus 1 and 4 infections, after adjustment for variation between training yards, seasons, and age groups. The association with S. pneumoniae and S. zooepidemicus was independent of prior viral infection and, critically, was dependent on the numbers of organisms isolated. S. pneumoniae was significant only in horses that were 2 years old or younger. The prevalence and incidence of IAD, S. zooepidemicus, and S. pneumoniae decreased in parallel with age, consistent with increased disease resistance, perhaps by the acquisition of immunity. The study provided evidence for S. zooepidemicus and S. pneumoniae playing an important etiological role in the pathogenesis of IAD in young horses.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Epidemiology Unit, Animal Health Trust, Lanwades Park, Kentford, Newmarket, Suffolk, CB8 0NG, United Kingdom. Phone: 44 1638 750659. Fax: 44 1638 666659. E-mail: james.wood{at}aht.org.uk.

{dagger} Present address: Intervet Plc, Walton Manor, Milton Keynes, Bucks, MK7 7AJ, United Kingdom.

Journal of Clinical Microbiology, January 2005, p. 120-126, Vol. 43, No. 1
0095-1137/05/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/JCM.43.1.120-126.2005
Copyright © 2005, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.



This article has been cited by other articles:

  • Webb, K., Jolley, K. A., Mitchell, Z., Robinson, C., Newton, J. R., Maiden, M. C. J., Waller, A. (2008). Development of an unambiguous and discriminatory multilocus sequence typing scheme for the Streptococcus zooepidemicus group. Microbiology 154: 3016-3024 [Abstract] [Full Text]  


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