Microbiologic and pathologic findings in an epidemic of equine pericarditis

• Published in: Journal of veterinary diagnostic investigation Vol. 17; no. 1; p. 38
• Main Authors: Bolin, David C, Donahue, J Mike, Vickers, Mary L, Harrison, Lenn, Sells, Steve, Giles, Ralph C, Hong, C B, Poonacha, K B, Roberts, John, Sebastian, Manu M, Swerczek, Tom W, Tramontin, Robert, Williams, Neil M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.01.2005
• Subjects: Animals; Anti-Bacterial Agents - pharmacology; Bacteria - drug effects; Bacteria - isolation & purification; Disease Outbreaks - veterinary; Drug Resistance, Bacterial; Horse Diseases - epidemiology; Horse Diseases - microbiology; Horse Diseases - pathology; Horses; Kentucky - epidemiology; Myocardium - pathology; Pericarditis - epidemiology; Pericarditis - microbiology; Pericarditis - pathology; Pericarditis - veterinary; Kentucky
• ISSN: 1040-6387
• DOI: 10.1177/104063870501700108

During the spring and summer of 2001 and in association with the mare reproductive loss syndrome, 22 terminal and 12 clinical cases of equine pericarditis were diagnosed in central Kentucky. Actinobacillus species were the principal isolates from 8 of 10 nontreated, terminally affected and 3 of 10 clinically affected horses. Enterococcus faecalis and Streptococcus zooepidemicus were cultured from the remaining 2 nontreated terminal cases. No viruses were isolated in tissue culture. Nucleic acid of equine herpesvirus-2 was detected in pericardial and tracheal wash fluids of 3 and 1 individuals, respectively. Microscopic alterations in sections of heart and parietal pericardium were consistent with chronic fibrinous bacterial pericarditis. This report confirms a significant role of Actinobacillus species in equine pericarditis and describes an epidemic of this infrequently observed syndrome in the horse.