Experimental inoculation of foals and pigs with an enterotoxigenic E. coli isolated from a foal

Gastritis, Enteritis, and Colitis in Horses

The gastrointestinal system of horses is affected by a large variety of inflammatory infectious and noninfectious conditions. The most prevalent form of gastritis is associated with ulceration of the pars esophagea. Although the diagnostic techniques for alimentary diseases of horses have improved significantly over the past few years, difficulties still exist in establishing the causes of a significant number of enteric diseases in this species. This problem is compounded by several agents of enteric disease also being found in the intestine of clinically normal horses, which questions the validity of the mere detection of these agents in the intestine.

Oral administration of fermented probiotics improves the condition of feces in adult horses

The effects of probiotics on horses are still controversial. The present study was a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled crossover study designed to evaluate the ability of probiotics to improve intestinal conditions in adult horses. Fermented probiotics were administered to 10 healthy adult geldings for 28 days. The clinical condition of the horses was monitored daily, and the blood and feces were biochemically analyzed every 14 days. In the probiotic-treated group, the concentration of carboxylic acids in the feces was increased at days 14 and 28. In contrast to the fecal pH in the control group, which increased at days 14 and 28, the fecal pH in the probiotic-treated group did not increase. Additionally, the relative amounts of enteropathogenic bacterial DNA were diminished in the probiotic-treated group. These results suggest that probiotic bacteria proliferated in the equine intestine. No instances of abnormal clinical conditions or abnormal values in blood tests were observed throughout the study. Oral administration of fermented probiotics may have the ability to improve the intestinal environment biochemically and microbiologically without the risk of adverse effects.

Pathology of Clostridium perfringens Type C Enterotoxemia in Horses

Clostridium perfringens type C is an important cause of enteritis and enterocolitis in foals and occasionally in adult horses. The disease is a classic enterotoxemia, and the enteric lesions and systemic effects are caused primarily by beta toxin, 1 of 2 major toxins produced by C. perfringens type C. Until now, only sporadic cases of C. perfringens type C equine enterotoxemia have been reported. We present a comprehensive description of the lesions in 8 confirmed cases of type C enterotoxemia in foals and adult horses. Grossly, multifocal to segmental hemorrhage and thickening of the intestinal wall were most common in the small intestine, although the colon and cecum were also frequently affected. All horses had variable amounts of fluid, often hemorrhagic intestinal contents. The most characteristic microscopic lesion was necrotizing or necrohemorrhagic enteritis, with mucosal and/or submucosal thrombosis. Numerous gram-positive rods were occasionally seen in affected mucosa. A definitive diagnosis of C. perfringens type C enterotoxemia in all 8 cases was based on the clinical history, gross and histologic lesions, and detection of the beta toxin in intestinal contents.

Characterization of Escherichia coli isolated from adult horses with and without enteritis

In the present study E. coli strains isolated from the faeces of ten horses with diarrhoea and 14 horses without diarrhoea were characterized. All horses were culture negative for Salmonella species. Nine colonies of E. coli from each faecal sample were picked at random and a DNA fingerprint was made by means of a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using Enterobacterial Repetitive Intergenic Consensus (ERIC) primers. The number of E. coli genotypes did not differ significantly between horses with and without diarrhoea. In addition, all E. coli strains with different DNA fingerprints were tested by PCR for genes encoding the virulence factors K88, F41, F17, CS31a, Sta1, LT1, VT2, CNF, BFP, and intimin. Genes coding for K88, F41, BFP, STa1, VT2, and CS31A were not detected. Genes for CNF were found in strains from one horse with diarrhoea and one horse with normal faeces. Genes for LT1 (n=1) and intimin (n=1) were found only in strains from horses with normal faeces. Genes for F17 fimbriae were found in strains from three horses with diarrhoea (30%) and in none of the strains from healthy horses. In two of these horses, E. coli strains with different DNA polymorphism patterns were F17 positive; however, none of these strains possessed LT1, Sta1, or CNF genes. Haemolytic E. coli strains were only isolated from two horses with diarrhoea and from none of the healthy horses. Nineteen percent of all E. coli strains did not ferment lactose. Eight per cent of these lactose-negative strains were from horses with diarrhoea, whereas 32% were from horses without diarrhoea. In conclusion, virulence factors were present in E. coli isolates from horses with and without diarrhoea, except for F17, which was only found in E. coli isolated from horses with diarrhoea. F17-positive E. coli might have importance as cause of diarrhoea in horses, but further studies are needed.