Equine Bacterial Diseases

DISEASE TESTS AND INSTRUCTIONS

Anthrax
Zoonosis - Controlled disease
Bacillus anthracis
See section on Controlled Diseases for sample collection

Borrelia theileri
Refer to Production Animal Table for details of sample collection
May affect cattle, sheep and horses – of little
economic importance.
Botulism Refer to Production Animal Table for details of sample collection
Bordetella bronchiseptica Infections Pathology: May cause macroscopic and histological lesions of bronchopneumonia, septic arthritis in foals, and respiratory
(Gram negative, aerobe) disease in horses. Target tissues for formalin-fixation include the respiratory system and joints, although a full set of organ
samples * should be collected for histopathology to exclude other differentials.
Infection in a variety of species including pigs,
horses and dogs. Bacteriology: Nasal swabs and fresh lung in cases of pneumonia, and joint fluid, for aerobic culture.
Caseous Lymphadenitis Pathology: Typical macroscopic and histological lesions of abscessation, ulcerative lymphangitis or mastitis. A full set of
organ samples * are collected into 10% buffered formalin for histopathology.
Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis
Bacteriology: Fresh abscess material with capsule in a sterile container or Ames swabs from abscess capsular wall / any
Horses - ulcerative lymphangitis, pectoral other visceral lesions.
abscesses, contagious acne, mastitis and
abortion Abortions - Please refer to Reproduction – Equine Abortion Investigation.
Contagious Equine Metritis Controlled Disease

Taylorella equigenitalium See section on Controlled Diseases for sample collection

Dermatophilosis
Refer to Production Animal Table for details of sample collection
Dermatophilus congolensis
Enterotoxaemia
Refer to Production Animal Table for details of sample collection
Clostridium perfringens
Escherichia coli Infections Refer to Production Animal Table for details of sample collection
Gas Gangrene
Refer to Production Animal Table for details of sample collection
Clostridium novyi Type A, Clostridium
sordelli, Clostridium perfringens Type A

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 Equine Bacterial Diseases

Glanders Zoonosis - Controlled Disease

Burkholderia mallei See section on Controlled Diseases for sample collection

Klebsiella Infections Pathology: Macroscopic and histological lesion of endometritis and neonatal septicaemia. Collect a full set of organ
(Gram negative, facultative anaerobe) samples* in 10% buffered formalin for histopathology.

Mares - endometritis, abortions, stillbirths
Foals - neonatal septicaemia
Leptospirosis
Leptospira interrogans serovars
Melioidosis
Burkholderia pseudomallei
Abortions - Please refer to Reproduction – Equine Abortion Investigation.
Bacteriology:
Endometritis – Swabs, fresh tissues from affected endometrium (mares in oestrus) and urethral fossa plus sheath in stallions.
Carrier state (persistently infected mares) - Swabs from urethra, cervix and clitoral fossa.
Neonatal septicaemia - Swabs or fresh samples from exudates or affected organs.
Abortions - Please refer to Reproduction – Equine Abortion Investigation.
Serotyping of isolates is recommended.
Zoonosis - Refer to Disease Diagnostics – Livestock Diseases
Pathology: Typical macroscopic and histological suppurating or caseous lesions in lymph nodes or other organs. Target
tissues for formalin-fixation include affected nodes or organs. A full set of organ samples * collected in 10% buffered
formalin, to exclude other differentials.

Zoonosis Bacteriology: Fresh tissues or swabs from nasal exudates or abscess like lesions.

Molecular Biology: Fresh tissues or swabs from nasal exudates or abscess like lesions for PCR.
Nocardiosis
Refer to Production Animal Table for details of sample collection
Nocardia asteroides
Rhodococcus equi Pathology: Typical macroscopic and histological lesions of chronic bronchopneumonia and abscesses, with or without
(Gram positive, aerobe) ulcerative typhlocolitis. Include target organs (lung and intestines) plus abscesses in 10% buffered formalin, although a full
set of organ samples * should be collected into formalin, to exclude other differentials.
Mainly foals and rarely adult horses.
Bacteriology: Transtracheal aspirates for culture in live horses. Swabs or fresh tissue specimens from affected lungs and / or
Horses – bronchopneumonia, arthritis, intestine plus abscess material from any other visceral site.
osteomyelitis, mesenteric lymphadenitis and
ulcerative lymphangitis

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 Equine Bacterial Diseases

Salmonellosis
Salmonella spp.
(Gram negative, facultative anaerobe)
Horses – septicaemia, enterotyphlocolitis,
chronic diarrhoea, failure to thrive, rarely
polyarthritis, orchitis, fistulous withers,
abortion
Pathology: Enterocolitis and septicaemia. Target tissues of small and large intestine, caecum, liver, spleen and mesenteric
lymph nodes are collected in 10% buffered formalin. A full set of organ samples * should be formalin fixed, to exclude other
differentials.
Bacteriology: Live animals – blood and rectal swabs. Rectal biopsies may be more sensitive than swabs. Multiple cultures
may be required for confirmation of diagnosis as organisms are often shed intermittently.
Dead animals – mesenteric lymph node, liver, spleen, affected intestine.
In horses always include ileocolonic lymph nodes, caecum and/or proximal large colon.

Salmonella Enteritidis is a Controlled Disease - Serotyping of isolates is recommended.

Zoonosis
Sleepy Foal Disease Pathology: Typical macroscopic and histological lesions of purulent poly-arthritis, bronchopneumonia, valvular
endocarditis, myocarditis and embolic suppurative nephritis. Collect specimens from all affected organs including kidney,
Actinobacillus equuli joints, lung and heart. A full set of organ samples * are collected in 10% buffered formalin to exclude other differentials.
(Gram negative, facultative anaerobe)
Bacteriology: Swabs or fresh samples from exudates, secretions or affected tissues. Blood and kidney should always be
collected for culture.

Other Tests: Gram stained impression smears of lesions.

Strangles Pathology: Typical macroscopic and histological lesions of mucopurulent upper airway disease, purulent lymphadenitis,
abscessation of submandibular and retropharyngeal lymph nodes. Sometimes “bastard strangles”: abscesses in lungs, kidney,
Streptococcus equi subsp. equi spleen, brain and most often mediastinal and mesenteric lymph nodes. Sometimes purulent tendosynovitis and arthritis.
(Gram positive, facultative anaerobe) Include samples from affected tissues plus routine collection of submandibular, retropharyngeal and bronchial lymph nodes
into 10% formalin, although a full set of organ samples * should be collected into formalin, to exclude other differentials.
Horses, donkeys and mules.
Bacteriology: In live animals: nasal swabs, nasal washes or pus from abscesses. Lavage of guttural pouches to detect
Highly contagious with clinically healthy clinically healthy long-term carriers and shedder animals.
carrier animals shedding organisms from
guttural pouches. Molecular Biology: PCR of nasal swabs, nasal washes or pus from abscesses.
Tetanus
Zoonosis - Refer to Production Animal Table for details of sample collection
Clostridium tetani
*
A full set of organs comprises: Brain and spinal cord, eye, tongue, oesophagus, trachea, lung, heart, thymus, kidney, liver, spleen, adrenal glands, ileum, jejunum,
caecum, rectum, rumen, abomasum, diaphragm, skeletal muscle and mammary glands or udder. The following should be sent at the very least: brain and spinal cord,
lung, heart, thymus, kidney, liver, spleen, ileum, jejunum, caecum, rectum, rumen, abomasum and skeletal muscle.

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