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Bacterial Infection Linked To Abortions In Japanese Mares

Mycobacterial infections, which are generally uncommon in horses, have been linked to ten abortions in Japanese mares. The mares were housed on seven Thoroughbred farms in the Hidaka district of Hokkaido. There were no reports of direct contact between the horses.

Dr. Yuta Kinoshita studied the abortions, which took place from 2018 to 2019. Most of the placentas had a yellowish-white exudate on them and included considerable lesions. Lesions aren't common with pathogenic bacteria like Streptococcus zooepidemicus and Escherichia coli.

Researchers located Mycobacterial granulomas on the placenta and the fetal organs. Bacterial samples were taken from both of these areas, with the greatest number of bacteria found in the necrotic placental lesions. The bacteria were genetically tested and identified as Mycobacterium avium subsp. hominissuis. The strains were all identical, suggesting that the horses had been infected by the same unknown contagious source.

Read the case report here.

Strangles: A Worldwide Problem That Researchers Say Needs Better Monitoring

One of the more common equine respiratory diseases is strangles, a contagious bacterial infection caused by Streptococcus equi. Most horses recover from strangles with no complications, though the disease can make some horses very sick. Ten percent of horses remain carriers once they are infected, meaning they don't show clinical signs, but they can spread the disease.

Because of the potential significant health and welfare consequences – and the economic costs associated with the disease – finding additional information about the strangles is crucial.

Dr. Catriona Mitchell and colleagues from 18 countries used DNA sequencing techniques to analyze 670 Streptococcus equi isolates from 19 countries. The researchers found different variants of the disease. Strangles in the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates and Argentina are closely linked. The research team determined that the movement of horses and global trade help spread the disease.

The team suggests that labs utilize an online surveillance platform called Pathogenwatch to monitor the emergence and spread of new strains of strangles. This will assist with interventions and policy-making decisions.

The authors suggest that strangles be recognized by the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) as an internationally important disease. They also suggest that identifying horses that are infected with strangles before or immediately after travel would limit the movement of the disease.

Read the full article here.

Equine Influenza Outbreak Kills Nearly 50 Wild Donkeys In CA

Equine influenza has killed 46 wild donkeys in Riverside, CA, since mid-October and more are expected to die from the disease.

DonkeyLand, a nonprofit burro rescue located in California, reported that more than 50 additional donkeys are coughing and showing signs of respiratory issues. The Riverside County Department of Animal Services reports that the majority of the deaths have occurred in Reche Canyon, but dead donkeys have also been found along Pigeon Pass Road, Heacock Street and Redlands Boulevard.

The California Department of Food and Agriculture veterinarians, Moreno Valley Animal Services and San Bernardino County Animal Care and Control are assisting DonkeyLand Rescue with care of the sick animals. Ill burros are being transported to DonkeyLand or to the SoCal Equine Hospital and quarantined; they will be released back into the wild upon recovery.

Donkeys that are around the sick donkeys are also being transported to the clinics, where they are vaccinated for flu and other diseases before being released back into the wild once they show no sign of the disease. Donkeys are more susceptible to equine influenza and develop severe secondary bacterial infections, which is what is killing the wild donkeys.

The public is advised to avoid contact with the wild burros and to keep horses away from wild donkeys to avoid disease transmission. Owners of horses in the area are encouraged to vaccinate their horses and put biosecurity measures in place to keep from spreading the disease.

Read the AAEP Equine Influenza Fact Sheet here.