biofilm | Horse Racing Free Tips

Globally, equine recurrent uveitis (ERU) is the most common cause of blindness in horses. The painful condition was not well understood until recently, but two new discoveries are providing hope for horses suffering from the disease.

Leptospira is often the bacterial infection behind ERU. Leptospirosis can be carried by small rodents that excrete leptospira in their urine, which can contaminate a horse's water and food. Standing water poses an increased risk of leptospira infection. Leptospires can survive in a horse's kidneys and eyes for extended periods. ERU is the result of a systemic infection; it can occur months to years after acute infection.

Drs. Bettina Wollanke, Hartmut Gerhards and Kerstin Ackermann reported that a chronic leptospiral infection in the eye cavity is only possible through biofilm formation. Biofilm is a thin, slimy film of bacteria that adheres to a surface.

Though antibiotics are often used in ERU treatment, biofilm bacteria are often resistant as the biofilm acts as a literal barrier to the infection. Additionally, the specific type of bacteria and antibiotic, as well as growth conditions, all play a role in how effective antibiotics can be.

This explains why ERU episodes are sporadic as well as why they can last for many years. It also explains why clinical signs may occur months or years after the systemic infection.

The trio concluded that ERU can be treated by the removal of the vitreous material that fills the middle part of the eye, where leptospirosis can reside undetected for years. The researchers note that it is important to determine that the horse is suffering from ERU and not another form of uveitis, in which case the removal of the material may not be helpful.

[Story Continues Below]

The study team notes that if the eye does not improve that surgery may be needed.

More research is needed. Read more at HorseTalk.

The post Two Game-Changing Discoveries Suggest New Treatment For Horses Suffering From Uveitis appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Antimicrobial resistance is of great concern to those involved in equine health; multidrug resistance is posing a massive challenge to managing microbial infections. Infections that cause biofilms are even harder to resolve; it's estimated that biofilms require 100 to 1,000 times higher antibiotic concentrations that non-biofilm-producing bacterial infections.

Drs. Jessica Furner-Pardoe, Blessing Anonye, Ricky Cain, John Moat, Catherine Ortori, Christina Lee, David Barrett, Christophe Corre and Freya Harrison investigated the efficacy of a 1,000-year-old herbal remedy found in a 10^th century Old English medical compendium. The remedy, called Bald's eye salve, consists of onion, garlic, dry white wine and bovine bile salts.

The team found that this topical remedy was useful against specific soft tissue wound pathogens. To create the salve, the scientists chopped and crushed the onions and garlic, and brewed them with wine and bile salts. They then stored the liquid in sterilized glass bottles at around 39 degrees Fahrenheit in the dark for nine days. The ingredients were then strained and centrifuged to obtain a liquid that was filtered and stored in the same sterilized glass bottles.

When tested against wounds that contained MRSA, Bald's eye salve obtained a 90 percent bacterial kill and was comparable to vancomycin. The medication didn't cause damage to either human cells in the laboratory or to mice.

The combination of all the ingredients is what makes it effective against biofilms. If any ingredient is left out, the preparation is not effective.

Read the full article here.

Tag: biofilm

Two Game-Changing Discoveries Suggest New Treatment For Horses Suffering From Uveitis

Ancient Remedy Shows Promise As Antimicrobial