Altnntthhrraaxx
RO ACH History
APP
y ses Owners observed locally extensive ventral swelling during the
a t holog i a gno
•P al d 2-3 days preceding death.
ff e renti y
• Di i olog
ide m sts This was followed by acute death.
• Ep t o r y te
a
C o nfirm
•
Bacillus anthracis
Rod-shaped bacteria with enveloping capsule
short, stubby rods with blunt ends and a very prominent capsule
Differential Diagnoses
3 possible scenarios:
Anthrax CONFUSE Rs :{ sdial
1. To consider either the DDs for the bacterial disease
with similar morphology to that of Bacillus anthracis
DD based on blood (as observed on the blood smear)
Clostridial diseases (rare in horses) smear + clinical picture 2. To include the DDs for acute deaths in horses
3. To consider the DDs for the clinically observed swelling
African horse sickness
Colic cause
death
acute
Long, slender rods,
often arranged in
Poisoning chains.
No capsule + their
edges more rounded.
Snake bite
Dourine swelling sporulating with drumstick
appearance
Why is knowing the difference important?
1. Can make an incorrect diagnosis of anthrax more often than not.
A severely autolytic and putrefactive carcass will have an increased number of post mortem invaders (bacteria)
2. Might miss a diagnosis of anthrax in a horse that is still alive + presents with the localised form (sternal swelling)
Aetiology
Localised, acute form – majority of horses affected will die.
Sporulation ensures the continued persistence of the bacteria in the environment.
Epidemiology
Sporadic occurrence — due to vaccination
Warmer months
Adults more likely to contract the disease
Incidence of the spores increased in dusty environments + contaminated water sources
Mechanical vector transmission by biting fly species
Other pathology
Acute death, blood from nose, mouth, anus Localised swelling (primarily oedema)
Horses present with ventral swelling
Splengomegaly due to congestion
Diagnosis
Sample where to send
Blood smear (Diff-Quick, Giemsa)
Tissue smear from swollen area
Bacterial culture
— ANYTHING (blood oozing from orifice, fluid, tissue) Bacteriology lab at UP or OVI.
— Aseptic, fresh, sterile containers
☒hhoddoeoeo.ws equi
CH
ROA
APP
ogy ses
History
thol gno
• Pa t i a l dia
n
ffere logy
• Di
• E p id emio
tory
test
s 4 month old foal that appeared lethargic, had a fever and generalised
m a
• Co
nfir loss of appetite.
Pathology
lesions are multifocal to coalescing, pale to white, proliferative
on cut surface there is a
MD:
Multifocal to coalescing pyogranulomatous bronchopneumonia grey, opaque, flocculent
(purulent) exudate present.
How to confirm the suspicion that your are dealing with an inflammatory lesion
coccobacilli amongst
neutrophils + macrophages
Ulcerative colitis Typhlitis
Differential Diagnoses
Rhodococcus equi
Streptococcus zooepidemicus — pyogenic bacteria of horses
Actinobacillus equuli — cause of sleepy foal disease + causes bacterial septicaemia
Mycobacterium spp. — the cause of TB is rare in horses, also less likely in foals
Fungi — can give rise to a pyogranulomatous reaction
Aberrant parasitic migration — can give rise to a pyogranulomatous reaction (not common)
Aetiology
• Foals 1-6 months of age
• Routes of entry: Inhalation or ingestion
— Explains why the primary lesions are localised to these organs
• Close to horse manure — the manure enhances growth.
Epidemiology
• All farms infected
— incidence differs depending on environmental conditions (temperature, dust, soil etc.),
managemental conditions + virulence factors
• Prevalent on
— breeding farms with lots of mares + foals
— during warm conditions
— on farms with sandy soil + dusty conditions
Diagnosis
Sample where to send
History, Macropathology, Histopathology
Bacterial culture
— lung
— intestine UP Bacteriology lab
— spleen
— aseptic, fresh, sterile containers
PCR
— Lung MDS in KZN
— <1x1x1cm, fresh, aseptic
Saallmmoonne ⑥ $15s
APP
RO ACH History
olog
y ses 6 month old foal with fever, depression, reduced appetite and
at h d i a gno
•P ial
iff e rent y
putrid green diarrhea
•D
m i olog sts
G- IT
i de y te
• Ep a t o r
nfirm
• Co
Pathology
Yellow stuff :
no
necrotic material with attachments
like fibrin
* fibrin ( diphtheric )
* necrotic material multifocal Ulcers on
more reddened
* adherent to mucosa mucosa
areas
> inflammation
MD:
Severe, necrotic enteritis/colitis.
Severe, necro-ulcerative enteritis/colitis.
Severe, fibrinonecrotic enteritis/colitis.
Severe, diphtheric enteritis/colitis.
Differential Diagnoses
Salmonellosis Rhodococcus equi
E.coli Cryptosporidiosis
Actinobacillus equuli Giardia
Rotavirus Verminosis
Clostridium perfringens
Clostridium difficile
Aetiology
• S. typhimirium
• Facultative intracellular organisms — stress can activate shedding in carrier animals
• Bacteria invade enterocytes + after the first 24 hours enter macrophages
— they spread to the rest of the body
— causes bacteraemia + septicaemia
j
• Targets enterocytes in distal small intestine + colon
• Stress can promote shedding or clinical disease
• 3 forms (often overlap):
1. Per-acute: Foals 1-6 months (24 – 72 hours) clinical symptoms range from acute
death, to diarrhea, to chronic
2. Acute: Foals and adults (weeks) weight loss
— indicate Salmonellosis
3. Chronic: Adults (3 weeks to months)
Epidemiology
• Individuals rather than epidemics — outbreaks amongst foals can occur
• Carrier horses play a very big role in this disease
• Route of infection: oral through contaminated environmental sources i.e. water etc.
• Prevalence higher during summer months
• Precipitated by a variety of factors including antibiotic treatment, stress, surgery etc.
Diagnosis
History, Macropathology, Histopathology
Bacterial culture of intestine, spleen, lymph node and liver where ?
— (aseptic, Fresh, sterile containers) UP Bacteriology Lab
Other pathology
Serosal petechiae and ecchymoses haemorrhage along the visceral blood vessels
serosal petechia e
Splenomegaly
congestion — due to red pulp + white pulp hyperplasia
Granulomatous bronchopneumonia
2 possible reasons why this may occur
1. Salmonellosis suppresses the horse’s
immune response which allows
secondary aerogenous fungi to
cause a granulomatous
bronchopneumonia.
2. Fungi enters circulation from the
intestinal tract and causes an
interstitial granulomatous pneumonia
cranio ventral indicates a
erogenous
-
>
*
congested
purulent exudate in sulci
Purulent meningitis
phagocytosed
rods
purulent exudate
☒etiinnolbaaeiiluuss
'
,
=
all
sleepy foal disease
septicaemia
A PPR
OA CH
History
y es
t h olog i a g nos
•P a al d New born foal that has been weak and lethargic since birth
ff e renti
• Di gy
e m iolo sts
• Ep
id
t o ry te
a
C o nfirm
•
Pathology
( small white foci throughout cortex )
in order
• to classify exudate -
do
impression smear
milliary white
dots in cortex
* glomeruli are affected
↳ prominent due to
inflammation
to exudate
with proteins + fluid
MULTIFOCAL PURULENT
GLOMERULONEPHRITIS
Interstitial pneumonia with multifocal haemorrhages. Embolic pneumonia
rib impressions V
lung is hard
Purulent polyarthritis.
Fibrinopurulent polyarthritis.
Fibrinous polyarthritis.
Haemorrhage on lungs
Differential Diagnoses
DDs need to focus on causes of septicaemia in a foal of a particular age
Actinobacillosis equuli >
sleepy foal disease +
causes bacterial septicaemia
E.coli
Streptococcus spp.
Klebsiella spp.
Aetiology
Sleepy foal disease — foals affected are lethargic + listless
Peracute to chronic septicaemic conditions in new born foals
Organ localisation: joints, lungs, kidney, heart
Epidemiology
• Newborn foals (<2 weeks) – foals infected soon after birth or during the birthing process
• Occurrence: sporadic
• Adult animals are carriers of this bacterium
— i.e. oral cavity, genital tract + respiratory tract
• Prevalent in foals with insufficient colostrum intake
Other pathology
History, Macropathology, Histopathology
)
( aerobic ?
where
Bacterial culture of kidney, spleen and lymph node
UP Bacteriology Lab
— (aseptic, Fresh, sterile containers)
