Detection of pathogens in blood or feces of adult horses with enteric disease and association with outcome of colitis

J Vet Intern Med. 2021 Sep;35(5):2465-2472. doi: 10.1111/jvim.16238. Epub 2021 Aug 12.

Abstract

Background: Rates of detecting ≥1 potential enteric pathogens (PEP) or toxins (PEP-T) in feces, blood, or both of horses ≥6 months of age with enteric disease and impact of multiple detections on outcome of horses with colitis has not been reported.

Objective: To determine detection rates of PEP/PEP-T in feces, blood, or both of horses with enteric disease and effect of detecting multiple agents on outcome of horses with colitis.

Animals: Thirty-seven hundred fifty-three fecal samples submitted to IDEXX Laboratories and 239 fecal and blood samples submitted to Michigan State University's Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory (MSUVDL).

Methods: Retrospective evaluation of PEP/PEP-T testing results was performed to determine rates of detection of 1 or more PEP/PEP-T. Impact of detecting multiple agents on outcome was assessed in 239 horses hospitalized for colitis.

Results: One or more PEP/PEP-T was detected in 1175/3753 (31.3%) and 145/239 (60.7%) of samples submitted to IDEXX Laboratories and MSUVDL, respectively. In a hospitalized cohort, survival to discharge was lower (76%) in horses with 1 agent, compared to horses with either no (88%) or multiple (89%) agents. There was no difference (P = .78) in days of hospitalization between horses with 0 (1-17), 1 (1-33), and > 1 positive (1-20) result. There was no difference in cost of hospitalization (P = .25) between horses with 0 ($2357, $1110-15 553), 1 ($2742, $788-11 005), and >1 positive ($2560, $1091-10 895) result.

Conclusions and clinical importance: Detection rates of PEP/PEP-T in horses with colitis vary with cohorts and tests performed. Detection of more than 1 PEP or PEP-T did not affect outcome.

Keywords: Clostridiodes difficile; Neorickettsia risticii; coinfection; diarrhea; salmonella.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Colitis* / diagnosis
  • Colitis* / veterinary
  • Feces
  • Horse Diseases* / diagnosis
  • Horses
  • Retrospective Studies