REASONS FOR PERFORMING STUDY: Rhodococcoccus equi is a significant cause of bronchopneumonia in foals worldwide. Infection of the lungs is believed to result from inhalation of virulent R. equi in dust from contaminated environments. A measure of infectious risk in an environment is the level of airborne contamination. OBJECTIVES: To assess and compare the level of airborne virulent R. equi in paddocks and stables. METHODS: Air samples were collected sequentially over the 2003 foaling season from the paddocks and stables on 3 Irish horse breeding farms affected by R. equi pneumonia. Colony blotting and DNA hybridisation techniques allowed quantitation of virulent R. equi. RESULTS: The odds of detecting airborne virulent R. equi in stables were 173 times greater than in paddocks. The median airborne concentration of virulent R. equi was significantly higher (P < 0.001) in stables than in paddocks on all farms. These observations suggested that stables were high-risk areas for infection. CONCLUSIONS AND POTENTIAL RELEVANCE: Our results indicate that contaminated stables are a significant risk factor in the epidemiology of R. equi pneumonia on horse-breeding farms in a temperate climate, such as in Ireland. Management strategies that improve the air hygiene of stables, through better ventilation, use of less fragile bedding material and the use of fogging agents to reduce the airborne concentration of virulent R. equi, may reduce the incidence and severity of R. equi pneumonia on farms.
REASONS FOR PERFORMING STUDY: Rhodococcoccus equi is a significant cause of bronchopneumonia in foals worldwide. Infection of the lungs is believed to result from inhalation of virulent R. equi in dust from contaminated environments. A measure of infectious risk in an environment is the level of airborne contamination. OBJECTIVES: To assess and compare the level of airborne virulent R. equi in paddocks and stables. METHODS: Air samples were collected sequentially over the 2003 foaling season from the paddocks and stables on 3 Irish horse breeding farms affected by R. equipneumonia. Colony blotting and DNA hybridisation techniques allowed quantitation of virulent R. equi. RESULTS: The odds of detecting airborne virulent R. equi in stables were 173 times greater than in paddocks. The median airborne concentration of virulent R. equi was significantly higher (P < 0.001) in stables than in paddocks on all farms. These observations suggested that stables were high-risk areas for infection. CONCLUSIONS AND POTENTIAL RELEVANCE: Our results indicate that contaminated stables are a significant risk factor in the epidemiology of R. equipneumonia on horse-breeding farms in a temperate climate, such as in Ireland. Management strategies that improve the air hygiene of stables, through better ventilation, use of less fragile bedding material and the use of fogging agents to reduce the airborne concentration of virulent R. equi, may reduce the incidence and severity of R. equipneumonia on farms.
Authors: Kyle R Kuskie; Jacqueline L Smith; Naisyin Wang; Craig N Carter; M Keith Chaffin; Nathan M Slovis; Randolph S Stepusin; Anthony E Cattoi; Shinji Takai; Noah D Cohen Journal: Am J Vet Res Date: 2011-01 Impact factor: 1.156
Authors: Sonsiray Álvarez-Narváez; Laura Huber; Steeve Giguère; Kelsey A Hart; Roy D Berghaus; Susan Sanchez; Noah D Cohen Journal: Microbiol Mol Biol Rev Date: 2021-04-14 Impact factor: 11.056
Authors: Canaan M Whitfield-Cargile; Noah D Cohen; Jan Suchodolski; M Keith Chaffin; Cole M McQueen; Carolyn E Arnold; Scot E Dowd; Glenn P Blodgett Journal: PLoS One Date: 2015-08-25 Impact factor: 3.240
Authors: Álvaro Mourenza; Cristina Collado; Natalia Bravo-Santano; José A Gil; Luís M Mateos; Michal Letek Journal: Vet Res Date: 2020-03-10 Impact factor: 3.683
Authors: Noah D Cohen; Susanne K Kahn; Angela I Bordin; Giana M Gonzales; Bibiana Petri da Silveira; Jocelyne M Bray; Rebecca M Legere; Sophia C Ramirez-Cortez Journal: J Vet Intern Med Date: 2022-03-24 Impact factor: 3.175