Clinical, molecular diagnosis and antimicrobial sensitivity of streptococcus equi causing strangles

Abstract EN

Strangles is the most contagious disease that affect on equine welfare and equine trading world wide.

In This study 255 horses at Al Zahraa farm during the period of January 2015 till April 2017 were examined.

Clinical signs were recorded and 97 samples (50 nasopharyngeal samples and 47 lymph node (sub mandibular.

retropharngeal) were collected from diseased horses .Bacteriological isolation and identification of Streptococcus equi were carried out.

For further identification, more advanced specific method (PCR) were done for detection Se-M gene which is unique for Streptococcus equi sub spieces equi.

Antibiotic sensitivity test revealed that 77% of the isolates highly sensitive to ceftriaxone and cefotaxime, while 92% of the isolates appeared intermediate in susceptibility to ciprofloxacin, on the other hand about 85% and 77% of the isolates totally resist to erythromycin and sulphonamide respectively.

Finally, we concluded that early and accurate diagnosis reduce spreading of the infection also the in proper use of the antibiotics may affect on eliminating the infection especially in the presence of high rate of resistance to the most available antibiotics.