Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Chlamydia psittaci induced pneumonia in a horse.
- Journal:
- The Cornell veterinarian
- Year:
- 1982
- Authors:
- McChesney, S L et al.
- Species:
- horse
Plain-English summary
A quarter horse mare had a serious respiratory disease that ultimately led to her death. Researchers found a harmful germ called Chlamydia psittaci in her lung tissues, which is known to cause pneumonia. They tested this germ on two Shetland ponies, which showed mild signs of infection but did not become seriously ill. However, one of the ponies did show some lung damage and the same germ was found in its lungs after it died. The treatment and testing confirmed the presence of the infection, but the outcome for the mare was fatal.
Abstract
An agent lethal to embryonated chicken eggs was isolated from lung tissues of a quarter horse mare with a fatal respiratory disease. The lesions induced in embryonated chicken eggs, the tinctoral properties, the ultrastructural morphology, the resistance of the organism to sodium sulfadiazine, and the presence of a chlamydial complement fixing antigen, identify this isolate as a member of the family Chlamydiaceae and suggest the agent to be Chlamydia psittaci. Two Shetland ponies experimentally infected with the isolated agent developed subclinical infection as demonstrated by an increase in complement fixing antibody titers. Post mortem examination of one pony revealed microscopic evidence of a generalized chlamydial infection. Lesions of interstitial pneumonia and focal hepatic necrosis were observed, and Chlamydia psittaci subsequently was reisolated from the lung tissues of the pony.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7067460/