Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Nocardia asteroides infection in horses: a review.
- Journal:
- Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association
- Year:
- 1985
- Authors:
- Biberstein, E L et al.
- Species:
- horse
Plain-English summary
Between 1965 and 1983, a type of infection caused by a bacteria called Nocardia asteroides was found in 16 horses at a veterinary hospital in California. In two cases, the infection was due to an injury and was limited to one area, and those horses recovered without needing antibiotics. However, 14 horses had more serious infections that affected their lungs or spread throughout their bodies, and unfortunately, all of these horses died. Most of these horses had weakened immune systems; eight were young Arabian foals with a condition that affects their immune response, and three were older horses with a hormone-related illness. The remaining three horses had other serious health issues, including cancer and liver disease.
Abstract
From 1965 to 1983, Nocardia asteroides infection was diagnosed in 16 horses at the Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, University of California, Davis. In 2 of the cases, the infection was traumatic in origin and local in extent; the horses recovered without relevant antimicrobial therapy. Fourteen horses had pulmonary or disseminated infections that ended fatally. All 14 had various degrees of immunosuppression. Of these, 8 were Arabian foals with combined immunodeficiency disease and 3 were aged horses with hyperadrenocorticism secondary to ACTH-secreting pituitary tumors. Of the other 3, one had lymphosarcoma, another, hepatic disease presumed to be of toxic origin, and the third, a mixed disseminated bacterial infection.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/3882648/