Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Presumed clostridial and aerobic bacterial infections of the cornea in two horses.
- Journal:
- Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association
- Year:
- 1999
- Authors:
- Rebhun, W C et al.
- Affiliation:
- Department of Clinical Sciences · United States
- Species:
- horse
Plain-English summary
Two horses with severe eye ulcers were examined, and tests showed signs of bacterial infections. In the first horse, a type of bacteria called Clostridium perfringens was found, while the second horse had different bacteria, Aeromonas hydrophila. The first horse's ulcer was likely caused by an insect part, but the cause for the second horse was unclear. Both horses were treated with antibiotics, including one injected into the eye and another applied directly to the surface. After a few months, only small scars remained, suggesting that the treatment worked well for the infections.
Abstract
Microscopic examination of Gram-stained tissue specimens collected from severe corneal ulcers in 2 horses revealed large gram-positive rods suggestive of Clostridium spp. Clostridium perfringens was isolated from specimens collected from horse 1; anaerobic organisms were not detected in specimens from horse 2. Aerobic bacterial culture revealed Aeromonas hydrophila and Enterobacter cloacae in specimens collected from horses 1 and 2, respectively. An insect exoskeleton was presumed to be the underlying cause of ulceration in horse 1. Cause of ulceration in horse 2 was not determined. Antibiotics used to treat the corneal infections included ticarcillin disodium-clavulanic acid injected one time subconjunctivally and chloramphenicol applied topically at frequent intervals. Horse 2 also received penicillin or trimethoprim-sulfadiazine. Small leukomas were the only lesion remaining between 2 and 7 months after initial evaluation. Chloramphenicol applied topically appears to be an effective treatment against clostridial corneal infections in horses.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10340080/