Infectious adenitis equorum: diagnosis, treatment and control

Abstract

Infectious adenitis equorum, also known as strangles, is an infectious bacterial disease that affects the upper respiratory tract of horses of all ages, with greater prevalence between one and five years of age. It is caused by the bacterium Streptococcus equi, subsp. equi, which is a Lancefield group C β-hemolytic bacterium. The disease is transmitted through direct contact with respiratory secretions from infected animals, or indirectly through contaminated objects, such as equipment, food and water. Clinical signs of the disease include fever, mucopurulent nasal discharge, cough, anorexia, difficulty breathing and abscessing lymphadenitis, mainly of the submandibular and retropharyngeal lymph nodes. The diagnosis of the disease is made through laboratory tests, such as bacterial culture and PCR. Treatment is done with antibiotics, but the disease can be fatal in some cases. Prevention of the disease is done through vaccination, which is recommended for all horses. The sooner the diagnosis is obtained and treatment begins, the better the patient's chance of full a recovery.