Outbreaks of Strangles due to Capnophilic Streptococcus equi subsp equi in South Korea

Abstract

We reported an outbreak of clinical strangles in thoroughbred horses due to capnophilic Streptococcus equi subsp equi in South Korea. On three different farms, we isolated 17 S equi subsp equi isolates from 29 horses with or without abscesses in their lymph nodes. Of the 17 isolates, two isolates from clinical cases grew well in aerobic conditions, whereas 7/7 isolates from clinical cases and 8/22 isolates from the nasal discharges of horses did not. The latter 15 isolates were capnophilic, oxygen-sensitive, and CO₂-requiring S equi subsp equi, which could not grow in aerobic conditions, but which grew well in a CO₂ incubator with 5% CO₂, in anaerobic conditions using a GasPak, and with reduced oxygen tension in a candle jar. This study is the first report of a strangles outbreak caused by capnophilic S equi subsp equi in South Korea.