title: The association of Streptococcus equi subsp. zooepidemicus with canine infectious respiratory disease.
abstract: Canine infectious respiratory disease (CIRD) is a multi-factorial infection that affects many kennelled dogs despite the wide use of vaccination. Current vaccines aim to protect against viral agents and a single bacterial agent, Bordetella bronchiseptica. We sought to examine the role of streptococcal species in CIRD. The isolation and identification of streptococci in the lower respiratory tract of clinically healthy dogs and those with CIRD were used to correlate the presence of specific streptococcal species with respiratory disease. In this study we report that the presence of S. equi subsp. zooepidemicus is associated with increasing severity of disease in a population of kennelled dogs with endemic CIRD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Infectious Diseases, Royal Veterinary College, University of London, Hawkshead Lane, North Mymms, Hertfordshire AL9 7TA, UK. vchalker@rvc.ac.uk
authors.forename: Victoria J
authors.initials: VJ
authors.lastname: Chalker
authors.forename: Harriet W
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Brooks
authors.forename: Joe
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Brownlie
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / Q000382:microbiology; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial / Q000662:veterinary; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000382:microbiology*; D004285:Dogs; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D018502:Streptococcus equi / Q000302:isolation & purification*