title: Microbiologic and pathologic findings in an epidemic of equine pericarditis.
abstract: During the spring and summer of 2001 and in association with the mare reproductive loss syndrome, 22 terminal and 12 clinical cases of equine pericarditis were diagnosed in central Kentucky. Actinobacillus species were the principal isolates from 8 of 10 nontreated, terminally affected and 3 of 10 clinically affected horses. Enterococcus faecalis and Streptococcus zooepidemicus were cultured from the remaining 2 nontreated terminal cases. No viruses were isolated in tissue culture. Nucleic acid of equine herpesvirus-2 was detected in pericardial and tracheal wash fluids of 3 and 1 individuals, respectively. Microscopic alterations in sections of heart and parietal pericardium were consistent with chronic fibrinous bacterial pericarditis. This report confirms a significant role of Actinobacillus species in equine pericarditis and describes an epidemic of this infrequently observed syndrome in the horse.
authors.affiliation: Livestock Disease Diagnostic Center, College of Agriculture, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40511-4125, USA.
authors.forename: David C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Bolin
authors.forename: J Mike
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Donahue
authors.forename: Mary L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Vickers
authors.forename: Lenn
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Harrison
authors.forename: Steve
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sells
authors.forename: Ralph C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Giles
authors.forename: C B
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.forename: K B
authors.initials: KB
authors.lastname: Poonacha
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Roberts
authors.forename: Manu M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Sebastian
authors.forename: Tom W
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: Swerczek
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tramontin
authors.forename: Neil M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Williams
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000662:veterinary*; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology*; D006736:Horses; D007629:Kentucky / Q000453:epidemiology; D009206:Myocardium / Q000473:pathology; D010493:Pericarditis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents