Helicobacter equorum is highly prevalent in foals.
Faecal samples of sixty-six 3-day- to 6-month-old foals were screened for Helicobacter equorum DNA by means of a PCR amplifying a 1074 bp fragment of the 23S rRNA gene with primers specific for this enterohepatic Helicobacter species. H. equorum DNA was demonstrated in faeces from 28.6% of the less than 1-month-old foals, while 67.8% of foals from 1 to 6 months of age tested positive. In a previous study, H. equorum was demonstrated in faeces of 0.8-7.9% of adult horses. These results indicate that the prevalence of H. equorum in horses differs with the age of the investigated horse population. The organism seems highly prevalent in foals between 1 and 6 months of age but the possible association with intestinal disease in this age group needs further investigation.
Moyaert
H
H
Department of Pathology, Bacteriology and Avian Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, B-9820 Merelbeke, Belgium. Hilde.Moyaert@UGent.be
Haesebrouck
F
F
Dewulf
J
J
Ducatelle
R
R
Pasmans
F
F
D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D001530:Belgium / Q000453:epidemiology; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D005784:Gene Amplification; D016998:Helicobacter / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D006736:Horses; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary; D015995:Prevalence; D012338:RNA, Ribosomal, 23S / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D012338:RNA, Ribosomal, 23S