title: Detection of bacteraemia and host response in healthy neonatal foals.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Neonatal sepsis is a common problem in foals and is a primary cause of death in the post natal period. Transient bacteraemia and subsequent host responses have not been described in the equine neonate.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The primary objective of this study was to determine if transient bacteraemia occurs in foals within the first 72 h of life. Additional objectives included description of bacterial organisms associated with transient bacteraemia and concurrent cytokine gene expression in healthy foals.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective observational study in healthy foals.
  
  
  METHODS
  Blood was aseptically collected for bacterial culture from observed spontaneously born foals at birth and 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, 12, 24, 48 and 72 h following birth. Samples taken at birth, 4, 12, 24, 48 and 72 h were analysed for interferon gamma (IFNγ), interleukin (IL)-1, IL-2, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-18 and monocyte chemotactic protein 1 (MCP1) cytokine gene expression quantified by RT-PCR.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Bacteria were cultured from 9 of 70 samples submitted for blood culture. The positive samples were from 4 of the 7 foals, all of which remained healthy throughout and subsequent to the study. All positive blood cultures were from blood samples obtained at 12 h of age or earlier and IL-10 elevation coincided with positive blood cultures in healthy foals. Cytokine gene expression fluctuated with age.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Positive blood cultures suggest transient bacteraemia may occur in healthy foals early in the post natal period. Age corrected normal values may be necessary to interpret cytokine concentration in diseased populations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, USA.
authors.forename: E S
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6559-9585
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Hackett
authors.affiliation: College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, USA.
authors.forename: D P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Lunn
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, USA.
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Ferris
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Science, Maxwell H. Gluck Equine Research Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, USA.
authors.forename: D W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Horohov
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, USA.
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Lappin
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, USA.
authors.forename: P M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: McCue
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D016470:Bacteremia / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D005260:Female; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology*; D006736:Horses; D008297:Male
keywords: horse; passive transfer; sepsis; transfer of immunity