title: Enteric Pathogens and Coinfections in Foals with and without Diarrhea.
abstract: Diarrhea is a major clinical problem affecting foals up to 3 months of age. The aim of this study was to identify enteric microorganisms involved in monoinfections and coinfections and the associated virulence factors in healthy and diarrheic foals. Diarrheic (D) (n= 56) and nondiarrheic (ND) foals (n= 60) up to three months of age were studied. Fecal samples were analyzed for identification of infectious agents (microbiological culturing, molecular techniques, and microscopic analyses).Escherichia coli fimH(30% versus 25%),Salmonellaspp. (25% versus 7%),Strongyloides westeri(25% versus 25%),Clostridium perfringenstype A (21% versus 10%),E. coli ag43(20% versus 35%),Strongylus(11% versus 18%), andvapA-positiveRhodococcus equi(5% versus 2%) were the most frequent enteric pathogens detected in D and ND foals, respectively. The frequency of toxin A-positiveC. perfringenswas significantly increased in the D (p= 0.033) compared with the ND animals.R. equistrains harboring virulent plasmids were also identified (VapA 85-kb type I and VapA 87-kb type I) in D and ND foals. Coinfections were observed in 46% of the D and 33% of the ND foals. Our results demonstrate the great diversity of enteric pathogens, virulence factors, and coinfections involved in enteric infections of foals.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Botucatu, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Giovane
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Olivo
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Hygiene and Public Health, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Botucatu, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Thays Mizuki
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Lucas
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Botucatu, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Alexandre Secorun
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Borges
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Rodrigo Otávio Silveira
authors.initials: RO
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Francisco Carlos Faria
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Lobato
authors.affiliation: Department of Genetics, Evolution and Bioagents, Campinas State University (Unicamp), Campinas, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Amanda Keller
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Siqueira
authors.affiliation: Department of Genetics, Evolution and Bioagents, Campinas State University (Unicamp), Campinas, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Domingos
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: da Silva Leite
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Paulo Eduardo
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Brandão
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Fábio
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-0797-5658
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gregori
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Botucatu, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: José Paes
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: de Oliveira-Filho
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Hygiene, Kitasato University, Towada, Aomori, Japan.
authors.forename: Shinji
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-8852-0243
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Takai
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Hygiene and Public Health, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Botucatu, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Márcio Garcia
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-4665-263X
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Ribeiro
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000382:microbiology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D004403:Dysentery / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000821:virology; D005260:Female; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000821:virology; D006736:Horses; D008297:Male