Open AccessBacteremia in Equine Neonatal Diarrhea: A Retrospective Study (1990–2007)
Author(s) -
Hollis A.R.,
Wilkins P.A.,
Palmer J.E.,
Boston R.C.
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
journal of veterinary internal medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.356
H-Index - 103
eISSN - 1939-1676
pISSN - 0891-6640
DOI - 10.1111/j.1939-1676.2008.0152.x
Subject(s) - bacteremia , foal , medicine , blood culture , diarrhea , microbiology and biotechnology , enterococcus , horse , biology , antibiotics , paleontology , genetics
Background: Bacteremia in sick foals is associated with survival, but the association of bacteremia and diarrhea is not reported. Hypothesis: Neonatal foals with diarrhea will commonly be bacteremic. Animals: One hundred and thirty‐three neonatal foals. Methods: Records of all foals <30 days of age presenting with diarrhea between January 1990 and September 2007 were reviewed. Results: Sixty‐six of 133 foals (50%) were bacteremic at admission, with 75 isolates from the 66 samples. The blood culture from a further 18 foals (13.5%) grew coryneform bacteria. Nine foals (6.8%) had 2 or more organisms grown on blood culture. One foal had 5 different organisms, interpreted as contamination. Forty‐eight foals (36%) had no growth on admission blood cultures. No cultures isolated fungal organisms. Excluding coryneform bacteria, 43 isolates (57%) were Gram‐negative organisms and 32 isolates (43%) were Gram‐positive organisms. The most common isolate was Enterococcus spp. (22 isolates, 29%), followed by Pantoea agglomerans (13 isolates, 17%). IgG concentration at admission was not associated with blood culture status. Blood culture status was not associated with survival to hospital discharge. Conclusions and Clinical Importance: Bacteremia is common in neonatal foals with diarrhea. Decisions regarding antimicrobial selection should be made with these differences in mind.