WBC count, plasmatic fibrinogen concentration and thoracic ultrasound in the early diagnosis of rhodococcosis in foals [White Blood Cells]
2006
Rossi, G. | Bizzeti, M. | Corazza, M. | Sgorbini, M. | Petti, R. | Mormorini, P.
R. equi infection affects horse, other mammalians and human beings. Rhodococcosis in foals causes suppurative broncopneumonia with abscesses, detected by radiography and ultrasonography. R. equi is a soil organism, Gram+, obligate aerobe, fixed, coprophylic, asporigen, facultative intracellular pathogen that persists in macrophages preventing phagosome-lysosome fusion. It grows in manure and foals become infected by oral and respiratory route transmission. The aim of this work was to verify the usefulness of some laboratory tests and pleural ultrasonography as diagnostic tools of R. equi infection in foals. The study was performed during breeding seasons 2004-2005. Twenty-five foals aged 3.5-5.5 months were examined; 13 foals (52%) were considered healthy and used as control group. Blood samples were collected every 15 days from each foal to measure WBC and plasma fibrinogen concentration and pleural ultrasonography was carried out every 15 days. Twelve foals (48%) showed illness (cough, depression, decreased growth, fever, etc.) and were included in the ill group. These foals were examined at the day of diagnosis and every 3 days until the recovery (laboratory exams and pleural ultrasonography); 3 of 12 were affected by rhodococcosis. In our study, the high value of plasma fibrinogen concentration with normal WBC could be secondary to respiratory disease, but not to R. equi infection. These patients did not showed specific clinical manifestations and ultrasonographic alterations (abscesses, higher respiratory murmur and crackle noises) and they needed only aspecific antibiotic therapy. Marked increase of WBC with moderate increase of plasma fibrinogen concentration could be considered a better diagnostic tool in rhodococcosis, because in our study they were associated with specific ultrasonographic and clinical alterations. These foals needed specific therapy (rifampicin associated with erythromycin) for recovery
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