Strangles is an extremely contagious bacterial infection specific to
equine species( horses, mules and zebras). A nationwide screening of S. equi was conducted among horses following an isolation of Streptococcus equi subsp. equi (S. equi) from a horse. All horses were monitored for the presence of respiratory signs, nasal discharge and submandibular swelling. This paper reports the isolation of S. equi from horses during a nationwide survey from August 2010 to December 2010. From August 2010 to December 2010 our laboratory received 2,825 nasal swabs, 9 guttural pouch flushes, 1 submandibular swab and 1 submandibular abscess. The samples were subjected to conventional bacterial isolation and identification.
Streptococcus equi-positive samples were also confirmed by detecting the M-gene (SeM) of the bacteria by using PCR. Two nasal swabs from two horses and one submandibular abscess from a horse were positive for S. equi by culture and subsequently by PCR. Surveillance for S. equi should be continued for the control of the strangles. PCR can be carried out in parallel to bacterial culture to increase the
detection rate of carriers and shedders.