EXOone Streptococcus equi

Description

Streptococcus equi subsp. equi is the causative agent of strangles in horses which suffer purulent nasal discharge, pyrexia and abscesses in retropharyngeal lymph nodes. The rupture of these absceses make horses shed bacteria through their nasal passages for long periods of time although the signs have been disappeared. The identification of those reservoir animals is important to treat them and control the infection within the herd. Other subspecies of Streptococcus equi such as zoopepidemicus and ruminatorum are also described as rare agents involved in small ruminants mastitis.
Traditional culture techniques present lack of sensitivity, however qPCR improves the detection of lower quantites of these bacteria enabling the idetification of shedders.