Glanders in horses
Rahul Khatri, Vinay Waskel, Pratibha Yadav, Daljeet Chhabra, Rakesh Sharda, Joycee Jogi, Rakhi Gangil and Ravi Sikrodia
Department of Veterinary Microbiology, Co.V.Sc. & A.H., Mhow
NDVSU, Jabalpur
Introduction
Glanders is a contagious, zoonotic and highly infectious disease of equidae family (horses, mules and donkeys) characterised by nodules formation and development of ulcer in mucosa of upper respiratory tract. Glanders was first described as a disease of horses in 450 BC by Hippocrates. Its bacterial aetiology was established in 1882 when the bacillus (now known as Burkholderia mallei) was isolated from a horse dying of glanders. Glanders is a bacterial disease caused by Gram –ve, non motile, non-sporulating and an obligately aerobic bacteria Burkholderia mallei (Pseudomonas mallei).
Epidemiology
The disease is more prevalent in horse rearing countries like Eastern Europe, India and Africa. Through strict rules and regulations North America and Thailand are almostly free from glanders.
Transmission and Source of infection
Soil, infected secretions, carrier animals are the source of infection and transmission occur through ingestion, inhalation and through skin invasion or direct contact.
Pathogenesis
After the entry into the body, it penetrate the pharyngeal and intestinal mucosa, invades the regional lymphnodes through pharyngeal mucosa, from intestinal mucosa it enters into the general circulation and reach at pulmonary capillaries causing inflammatory reactions. Neutrophils undergo degeneration- karyorrhexis and fragments of nucleus seen as scattered manner – Characteristics of glanders in stained smears. Bacteria again comes in the circulation and localized in various organs produce nodules and ulcers in skin.
Clinical Picture
Incubation period varies from few days to several months.
Acute Form
Septicaemia with fever, dyspnoea, ocular and nasal discharge mainly in donkey.
Chronic
Chronic form mainly seen in horses and last long for few months, intermittent fever, cough, respiratory distress are seen in pulmonary form and edema of hind limbs, healed ulcers leaving irregular star shaped scars are seen in cutaneous form.
Lymphatic glands: Swollen edematous with yellowish grey centers. farcy buds, farcy cords of lymph vessels.
Diagnosis
Diagnosis can be done on the basis of history, clinical signs and symptoms. Bacterial isolation and identification are done from the pus samples. Other more specific diagnoses may include Mallein test, conjunctival mallein test, intrapalpebral test, strauss reaction, CFT, agglutination, IHA and CIE. Differential diagnosis with epizootic lymphangitis, ulcerative lymphangitis, sporotrichosis, melioidosis and others cases of pneumonia.
Treatment
No such treatment only prevention and control is in our hand.
Prevention
Glanders is a notifiable disease under the glander or farcy act 1899. As per the act animals declared positive must be destroyed and safely disposed. Confirmed infection may be indicated by restrictions on international trading and local movement of animals. The appropriate Ministry Agency must be informed of all suspected or confirmed cases as it is a biological weapon in the warfare.
Control
Ensure the disinfection of premises by direct sunlight and by common disinfectants. All incontact, suspected, imported animals must be isolated and tested before mixing in stable. Positive animal must be slaughtered. Infected carcass along with manure, bedding materials and residuals must be burnt and buried. There should be complete quarantine of affected animals. Remaining animals must be subjected to mallein test at an intervals of 3 weeks.
https://www.msdvetmanual.com/generalized-conditions/glanders/glanders-in-horses-and-other-animals
