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Published on: September 6, 2013
Nocardioform placentitis with isolation of Amycolatopsis spp in a Florida-bred mare
Bruce W Christensen1, John F Roberts, Malgorzata A Pozor
1Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA.
Case Description:
A 4-year-old Thoroughbred mare was evaluated because of placental abnormalities and a retained placental remnant.
Clinical Findings:
Microbial culture of the placenta yielded pure growth of Amycolatopsis spp. Histologic examination of the placenta revealed a focally expanding chorionitis with intralesional gram-positive filamentous bacilli and multifocal allantoic adenomatous hyperplasia on the apposing allantoic surface.
Treatment And Outcome:
Treatment with lavage and oxytocin resulted in expulsion of the placental remnant within hours of parturition. The mare did not become pregnant again despite multiple breedings. The foal appeared healthy but died of complications during an elective surgical procedure at 7 weeks of age.
Conclusions And Clinical Relevance:
To the author's knowledge, all previously confirmed cases of nocardioform placentitis have been in mares bred in the central Kentucky region. Indications that the pathogen in the mare reported here is a different species than that isolated in Kentucky suggest that this is an emerging disease. Mares with nocardioform placentitis usually do not have the same clinical signs as mares with placentitis resulting from an ascending pathogen.
Insights
A rare case of nocardioform placentitis caused by Amycolatopsis spp. was identified in a Thoroughbred mare. This suggests the disease may be emerging and geographically expanding beyond central Kentucky.
Area of Science:
- Veterinary Pathology
- Equine Reproduction
- Microbiology
Background:
- Nocardioform placentitis is a rare equine disease.
- Previously confirmed cases were geographically restricted to central Kentucky.
Observation:
- A 4-year-old Thoroughbred mare presented with placental abnormalities and retained placental remnant.
- Microbial culture identified Amycolatopsis spp. in the placenta.
- Histopathology revealed chorionitis and allantoic adenomatous hyperplasia.
Findings:
- Treatment with lavage and oxytocin successfully removed the placental remnant.
- The mare experienced secondary infertility.
- The foal died at 7 weeks of age due to unrelated complications.
Implications:
- The identification of a potentially different Amycolatopsis species suggests nocardioform placentitis may be an emerging disease with a wider geographic distribution.
- Clinical signs may differ from ascending pathogen-induced placentitis, necessitating broader diagnostic considerations.
