T. Anzai et al., Comparison of the phenotypes of Streptococcus zooepidemicus isolated from tonsils of healthy houses and specimens, AM J VET RE, 61(2), 2000, pp. 162-166
Objective-To determine whether streptococcal pneumonia is caused by strains
of Streptococcus zooepidemicus similar to those obtained from the tonsils
of healthy horses.
Sample Population-5 tonsils from healthy horses, 8 tracheal washes and 6 lu
ng specimens from foals with pneumonia, and 5 nasopharyngeal swab specimens
from donkeys with acute bronchopneumonia.
Procedure-Variable M-like protectively immunogenic SzP proteins of 5 isolat
es of S zooepidemicus from each tonsil and clinical specimen were compared,
using immunoblots. The SzP gene of 13 isolates representative of various S
zP immunoblot phenotypes from 1 healthy horse and 9 horses and donkeys with
pneumonia were sequenced and compared. Cell-associated hyaluronic acid con
centration and resistance to phagocytosis of some isolates were measured.
Results-Tonsils of each healthy horse were colonized by several SzP phenoty
pes similar to those of foals or donkeys with pneumonia. in contrast, multi
ple isolates from animals with pneumonia had the same SzP phenotype, indica
ting infection by a single strain or clone. Analysis of the SzP sequence co
nfirmed that differences in immunoblot phenotype were associated with seque
nce differences and that several SzP genotypes were in healthy horses and a
nimals with pneumonia. Isolates with high concentrations of cell-associated
hyaluronic acid were more resistant to phagocytosis.
Conclusions and Clinical Relevance-An SzP-specific immunoblot is a useful,
sensitive measure of diversity among strains of S zooepidemicus. Single str
ains with SzP phenotypes similar to those found in tonsils of healthy horse
s cause pneumonia. Because of the diversity of SzP phenotype and genotype a
mong isolates from animals with pneumonia, SzP phenotype is not an importan
t determinant of invasiveness or epizootic capabilities.