• Media type: E-Article
  • Title: Globetrotting strangles: the unbridled national and international transmission of Streptococcus equi between horses
  • Contributor: Mitchell, Catriona; Steward, Karen F.; Charbonneau, Amelia R. L.; Walsh, Saoirse; Wilson, Hayley; Timoney, John F.; Wernery, Ulli; Joseph, Marina; Craig, David; van Maanen, Kees; Hoogkamer-van Gennep, Annelies; Leon, Albertine; Witkowski, Lucjan; Rzewuska, Magdalena; Stefańska, Ilona; Żychska, Monika; van Loon, Gunther; Cursons, Ray; Patty, Olivia; Acke, Els; Gilkerson, James R.; El-Hage, Charles; Allen, Joanne; Bannai, Hiroshi; [...]
  • Published: Microbiology Society, 2021
  • Published in: Microbial Genomics
  • Extent:
  • Language: English
  • DOI: 10.1099/mgen.0.000528
  • ISSN: 2057-5858
  • Keywords: General Medicine
  • Abstract: <jats:p>The equine disease strangles, which is characterized by the formation of abscesses in the lymph nodes of the head and neck, is one of the most frequently diagnosed infectious diseases of horses around the world. The causal agent, <jats:italic> <jats:named-content content-type="subspecies"> <jats:ext-link xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" ext-link-type="uri" xlink:href="http://doi.org/10.1601/nm.5631" xlink:type="simple">Streptococcus equi</jats:ext-link> </jats:named-content> </jats:italic> subspecies <jats:italic> <jats:named-content content-type="subspecies"> <jats:ext-link xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" ext-link-type="uri" xlink:href="http://doi.org/10.1601/nm.5631" xlink:type="simple">equi</jats:ext-link> </jats:named-content> </jats:italic>, establishes a persistent infection in approximately 10 % of animals that recover from the acute disease. Such ‘carrier’ animals appear healthy and are rarely identified during routine veterinary examinations pre-purchase or transit, but can transmit <jats:italic> <jats:named-content content-type="species"> <jats:ext-link xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" ext-link-type="uri" xlink:href="http://doi.org/10.1601/nm.11058" xlink:type="simple">S. equi</jats:ext-link> </jats:named-content> </jats:italic> to naïve animals initiating new episodes of disease. Here, we report the analysis and visualization of phylogenomic and epidemiological data for 670 isolates of <jats:italic> <jats:named-content content-type="species"> <jats:ext-link xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" ext-link-type="uri" xlink:href="http://doi.org/10.1601/nm.11058" xlink:type="simple">S. equi</jats:ext-link> </jats:named-content> </jats:italic> recovered from 19 different countries using a new core-genome multilocus sequence typing (cgMLST) web bioresource. Genetic relationships among all 670 S. <jats:italic> <jats:named-content content-type="species"> <jats:ext-link xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" ext-link-type="uri" xlink:href="http://doi.org/10.1601/nm.11058" xlink:type="simple">equi</jats:ext-link> </jats:named-content> </jats:italic> isolates were determined at high resolution, revealing national and international transmission events that drive this endemic disease in horse populations throughout the world. Our data argue for the recognition of the international importance of strangles by the Office International des Épizooties to highlight the health, welfare and economic cost of this disease. The Pathogenwatch cgMLST web bioresource described herein is available for tailored genomic analysis of populations of <jats:italic> <jats:named-content content-type="species"> <jats:ext-link xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" ext-link-type="uri" xlink:href="http://doi.org/10.1601/nm.11058" xlink:type="simple">S. equi</jats:ext-link> </jats:named-content> </jats:italic> and its close relative <jats:italic> <jats:named-content content-type="subspecies"> <jats:ext-link xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" ext-link-type="uri" xlink:href="http://doi.org/10.1601/nm.5632" xlink:type="simple">S. equi</jats:ext-link> </jats:named-content> </jats:italic> subspecies <jats:italic> <jats:named-content content-type="subspecies"> <jats:ext-link xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" ext-link-type="uri" xlink:href="http://doi.org/10.1601/nm.5632" xlink:type="simple">zooepidemicus</jats:ext-link> </jats:named-content> </jats:italic> that are recovered from horses and other animals, including humans, throughout the world. This article contains data hosted by <jats:ext-link xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" ext-link-type="uri" xlink:href="https://microreact.org/showcase" xlink:type="simple">Microreact</jats:ext-link>.</jats:p>
  • Description: <jats:p>The equine disease strangles, which is characterized by the formation of abscesses in the lymph nodes of the head and neck, is one of the most frequently diagnosed infectious diseases of horses around the world. The causal agent, <jats:italic>
    <jats:named-content content-type="subspecies">
    <jats:ext-link xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" ext-link-type="uri" xlink:href="http://doi.org/10.1601/nm.5631" xlink:type="simple">Streptococcus equi</jats:ext-link>
    </jats:named-content>
    </jats:italic> subspecies <jats:italic>
    <jats:named-content content-type="subspecies">
    <jats:ext-link xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" ext-link-type="uri" xlink:href="http://doi.org/10.1601/nm.5631" xlink:type="simple">equi</jats:ext-link>
    </jats:named-content>
    </jats:italic>, establishes a persistent infection in approximately 10 % of animals that recover from the acute disease. Such ‘carrier’ animals appear healthy and are rarely identified during routine veterinary examinations pre-purchase or transit, but can transmit <jats:italic>
    <jats:named-content content-type="species">
    <jats:ext-link xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" ext-link-type="uri" xlink:href="http://doi.org/10.1601/nm.11058" xlink:type="simple">S. equi</jats:ext-link>
    </jats:named-content>
    </jats:italic> to naïve animals initiating new episodes of disease. Here, we report the analysis and visualization of phylogenomic and epidemiological data for 670 isolates of <jats:italic>
    <jats:named-content content-type="species">
    <jats:ext-link xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" ext-link-type="uri" xlink:href="http://doi.org/10.1601/nm.11058" xlink:type="simple">S. equi</jats:ext-link>
    </jats:named-content>
    </jats:italic> recovered from 19 different countries using a new core-genome multilocus sequence typing (cgMLST) web bioresource. Genetic relationships among all 670 S. <jats:italic>
    <jats:named-content content-type="species">
    <jats:ext-link xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" ext-link-type="uri" xlink:href="http://doi.org/10.1601/nm.11058" xlink:type="simple">equi</jats:ext-link>
    </jats:named-content>
    </jats:italic> isolates were determined at high resolution, revealing national and international transmission events that drive this endemic disease in horse populations throughout the world. Our data argue for the recognition of the international importance of strangles by the Office International des Épizooties to highlight the health, welfare and economic cost of this disease. The Pathogenwatch cgMLST web bioresource described herein is available for tailored genomic analysis of populations of <jats:italic>
    <jats:named-content content-type="species">
    <jats:ext-link xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" ext-link-type="uri" xlink:href="http://doi.org/10.1601/nm.11058" xlink:type="simple">S. equi</jats:ext-link>
    </jats:named-content>
    </jats:italic> and its close relative <jats:italic>
    <jats:named-content content-type="subspecies">
    <jats:ext-link xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" ext-link-type="uri" xlink:href="http://doi.org/10.1601/nm.5632" xlink:type="simple">S. equi</jats:ext-link>
    </jats:named-content>
    </jats:italic> subspecies <jats:italic>
    <jats:named-content content-type="subspecies">
    <jats:ext-link xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" ext-link-type="uri" xlink:href="http://doi.org/10.1601/nm.5632" xlink:type="simple">zooepidemicus</jats:ext-link>
    </jats:named-content>
    </jats:italic> that are recovered from horses and other animals, including humans, throughout the world. This article contains data hosted by <jats:ext-link xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" ext-link-type="uri" xlink:href="https://microreact.org/showcase" xlink:type="simple">Microreact</jats:ext-link>.</jats:p>
  • Footnote:
  • Access State: Open Access