Streptococcus Equi

Research Paper # 108733

Biology > Molecular and Cell
Biology > Zoology

Streptococcus Equi

A discussion on the 7 degrees of pathogenicity and the mechanisms that streptococcus equi uses to infect a host.

1,681 words () | 19 sources | MLA | 2008 United States

Paper Summary:

This paper discusses how streptococcus equi is a beta-hemolytic pathogen that has three subspecies: s. equi supsp. equi, S. equi supsp. zooepidemicus and a newly discovered s. equi supsp. ruminatorum. In particular, it looks at how the highly contagious disease known as strangles is caused by the sub-species equi and how it accounts for almost 30% of equine infections world wide. The paper discusses what is known, what is unknown, and what is theorized in the pathogenicity of streptococcus equi.

Outline:
Introduction
Maintaining a Reservoir
Entering Suitable Host
Adhesion
Invasion
Multiplying
Leaving the Host
Conclusion

From the Paper:

"Many animals are known to be able to be infected with streptococcus equi other than horses. Mice, rabbits, pigs and, in rare cases, humans have all been reported as harboring the disease agent. Horses can become chronic carries of strangles. Chronic carriers will arise in 10 percent of horses that have recovered from S. equi. These horses will have the agents in chondriods in the guttural pouch. They are able to infect others later, spreading the disease further. Because scientist cannot yet find a way to differentiate between strains easily, it is hard to determine if new outbreaks are caused by a reoccurrence of the old strain, or if a new strain has been introduced. "

Sample of Sources Used:

Anzai T. Sheoran A.S., Kuwamoto Y., Kondo T. Wada R., Inoue T., Timoney J.F. March 1999 Streptococcus equi but not streptococcus Zooepidemicus produces potent misogynic responses from equine peripheral blood mononuclear cells Veterinary Immunology and Immunopathology 67:235-246
Boschwitz J Timoney J.F. August 1994 Inhibition of C3 deposition on streptococcus equi subsp. Equi by M-protein; a mechanism for survival in equine blood Infection and Immunity 3515-3520
Collin M., Olsen A. June 2003 Extracellular enzymes with Immunomodulating activities: Variations on a theme in Streptococcus pyogenes Infection and Immunity 71:2983-2992
Darien J Feary, Doreene Hyatt, Josie Traub-Dargatz, Susan Roach, Robert L Jones, Ching Ching Wu, Paul Morely. 2005 Investigation of falsely reported resistance of streptococcus equi subsp. Zooepidemicus isolates from horses to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole J vet diagn invest 17;483-486
Downar J., Willey M., Sutherland J.W., Mathew K. Low D.E., June 2001 Streptococcal meningitis resulting from contact with an infected horse Journal of Clinical Microbiology 39:2358-2359