Resources: Fact Sheets

Facts on Strangles (Streptococcus equi) Infections in Horses

Description:

• Caused by bacteria, Streptococcus equi, which only causes disease in equine species (horses, donkeys and mules). Normally not a danger to humans or other domestic species.
• Reportable disease in Maine, although there is currently no legally enforceable quarantine period.
• Highly contagious and often associated with facilities that experience a high turnover of horses (fairs, horse sales, competitive events, boarding stables).
• Incubation period (time from exposure to first signs of disease) is 3 to 21 days.
• Disease signs are usually visible for three to seven days, but may last for up to two weeks.
• Most animals recover from Strangles with no long-term aftereffects.

Signs:

• Decreased appetite and depression.
• Fever (greater than 102ºF).
• Cloudy discharge from both nostrils.
• Superficial lymph nodes under the jaw, in throatlatch area of upper neck, and rarely, over the eye sockets or in chest or abdominal cavity become inflamed, enlarged and tender to the touch. This is due to the accumulation of purulent fluid (“pus”) within the lymph node.
• Affected horses may stand with neck outstretched to relieve pressure in upper neck. Later in disease, lymph nodes often burst and drain pus from openings in overlying skin.
• Complications of disease are seen in 10% to 20% of cases (these should be considered emergency situations requiring immediate veterinary care).
• Difficulty in breathing and signs of distress due to compression of trachea by enlarged lymph nodes in the neck. This can lead to death by asphyxiation (source of the name “strangles”) and may require emergency lymph node drainage or insertion of a breathing tube through the trachea,
• Life-threatening infections caused by internal release of pus from deeper lymph nodes into the chest or abdominal cavity (internal or “bastard” strangles).
• An allergic reaction to Strep. Equi can cause blood vessel inflammation with swelling and edema of the legs (purpura hemmorrhagia).
• Strangles is often fatal in young foals (less than six months old) that did not receive sufficient colostral immunity as newborns.
• Strangles is sometimes considered to be a disease of foals and young adult horses. Older horses are often immune to strangles due to prior exposure during their youth, or they may display only lethargy and nasal discharge without obvious lymph node swelling (however, these animals can still spread the disease).

Transmission of Strangles:

• Strangles is caused by oral exposure of a horse to Strep. equi bacteria. Once within the oral cavity, the bacteria invade the tonsils and subsequently colonize the lymph nodes.
• Bacteria can be transmitted through contact with pus or nasal discharges from an infected horse, or from contaminated bedding or barn equipment (water troughs, buckets, etc.)
• Flies may also act as vectors, spreading the bacteria from horse to horse.
• Under the right conditions, Strep. equi can survive in the environment for weeks to months.
• Exposure of a horse to Strep. equi does not necessarily mean that it will come down with strangles. Factors that influence the risk of disease include:

• Dose of bacteria (poor sanitation and direct contact with nasal secretions and pus increase the chance of disease).
• Immune status of horse. Previously exposed horses are often immune to the disease, or do not get as sick as unexposed horses. During the first three to six months of life, foals are often protected by maternal antibodies. Vaccination can also increase resistance to disease.
• Stress (poor nutrition, overcrowding, lengthy transportation or pre-existing diseases increase the risk of strangles).

• In isolated cases, Strangles may be transmitted by “silent shedders” who do not display signs of disease. However, the most risk is from acutely ill or recovering horses that are still shedding bacteria in their nasal secretions.

Treatment of Strangles:

• Due to the possibility of serious complications, a veterinarian should always be consulted when Strangles is suspected. Since Strangles is a reportable disease in Maine, your veterinarian is obligated to report any confirmed cases to the State Veterinarian.
• Although strangles can be diagnosed based on symptoms alone, it is confirmed by identification of the causative organism in fluids from the throat, nasal passages or abscesses. Bacterial culture results have a turnaround time of two to three days. A new DNA-based test has recently been described that could confirm a diagnosis in less than one day.
• Regularly observe sick animals for signs of shock, high fever (above 103ºF), and difficulty in breathing or abnormal swelling of the legs or ventral abdomen.
• Swollen lymph nodes may be softened by the application of hot compresses. This may hasten abscess drainage. Large abscesses that interfere with breathing may be lanced under veterinary supervision.
• If the horse is cooperative, draining abscesses may be cleaned with dilute antiseptic washes to promote skin healing and avoid secondary infections.
• Although Strep. equi is usually sensitive to antibiotics such as Penicillin; antibiotic treatment is generally discouraged if a horse is already exhibiting signs of disease such as fever and nasal discharge. Many veterinarians believe that antibiotic treatment at this time may increase the risk of complications such as internalized abscesses.
• Antibiotic treatment of strangles-exposed horses before they display signs of disease may reduce the rate of morbidity (percentage of sick animals). This is still a controversial subject and the final decision should be left to your veterinarian.
• In contrast, complicated cases of strangles may require intensive antibiotic and supportive veterinary therapy to save the horse’s life.

Prevention of Strangles:

• Several Strep. equi vaccines are commercially available. These can reduce the rate of disease in the face of an outbreak, but are only about 50% effective under the best conditions. Vaccination of healthy animals on a farm during an outbreak is usually not effective, since at least two weeks are required for the immune system to respond to the vaccine. Current vaccines produce only short-term (six months to one year) immunity, and require regular boosters to maintain adequate protection.
• Although it is the most difficult measure to follow, quarantining all new animals on your facility (and resident horses exposed to “outside” horses) is the most effective way to prevent a strangles outbreak.
• Quarantine means no direct contact of a new horse with other animals or equipment used by other horses.
• Horses that are disease-free after two to three weeks of quarantine pose almost no risk of disease transmission unless they are a “silent shedder.”
• As soon as you suspect that one of your horses has strangles, isolate it from all other animals in your facility. Paddocks used by an infected animals should be considered contaminated for at least one month.
• To decreased the risk of your horse contracting strangles during travel to a “foreign” facility, take care to minimize direct contact with other horses, disinfect all food and water containers before use, and make sure that box stalls are thoroughly cleaned and disinfected between horses. Minimizing travel-related stress on your horse will also reduce its risk of contracting strangles if it exposed to a contagious horse.

Reviewed and approved (January 2001) by:

James A. Weber, PhD, DVM, assistant professor of Animal and Veterinary Science in the Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering and Maine Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory at the University of Maine in Orono.

Dr. Jeff Fay, PhD, DVM, Annabaessacook Veterinary Hospital, Maine. Board Member, Maine Equine Industry Association

Dr. Chip Ridky, DVM, Maine State Veterinarian, Augusta, Maine.