Seroprevalence of Lawsonia intracellularis in yearlings and adult hoses in the Netherlands

Abstract

Lawsonia intracellularis is an intracellular bacterium which can cause equine proliferative enteropathy in weanling foals. Symptoms occur like diarrhea, weight loss, ventral edema, hypoproteinemia and hypoalbuminemia. Transmission occurs by oro-feacal route. Many hosts are recognized, such as pigs, dogs, rodents and ferrets. In the Netherlands nothing is known about the prevalence of Lawsonia intracellularis antibodies in yearlings and adult horses. The aim of the present study was to determine the sero-prevalence of the antibodies against Lawsonia intracellularis and to gain more information about the transmission factors. Blood samples were taken of 117 horses and tested for antibodies against Lawsonia intracellularis. These samples were tested with a bELISA. 98,3% of the tested horses had a positive antibody titer. These result show that Lawsonia intracellularis is widespread in the Netherlands and the prevalence increases between foals and adult horses. No correlation was found between de pasture-kept horses and the stable-confined horses. Finally, seroconversion does not implicate a clinically ill animal.