Presumed clostridial and aerobic bacterial infections of the cornea in two horses

• Published in: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association Vol. 214; no. 10; p. 1519
• Main Authors: Rebhun, W C, Cho, J O, Gaarder, J E, Peek, S F, Patten, V H
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 15-05-1999
• Subjects: Administration, Topical; Aeromonas hydrophila - isolation & purification; Animals; Bacteria, Aerobic - isolation & purification; Chloramphenicol - administration & dosage; Chloramphenicol - therapeutic use; Clostridium Infections - drug therapy; Clostridium Infections - microbiology; Clostridium Infections - veterinary; Corneal Ulcer - drug therapy; Corneal Ulcer - microbiology; Corneal Ulcer - veterinary; Drug Therapy, Combination; Enterobacter cloacae - isolation & purification; Enterobacteriaceae Infections - drug therapy; Enterobacteriaceae Infections - microbiology; Enterobacteriaceae Infections - veterinary; Eye Foreign Bodies - complications; Eye Infections, Bacterial - drug therapy; Eye Infections, Bacterial - microbiology; Eye Infections, Bacterial - veterinary; Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections - drug therapy; Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections - microbiology; Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections - veterinary; Horse Diseases - drug therapy; Horse Diseases - etiology; Horse Diseases - microbiology; Horses; Insecta; Ointments; Ophthalmic Solutions; Penicillins - administration & dosage; Penicillins - therapeutic use
• DOI: 10.2460/javma.1999.214.10.1519
• ISSN: 0003-1488

Microscopic examination of Gram-stained tissue specimens collected from severe corneal ulcers in 2 horses revealed large gram-positive rods suggestive of Clostridium spp. Clostridium perfringens was isolated from specimens collected from horse 1; anaerobic organisms were not detected in specimens from horse 2. Aerobic bacterial culture revealed Aeromonas hydrophila and Enterobacter cloacae in specimens collected from horses 1 and 2, respectively. An insect exoskeleton was presumed to be the underlying cause of ulceration in horse 1. Cause of ulceration in horse 2 was not determined. Antibiotics used to treat the corneal infections included ticarcillin disodium-clavulanic acid injected one time subconjunctivally and chloramphenicol applied topically at frequent intervals. Horse 2 also received penicillin or trimethoprim-sulfadiazine. Small leukomas were the only lesion remaining between 2 and 7 months after initial evaluation. Chloramphenicol applied topically appears to be an effective treatment against clostridial corneal infections in horses.