Efficacy of azithromycin in preventing pulmonary abscesses in foals

• Published in: The veterinary journal (1997) Vol. 179; no. 2; pp. 301 - 303
• Main Authors: Venner, Monica, Reinhold, Birte, Beyerbach, Martin, Feige, Karsten
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01-02-2009
• Subjects: abscess; animal pathogenic bacteria; Animals; Animals, Newborn; Anti-Bacterial Agents - therapeutic use; antibiotics; Azithromycin; Azithromycin - therapeutic use; disease prevalence; dosage; Female; Foal; foals; horse diseases; Horse Diseases - prevention & control; Horses; Lung Abscess - prevention & control; Lung Abscess - veterinary; Lung abscesses; lungs; Male; Pneumonia; Pneumonia, Bacterial - prevention & control; Pneumonia, Bacterial - veterinary; pulmonary abscess; Random Allocation; respiratory tract diseases; Rhodococcus equi; signs and symptoms (animals and humans); temporal variation; Treatment Outcome; Pneumonia; Rhodococcus equi; Foal; Lung abscesses; Azithromycin
• ISSN: 1090-0233; 1532-2971
• DOI: 10.1016/j.tvjl.2007.10.002

The prophylactic application of azithromycin to prevent pulmonary abscesses in foals was evaluated on a stud with endemic
Rhodococcus equi pneumonia. Forty-five foals served as untreated controls in two groups. Twenty-five foals were given azithromycin (10
mg/kg) orally once daily for 4 weeks. The foals were examined once a week from birth to the age of 5 months. If clinical signs or leucocytosis were noted and pulmonary sonographic findings (diameter >10 mm) were observed, the diagnosis of abscessing pneumonia was made. The prevalence of pulmonary abscesses was similar in the control groups (31/45 foals), and in the azithromycin group (15/25 foals), but the foals in the azithromycin group were affected significantly later (median: day 83, range 67–123 days) (control groups: day 54, range 52–82; and 46, range 28–86 days). It was concluded that the application of azithromycin for 28 days post-natally does not reduce the prevalence of pulmonary abscesses in foals on a stud with endemic pneumonia.