Article: Brittle tail syndrome is an emerging infection in horses caused by a keratinolytic fungus Equicapillimyces hongkongensis gen. nov., sp. nov
| Title | Brittle tail syndrome is an emerging infection in horses caused by a keratinolytic fungus Equicapillimyces hongkongensis gen. nov., sp. nov | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Authors | Wong, SSY2 Ngan, AHY2 Riggs, CM Teng, JLL2 Choi, GKY2 Poon, RWS2 Hui, JJY1 Low, FJ Luk, A Yuen, KY2 | ||||||||||
| Keywords | Dermatophyte Horses Keratinolytic | ||||||||||
| Issue Date | 2012 | ||||||||||
| Publisher | Elsevier BV. The Journal's web site is located at http://www.elsevier.com/locate/vetmic | ||||||||||
| Citation | Veterinary Microbiology, 2012, v. 155 n. 2-4, p. 399-408 [How to Cite?] DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.vetmic.2011.09.024 | ||||||||||
| Abstract | The newly described brittle tail syndrome causes weakening and breakage of the tail hair of horses. Extensive mycological and molecular studies showed that a novel fungus Equicapillimyces hongkongensis gen. nov., sp. nov. is the most likely cause of this syndrome. It is a septate branching hyaline mould which grows optimally at 30 °C, requires nicotinic acid but is inhibited by cycloheximide, and specifically infects horse hair. Hyphae fill the core of infected hair shafts with short-necked structures resembling ascomata containing banana-shaped septate ascospore-like structures perforating the hair cortex from within. Compared to asymptomatic horses (n= 31), horses with clinical signs of the syndrome (n= 22) are significantly more likely to have positive E. hongkongensis gen. nov., sp. nov. smear (6.5% vs. 100%), culture (6.5% vs. 72.7%), and PCR (32.3% vs. 100%, P< 0.001 for all). No other potential pathogens were found on bacteriological and mycological culture or PCR (for Trichophyton, Microsporum and Epidermophyton). Genotyping of pure E. hongkongensis gen. nov., sp. nov. isolates and their corresponding direct specimens by PCR and sequencing of the 18S rRNA, ITS1-5.8S-ITS2, 28S rRNA, beta-actin, beta-tubulin, and elongation factor 1 alpha showed that they are all identical but unique, and related distantly to fungi mostly in the class Sordariomycetes and the family Ophiostomataceae. Its geographical distribution, environmental or animal reservoirs are still unknown. Besides the ugly appearance of infected horse tails, this fungus may emerge as another equine pathogen if it affects the skin and hoof of horses. © 2011 Elsevier B.V. | ||||||||||
| ISSN | 0378-1135 2011 Impact Factor: 3.327 2011 SCImago Journal Rankings: 0.179 | ||||||||||
| DOI | http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.vetmic.2011.09.024 | ||||||||||
| ISI Accession Number ID | WOS:000301626800038
Funding Information: We are most indebted to Mr Kam-Chu Han for his efforts in the preparation of the histology slides. The authors are grateful to the support from the staff of the Hong Kong Jockey Club and the Department of Microbiology, Queen Mary Hospital. The study is partially funded by the Ted Sun Foundation, the Clinical Infectious Diseases Research Endowment Fund from Ms. Teresa Wong On Yik, and the commissioned block grant of the Research Fund for the Control of Infectious Diseases of the Food and Health Bureau of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China. | ||||||||||
| References | References in Scopus |
| dc.contributor.author | Wong, SSY | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| dc.contributor.author | Ngan, AHY | ||||||||||
| dc.contributor.author | Riggs, CM | ||||||||||
| dc.contributor.author | Teng, JLL | ||||||||||
| dc.contributor.author | Choi, GKY | ||||||||||
| dc.contributor.author | Poon, RWS | ||||||||||
| dc.contributor.author | Hui, JJY | ||||||||||
| dc.contributor.author | Low, FJ | ||||||||||
| dc.contributor.author | Luk, A | ||||||||||
| dc.contributor.author | Yuen, KY | ||||||||||
| dc.date.accessioned | 2012-08-08T08:52:11Z | ||||||||||
| dc.date.available | 2012-08-08T08:52:11Z | ||||||||||
| dc.date.issued | 2012 | ||||||||||
| dc.description.abstract | The newly described brittle tail syndrome causes weakening and breakage of the tail hair of horses. Extensive mycological and molecular studies showed that a novel fungus Equicapillimyces hongkongensis gen. nov., sp. nov. is the most likely cause of this syndrome. It is a septate branching hyaline mould which grows optimally at 30 °C, requires nicotinic acid but is inhibited by cycloheximide, and specifically infects horse hair. Hyphae fill the core of infected hair shafts with short-necked structures resembling ascomata containing banana-shaped septate ascospore-like structures perforating the hair cortex from within. Compared to asymptomatic horses (n= 31), horses with clinical signs of the syndrome (n= 22) are significantly more likely to have positive E. hongkongensis gen. nov., sp. nov. smear (6.5% vs. 100%), culture (6.5% vs. 72.7%), and PCR (32.3% vs. 100%, P< 0.001 for all). No other potential pathogens were found on bacteriological and mycological culture or PCR (for Trichophyton, Microsporum and Epidermophyton). Genotyping of pure E. hongkongensis gen. nov., sp. nov. isolates and their corresponding direct specimens by PCR and sequencing of the 18S rRNA, ITS1-5.8S-ITS2, 28S rRNA, beta-actin, beta-tubulin, and elongation factor 1 alpha showed that they are all identical but unique, and related distantly to fungi mostly in the class Sordariomycetes and the family Ophiostomataceae. Its geographical distribution, environmental or animal reservoirs are still unknown. Besides the ugly appearance of infected horse tails, this fungus may emerge as another equine pathogen if it affects the skin and hoof of horses. © 2011 Elsevier B.V. | ||||||||||
| dc.description.nature | Link_to_subscribed_fulltext | ||||||||||
| dc.identifier.citation | Veterinary Microbiology, 2012, v. 155 n. 2-4, p. 399-408 [How to Cite?] DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.vetmic.2011.09.024 | ||||||||||
| dc.identifier.citeulike | 9857023 | ||||||||||
| dc.identifier.doi | http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.vetmic.2011.09.024 | ||||||||||
| dc.identifier.epage | 408 | ||||||||||
| dc.identifier.isi | WOS:000301626800038
Funding Information: We are most indebted to Mr Kam-Chu Han for his efforts in the preparation of the histology slides. The authors are grateful to the support from the staff of the Hong Kong Jockey Club and the Department of Microbiology, Queen Mary Hospital. The study is partially funded by the Ted Sun Foundation, the Clinical Infectious Diseases Research Endowment Fund from Ms. Teresa Wong On Yik, and the commissioned block grant of the Research Fund for the Control of Infectious Diseases of the Food and Health Bureau of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China. | ||||||||||
| dc.identifier.issn | 0378-1135 2011 Impact Factor: 3.327 2011 SCImago Journal Rankings: 0.179 | ||||||||||
| dc.identifier.issue | 2-4 | ||||||||||
| dc.identifier.scopus | eid_2-s2.0-84857049808 | ||||||||||
| dc.identifier.spage | 399 | ||||||||||
| dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/10722/157678 | ||||||||||
| dc.identifier.volume | 155 | ||||||||||
| dc.language | eng | ||||||||||
| dc.publisher | Elsevier BV. The Journal's web site is located at http://www.elsevier.com/locate/vetmic | ||||||||||
| dc.publisher.place | Netherlands | ||||||||||
| dc.relation.ispartof | Veterinary Microbiology | ||||||||||
| dc.relation.references | References in Scopus | ||||||||||
| dc.subject | Dermatophyte | ||||||||||
| dc.subject | Horses | ||||||||||
| dc.subject | Keratinolytic | ||||||||||
| dc.title | Brittle tail syndrome is an emerging infection in horses caused by a keratinolytic fungus Equicapillimyces hongkongensis gen. nov., sp. nov | ||||||||||
| dc.type | Article |
Author Affiliations
- PathLab Medical Laboratories Ltd.
- The University of Hong Kong