The potential value of cytokine, cortisol and vitamin D profiles in foals from birth to weaning for respiratory disease prediction on a farm endemic for Rhodococcus equi pneumonia.
Authors: Berghaus Londa J, Venner Monica, Helbig Hannah, Hildebrandt Dorothea, Hart Kelsey
Journal: Equine veterinary journal
Summary
# Editorial Summary Rhodococcus equi pneumonia remains a significant threat to foal health on endemic farms, yet marked variation in disease susceptibility and severity between individuals suggests underlying immunological differences that might be identified early. Berghaus and colleagues measured circulating cortisol, vitamin D, and key pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, TNF-α, IL-1β) in foals from birth through weaning on a farm with endemic R. equi infection, stratifying animals by age and subsequent disease status to determine whether baseline or dynamic changes in these biomarkers could predict which foals would develop pneumonia and how severely. The researchers found that vitamin D and cortisol concentrations shifted significantly with age and infection status, whilst cytokine profiles differed markedly between healthy foals and those that developed clinical pneumonia, with particular patterns appearing to correlate with disease severity. These findings suggest that serial measurement of this biomarker panel during the pre-weaning period could identify at-risk foals before overt clinical signs emerge, potentially enabling targeted intervention (dietary supplementation, housing management, or earlier antimicrobial therapy) on R. equi-endemic properties. For practitioners managing at-risk herds, this work indicates that immunological profiling alongside traditional clinical assessment might refine decision-making around foal health monitoring and prevention strategies, though further validation across different farm environments and management systems will be necessary before widespread implementation.
Read the full abstract on PubMed
Practical Takeaways
- •Baseline biomarker profiling (cortisol, vitamin D, cytokines) in neonatal foals could help identify high-risk individuals for severe Rhodococcus equi pneumonia on endemic farms
- •Early detection of altered immune/endocrine profiles may enable targeted preventive interventions or closer monitoring of susceptible foals
- •These biomarkers could complement clinical assessment to stratify disease severity and guide treatment intensity in pneumonic foals
Key Findings
- •Cortisol and vitamin D concentrations vary with age in foals from birth to weaning and may be influenced by disease status
- •Circulating cytokine profiles differ between healthy and pneumonic foals affected by Rhodococcus equi
- •Combined assessment of steroid hormones and cytokines may have predictive value for respiratory disease severity in endemic farm settings