The In Vitro Effect of Ozone Therapy Against Equine Pythium insidiosum.
Authors: Ferreira Jair Camargo, Pires Regina Helena, Costa Guilherme Barbosa da, Carrijo Bruna Nonato, Guiotto Francine Gabriela, Rodrigues Viviani Silva
Journal: Journal of equine veterinary science
Summary
# Editorial Summary: Ozone Therapy Against Equine Pythium insidiosum Pythiosis represents a significant therapeutic challenge in equine medicine, with limited effective treatment options available; this in vitro investigation examined whether ozone therapy could effectively inactivate *Pythium insidiosum* isolates from horses using multiple delivery methods and exposure protocols. Researchers tested ozonated water, ozonated sunflower oils with varying peroxide indices, and gaseous ozone at concentrations ranging from 32–72 μg O₃ mL⁻¹, applying single or multiple exposures over 5–30 minute intervals across four separate experiments, with pathogen viability assessed through culture over a 14-day period. Ozonated sunflower oil with high peroxide content demonstrated germicidal activity, whilst gaseous ozone required either multiple exposures or exposure durations ≥15 minutes to completely inactivate the organism, with shorter 5-minute exposures resulting in continued pathogen growth—suggesting exposure duration and frequency are critical parameters for efficacy. Although these promising in vitro findings warrant further investigation, practitioners should note that translation to clinical use remains experimental; controlled clinical trials evaluating tissue tolerance, penetration depth, and efficacy in naturally infected lesions are essential before ozone therapy can be recommended as an adjunctive treatment for equine pythiosis in field conditions.
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Practical Takeaways
- •Ozone therapy may offer a viable antimicrobial treatment option for equine pythiosis, with multiple short exposures appearing more effective than single treatments
- •Treatment duration matters significantly—exposures of 15 minutes or longer were needed to suppress pathogen growth, while 5-minute treatments were insufficient
- •Ozonated sunflower oil products with high peroxide content could represent an alternative or complementary topical therapy for pythiosis in horses, though clinical efficacy studies are needed
Key Findings
- •Ozonated sunflower oil with high peroxide index demonstrated germicidal action against P. insidiosum
- •Multiple exposures (three times) to O3 gas at 72 μg O3 mL⁻¹ successfully inactivated the pathogen
- •O3 gas treatments ≥15 minutes suppressed pathogen development regardless of concentration, while 5-minute exposures resulted in progressive growth
- •O3 therapy showed germicidal action independent of gas concentration tested (32, 52, or 72 μg O3 mL⁻¹)