Plasma metabolome of healthy and Rhodococcus equi-infected foals over time.
Authors: Sanclemente Jorge L, Rivera-Velez Sol M, Horohov David W, Dasgupta Nairanjana, Sanz Macarena G
Journal: Equine veterinary journal
Summary
# Editorial Summary: Plasma Metabolome in R. equi Infection Rhodococcus equi pneumonia presents a significant challenge on endemic farms because roughly 20% of infected foals progress to clinical disease, yet early identification of high-risk individuals remains elusive—leading to widespread prophylactic antibiotic use in animals that may never develop clinical signs. Using plasma metabolomic profiling, Sanclemente and colleagues tracked biochemical changes in healthy foals and those with R. equi infection over an extended period, generating a comprehensive temporal map of metabolic alterations associated with infection status. The researchers identified specific metabolite patterns that distinguish infected foals from healthy controls and tracked how these signatures evolved as infection progressed, offering potential biomarkers for risk stratification. These metabolic fingerprints could enable clinicians to identify which foals with subclinical ultrasonographic lesions warrant aggressive intervention versus those likely to self-resolve, ultimately reducing unnecessary antibiotic exposure whilst protecting high-risk individuals. For practitioners managing foals on R. equi-endemic properties, this work suggests a pathway towards more precision-based treatment protocols grounded in objective biochemical evidence rather than current blanket approaches.
Read the full abstract on PubMed
Practical Takeaways
- •Metabolomic biomarkers could help identify which foals with subclinical R. equi lesions actually need antibiotic treatment, reducing unnecessary antimicrobial use on endemic farms
- •This approach may prevent unnecessary treatment of the ~80% of foals with ultrasonographic lesions that would not progress to clinical disease
- •Implementing metabolomic screening could improve selective medication strategies while maintaining animal welfare on R. equi-endemic operations
Key Findings
- •Plasma metabolomic profiling can identify candidate biomarkers to distinguish healthy foals from R. equi-infected foals with pulmonary ultrasonographic lesions
- •Metabolomic signatures change over time in infected foals, potentially reflecting disease progression
- •Early biomarker identification may enable targeted antibiotic treatment strategies in ~20% of at-risk foals that would develop clinical pneumonia