Molecular identification of Streptococcus equi subsp. equi and Streptococcus equi subsp. zooepidemicus in nasal swabs samples from horses suffering respiratory infections in Iran

The objective of this study was to evaluate the existence of Streptococcus equi subsp. equi and Streptococcus equi subsp. zooepidemicus as probable agents associated with naturally occurring infection of the equine upper respiratory disease in Mashhad area. Nasal swabs samples from thirty horses with upper respiratory tract infections were collected. The bacteria isolated and identified were Streptococcus equi subsp. equi (1 isolate), Streptococcus equi subsp. zooepidemicus (25 isolates), Pasteurella sp. (11 isolates), Staphylococcus sp. (17 isolates), Bacillus sp. (4 isolates), Pseudomonas sp. (4 isolates), Proteus sp. (1 isolate), Neisseria sp. (1 isolate) and E. coli (1 isolate). All 25 isolates of Streptococcus equi subsp. zooepidemicus and the isolate of Streptococcus equi subsp. equi were characterized by biochemical tests and molecular techniques. For molecular identification of the subspecies S. equi and S. zooepidemicus two genomic region SeM and sodA were amplified. This study is the first report of molecular identification of Streptococcus equi subsp. equi and Streptococcus equi subsp. zooepidemicus in Iran.