Bacterial isolates and antimicrobial susceptibility patterns in tracheal wash samples from horses with equine asthma in Poland

Natalia Siwińska; Dorota Długopolska; Agnieszka Żak-Bochenek; Marzena Paszkowska; Paweł Rudzki; Ewa Kumiega; Anna Bogucka

doi:10.2478/jvetres-2026-0053

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Bacterial isolates and antimicrobial susceptibility patterns in tracheal wash samples from horses with equine asthma in Poland

Journal of Veterinary Research

AHEAD OF PRINT

By: Natalia Siwińska , Dorota Długopolska , Agnieszka Żak-Bochenek , Marzena Paszkowska , Paweł Rudzki , Ewa Kumiega and Anna Bogucka

Open Access

|Sep 2026

Abstract

Introduction

Equine asthma (EA) is a chronic inflammatory lower-airway disease. Bacterial growth from tracheal wash (TW) may occur in samples from horses with EA, but may represent colonisation rather than active infection. This study described cultivable bacterial isolates recovered from TW samples from horses with EA in Poland and assessed their antimicrobial susceptibility patterns and association with month/season of sampling and airway neutrophil percentage.

Material and Methods

In total, 165 adult horses diagnosed with EA according to American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine–based criteria underwent endoscopy, TW sampling with a double-guarded catheter and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid cytology. The samples were cultured conventionally and their bacterial content identified with MALDI-TOF MS; bacteria were tested for antimicrobial susceptibility. Associations between culture results and categorical variables were analysed using chi-squared/Fisher-type tests with Monte Carlo simulation where appropriate; effect size was reported as Cramer’s V.

Results

Culture results were positive in 117/165 horses’ samples (70.9%), and bacteria were isolated from 116/165 (70.3%). The most frequently recovered bacteria were Streptococcus equi subsp. zooepidemicus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Klebsiella pneumoniae. Culture positivity was not associated with month or season of sampling, whereas analysis of bacterial genus by month suggested a modest association (χ² = 100.72, degrees of freedom = 77, P-value = 0.036; Cramer’s V = 0.305). No clear association was observed with airway neutrophil percentage. Antimicrobial susceptibility patterns varied by organism.

Conclusion

Cultivable bacteria are frequently recovered from TW samples of horses with EA. Positive culture results should not be interpreted as evidence of bacterial infection without supporting clinical and cytological findings. Antimicrobial treatment, when clinically justified, should be guided by culture and susceptibility testing.

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Articles in this issue

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/jvetres-2026-0053 | Journal eISSN: 2450-8608 (formerly 2300-3235)

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Language: English

Submitted on: Mar 6, 2026

Accepted on: Sep 10, 2026

Published on: Sep 26, 2026

Published by: National Veterinary Research Institute in Pulawy

In partnership with: Paradigm Publishing Services

Keywords:

antimicrobial resistance,

antimicrobial susceptibility,

Related subjects:

Microbiology and virology,

Life sciences, other,

Medicine,

Veterinary medicine

© 2026 Natalia Siwińska, Dorota Długopolska, Agnieszka Żak-Bochenek, Marzena Paszkowska, Paweł Rudzki, Ewa Kumiega, Anna Bogucka, published by National Veterinary Research Institute in Pulawy
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

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