Animal Health and Infectious Diseases

Animal Health and Infectious Diseases

A case report of a foal with diarrhea caused by Proteus bacteria

Document Type : Case Report

Authors
Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Urmia University, Daneshgah Blvd, Urmia, West Azerbaijan, Iran
10.22034/jahid.2025.2054351.1046
Abstract
In foals, diarrhea is a significant health concern that can be attributed to various nutritional, management, infectious, and other factors. This study was conducted to investigate a case of diarrhea caused by Proteus bacteria in a foal. The foal with diarrhea was recorded according to its age, sex, and breed, and the sample was transferred to the microbiology laboratory on ice. The samples were then cultured in McConkie medium under both aerobic and anaerobic conditions at 37°C. Following the appearance of bacterial colonies, identification was performed using biochemical tests and polymerase chain reaction targeting the 16S rRNA gene. To definitively confirm the isolated bacteria, the reaction product was sequenced, revealing that the isolated bacteria was the causative agent of Proteus diarrhea. The accession number of the identified Proteus bacteria in GenBank is OQ455941. In light of these findings, it can be concluded that Proteus may be a contributing factor to foal diarrhea, underscoring its potential public health significance.
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  • Receive Date 26 February 2026
  • Revise Date 12 November 2025
  • Accept Date 05 December 2025
  • First Publish Date 05 December 2025
  • Publish Date 22 December 2025