Evaluation of a Botulinum Toxoid, Type B, for the Prevention of Shaker Foal Syndrome

摘要

Shaker foal syndrome (SFS) is a highly fatal toxicoinfectious form of botulism occurring most often in horses 2 to 8 weeks of age. Clinically SFS is an acute neuromuscular paralytic disease having an incidence among thoroughbred foals in the area around Lexington, Kentucky of 25-30 cases per year. Clostridium botulinum, type B, has been isolated repeatedly from the feces of affected foals and the symptoms of SFS have been reproduced in foals experimentally inoculated with type B botulinum toxin. Fourteen thoroughbred broodmares, stabled in an SFS endemic area and on farms having a history of repeated instances of SFS, were immunized during the third trimester of gestation with 3 doses of an experimental lot of type B botulinum toxoid. SFS did not occur in foals of immunized mares, while SFS did occur among foals of nonimmunized mares stabled on the same and adjacent farms.