Strangles bacteria lingers on webbing headcollars and tack much more easily than on leather equipment, new research has shown.
Researchers inoculated (sprayed) Streptococcus equi — the bacteria responsible for the respiratory infection known as strangles, which has a serious impact on horse health — onto several surfaces to see how easily it could be killed with routine cleaning.
The study from the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences showed that wood, concrete and plastic can be effectively disinfected using common stable cleaning products.
However, 14 of the 16 nylon halters tested positive for the bacteria even after being machine washed at 40°C.
The heat needed to be turned up to 60°C before the bacteria was killed.
Indirect spread
Strangles is not spread through the air. The horse develops swollen lymph nodes and a thick and discoloured nasal discharge and the bacteria is spread in infected matter when the horse coughs or snorts.
It can be easily spread directly through horse-to-horse contact and indirectly, for example through contaminated equipment, handler clothing and boots.
That’s why it’s so important to scrupulously clean any items of tack and gear, as well as any areas connected to an infected horse.
The scientists sprayed wood, concrete, plastic, leather halters, leather gloves and polyester webbing halters with a culture of Streptococcus equi and three days later all materials were sampled for the bacteria.
A number of items from each material were then cleaned and sanitised. After another two days, all treated and untreated materials were sampled again.
Testing positive
After washing at 40°C and tumble drying, 14 of 16 halters were positive for strangles, however the bacteria were removed by washing at 60°C.
Leather tack and gloves came out of the study best. Streptococcus equi was unable to survive on some leather halters even before cleaning.
“Residues of products with antimicrobial effects used in the tanning process may have been a key reason for the poor survival of Streptococcus equi on the leather materials,” said lead researcher Anneli Ryden.
“It appears that routine cleaning and sanitation of most materials found in equine stables can effectively eliminate contamination by viable Streptococcus equi.
“Importantly, however, materials such as polyester webbing halters require machine washing at 60°C to eliminate viable Streptococcus equi.”
The researchers also commented that rider’s clothing and other webbing items of tack may act in the same way as the nylon halters, but may not be suitable for boil-washing.
The full study is available to view here.
Main image © Your Horse Library/Kelsey Media Ltd
