Aspiration From Dysphagia Associated With the Presence of Pantoea agglomerans in a Horse

Pantoea agglomerans is a gram-negative bacterium that usually lives in symbiosis in soil and plants. However, it may also lead to serious diseases in plants, animals and humans. We describe a case of aspiration from dysphagia associated with the isolation of P. agglomerans in a horse admitted to an Italian hospital. The patient was presented to the hospital for the onset of chronic cough after an acute episode of pulmonary hemorrhage during a race recorded two months before and was treated with dexamethasone and penicillin. The cough was accentuated during meals, leading to a suspicion of aspiration from dysphagia. A bronchoalveolar lavage was collected, and cytological examination showed the presence of vegetable fibers, rod bacteria, and a high macrophage population (89%). From the tracheal wash collected for bacteriological culture, P. agglomerans was isolated in monoculture, and the antimicrobial susceptibility test revealed that the isolate was susceptible to all tested antimicrobials except sulfonamide. The horse recovered well after 10 days of enrofloxacin treatment. The present report highlights the role of P. agglomerans as an opportunistic respiratory pathogen in horses, especially in the presence of plants or their parts.