New Therapy Could Combat Persistent Joint Infections in Horses

Researchers at North Carolina State University have developed a PRP lysate that, when teamed with antibiotics, can eradicate bacterial biofilms common in joint infections.
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New Therapy Could Combat Persistent Joint Infections in Horses
North Carolina State University's horse herd supplied the blood for this study. | Photo: Courtesy Morris Animal Foundation%22 ;

A new therapy could combat persistent joint infections in horses, potentially saving them from years of pain. Morris Animal Foundation-funded researchers at North Carolina State University have developed a platelet-rich plasma (PRP) lysate that, when teamed with antibiotics, can eradicate bacterial biofilms common in joint infections. The therapy could also be applied to other species, including humans and dogs. The team presented their findings in the Journal of Orthopaedic Research.

“This could really provide a more effective way of clearing a joint infection quickly so that the horse does not suffer long-term consequences of joint damage,” said Lauren Schnabel, DVM, PhD, Dipl. ACVS, ACVSMR, associate professor of equine orthopedic surgery at North Carolina State University, a primary investigator of the study. “For any horse’s well-being, it’s important to make them as comfortable as possible, as quickly as possible to avoid laminitis and other complications.”

Horses are more prone to joint infections than other animals due to their predominantly outdoor, active lifestyles coupled with a lack of tissue protection over their lower limb joints. Any wound near a joint, regardless of its size, requires immediate veterinary attention. Left untreated, it can be life-threatening

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