Proliferative enteropathy (PE), which is caused by Lawsonia intracellularis, has been recently described in young horses. The majority of horse PE cases have been reported in North America. Despite the fact that PE in swine has a worldwide distribution, there has not been any report of this disease in horse in Latin America yet. Therefore, it is very likely that L. intracellularis has been neglected on diagnosis of diarrhea in weanling foals. This review highlights general aspects about the infection, including etiology, epidemiology, pathogenesis, clinical signs, gross and histological lesions, diagnosis and treatment, and warns about the potential importance of L. intracellularis as possible causative agent of diarrhea in weanling foals.
Proliferative enteropathy; horses; Lawsonia intracellularis
