Question: Llamas and equine strangles
Date:
Subject: Llama Question
My question is in regard to the horse disease called strangles. I have been researching online and have not been able to find any information as to the possibility of llamas contracting it. Can llamas become infected with strangles?
Answer:
Strangles in horses is caused by an organism called streptococcus equi. To my knowledge llamas can not get strangles. That is not to say that if you injected the organism directly into your llama or if you put the purulent material (pus) draining from a horse strangles abcess into an open wound that a llama couldn't get a local infection/abcess. But, they are not going to get a condition that looks like equine strangles from an equine. If your llama has a condition that looks like equine strangles, it is likely a different organism or problem. If you are concerned because your llama is sharing space with horses that are sick with strangles or you are considering vaccinating with the equine strangles vaccine, I see no reason for you to worry or vaccinate (assuming your llama is in good health). That is not to say that a llama can not get an infection caused by other streptococcus organisms. Streptococcus bacteria are very common and some of them can cause infections in your llama. Also, if your llama is very sick, very young, very old, or immunocompromised for other reasons, then he/she might be susceptible to illness caused by organisms that would normally be no problem at all.
I am sending our messages to Dr. David Anderson for his additional comments. If he has any, I will certainly share them with you as well.
Thank you for writing and please let me know if you have any further questions.
Tracy J Miesner, DVM
ICI Associate Director
Although Strep equi has been cultured from a few abscesses in camelids, they do not get the "strangles" disease of horses. What is more common is Strep zooepidemicus which causes what the South Americans refer to as "Alpaca Fever". If you have a horse with strangles, prudence would suggest keeping the horse separated from the llamas until the infection has been resolved.
David E Anderson,