FREE SHIPPING over $40
OVER 9000 FIVE-STAR REVIEWS
5% OFF ALL SUBSCRIPTIONS
100% HAPPINESS GUARANTEE
Analyze Diet
0
Home / Equine Research Bank / J Vet Intern Med / Diagnosis, treatment, control, and prevention of infections ...
Journal of veterinary internal medicine2011; 25(6); 1209-1220; doi: 10.1111/j.1939-1676.2011.00835.x

Diagnosis, treatment, control, and prevention of infections caused by Rhodococcus equi in foals.

Abstract: Rhodococcus equi, a gram-positive facultative intracellular pathogen, is one of the most common causes of pneumonia in foals. Although R. equi can be cultured from the environment of virtually all horse farms, the clinical disease in foals is endemic at some farms, sporadic at others, and unrecognized at many. On farms where the disease is endemic, costs associated with morbidity and mortality attributable to R. equi may be very high. The purpose of this consensus statement is to provide recommendations regarding the diagnosis, treatment, control, and prevention of infections caused by R. equi in foals.
Copyright © 2011 by the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine.
Get Full Text
Publication Date: 2011-11-01 PubMed ID: 22092608DOI: 10.1111/j.1939-1676.2011.00835.xGoogle Scholar: Lookup
The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
LinkedInCopy
  • Journal Article

Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

This research paper provides guidelines for diagnosing, treating, preventing and controlling infections in foals caused by Rhodococcus equi, a common cultivable pathogen found at horse farms that often leads to pneumonia.

Abstract Summary

Rhodococcus equi is a bacteria that widely exists in horse farms’ environments and is one of the common causes of pneumonia in foals. Notably, the impact and prevalence of this disease vary by farm: it’s endemic in some, sporadic in others, and completely unobserved in many. In circumstances where the disease is pervasive, the potential financial implications due to the resultant foals’ health issues could be significant. This research paper aims to provide comprehensive recommendations about diagnosing, treating, preventing, and controlling R. equi infections in foals.

Detailed Explanation

Rhodococcus equi and its Impact

  • Rhodococcus equi is a gram-positive, facultative intracellular pathogen that can cause serious illness in foals, particularly pneumonia, which can be life-threatening.
  • While R. equi bacteria can be cultured from virtually every horse farm’s environment, there are vast disparities in the incidence of associative disease. On some farms, foal illness caused by R. equi is endemic—ubiquitous and continuously present. On other farms, cases of infection are sporadic, cropping up from time to time but not a constant presence. There are also those farms where infections of R. equi in foals are completely unrecognized.
  • In instances where R. equi associated diseases are endemic, the cost implications can be heavily burdensome. The financial strain comes from the manifold issues attributable to R. equi, which range from the costs of treating ill foals to the potential economic loss from mortality.

Detection and Treatment of R. equi

  • The research paper focuses on devising methods for effective diagnosis and treatment of R. equi infections, which are crucial for limiting its impact and controlling its spread. An accurate diagnosis can lead to immediate and effective treatment, reducing the likelihood of severe complications or mortality.
  • Treatment methods would likely focus on antibiotic therapies to combat the bacterial infection, as well as supportive care to strengthen the foal’s overall health and wellness to fend off potential subsequent infections.

Prevention and Control of R. equi Infections

  • The paper underscores the necessity of robust preventive measures for R. equi infections. Given the ubiquitous presence of R. equi bacteria in horse farm environments, it’s important to implement farm-wide strategies that limit the foal’s exposure to the bacteria.
  • The researchers also highlight the need for routine infection control practices to hinder the spread of pathogens across the farm. This can include regular sterilization of equipment and facilities, as well as the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) by farmhands.

Cite This Article

APA
Giguère S, Cohen ND, Chaffin MK, Slovis NM, Hondalus MK, Hines SA, Prescott JF. (2011). Diagnosis, treatment, control, and prevention of infections caused by Rhodococcus equi in foals. J Vet Intern Med, 25(6), 1209-1220. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1939-1676.2011.00835.x

Publication

Journal of veterinary internal medicine
ISSN: 1939-1676
NlmUniqueID: 8708660
Country: United States
Language: English
Volume: 25
Issue: 6
Pages: 1209-1220

Researcher Affiliations

Giguère, S
  • Department of Large Animal Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA. gigueres@uga.edu
Cohen, N D
    Chaffin, M Keith
      Slovis, N M
        Hondalus, M K
          Hines, S A
            Prescott, J F

              MeSH Terms

              • Actinomycetales Infections / microbiology
              • Actinomycetales Infections / therapy
              • Actinomycetales Infections / veterinary
              • Animals
              • Anti-Bacterial Agents / blood
              • Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacokinetics
              • Anti-Bacterial Agents / therapeutic use
              • Biological Availability
              • Half-Life
              • Horse Diseases / microbiology
              • Horses
              • Microbial Sensitivity Tests
              • Rhodococcus equi

              Citations

              This article has been cited 41 times.
              1. Knox A, Zerna G, Beddoe T. Current and Future Advances in the Detection and Surveillance of Biosecurity-Relevant Equine Bacterial Diseases Using Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification (LAMP).. Animals (Basel) 2023 Aug 18;13(16).
                doi: 10.3390/ani13162663pubmed: 37627456google scholar: lookup
              2. Zúñiga MP, Badillo E, Abalos P, Valencia ED, Marín P, Escudero E, Galecio JS. Antimicrobial susceptibility of Rhodococcus equi strains isolated from foals in Chile.. World J Microbiol Biotechnol 2023 Jun 22;39(9):231.
                doi: 10.1007/s11274-023-03677-2pubmed: 37347336google scholar: lookup
              3. Palmisano M, Javsicas L, McNaughten J, Gamsjäger L, Renaud DL, Gomez DE. Effect of plasma transfusion on serum amyloid A concentration in healthy neonatal foals and foals with failure of transfer of passive immunity.. J Vet Intern Med 2023 Mar;37(2):697-702.
                doi: 10.1111/jvim.16647pubmed: 36825688google scholar: lookup
              4. Song Y, Day CM, Afinjuomo F, Tan JE, Page SW, Garg S. Advanced Strategies of Drug Delivery via Oral, Topical, and Parenteral Administration Routes: Where Do Equine Medications Stand?. Pharmaceutics 2023 Jan 4;15(1).
                doi: 10.3390/pharmaceutics15010186pubmed: 36678815google scholar: lookup
              5. Rakowska A, Marciniak-Karcz A, Bereznowski A, Cywińska A, Żychska M, Witkowski L. Less Typical Courses of Rhodococcus equi Infections in Foals.. Vet Sci 2022 Oct 31;9(11).
                doi: 10.3390/vetsci9110605pubmed: 36356082google scholar: lookup
              6. Bollig ER, Granick JL, Webb TL, Ward C, Beaudoin AL. A quarterly Survey of antibiotic prescribing in small animal and equine practices-Minnesota and North Dakota, 2020.. Zoonoses Public Health 2022 Nov;69(7):864-874.
                doi: 10.1111/zph.12979pubmed: 35643964google scholar: lookup
              7. Narváez SÁ, Fernández I, Patel NV, Sánchez S. Novel Quantitative PCR for Rhodococcus equi and Macrolide Resistance Detection in Equine Respiratory Samples.. Animals (Basel) 2022 May 3;12(9).
                doi: 10.3390/ani12091172pubmed: 35565598google scholar: lookup
              8. Nielsen SS, Bicout DJ, Calistri P, Canali E, Drewe JA, Garin-Bastuji B, Gonzales Rojas JL, Gortázar C, Herskin M, Michel V, Miranda Chueca MÁ, Padalino B, Pasquali P, Roberts HC, Spoolder H, Ståhl K, Velarde A, Viltrop A, Winckler C, Baldinelli F, Broglia A, Kohnle L, Alvarez J. Assessment of listing and categorisation of animal diseases within the framework of the Animal Health Law (Regulation (EU) No 2016/429): antimicrobial-resistant Rhodococcus equi in horses.. EFSA J 2022 Feb;20(2):e07081.
                doi: 10.2903/j.efsa.2022.7081pubmed: 35136423google scholar: lookup
              9. Patterson Rosa L, Mallicote MF, MacKay RJ, Brooks SA. Ion Channel and Ubiquitin Differential Expression during Erythromycin-Induced Anhidrosis in Foals.. Animals (Basel) 2021 Nov 25;11(12).
                doi: 10.3390/ani11123379pubmed: 34944156google scholar: lookup
              10. Erol E, Scortti M, Fortner J, Patel M, Vázquez-Boland JA. Antimicrobial Resistance Spectrum Conferred by pRErm46 of Emerging Macrolide (Multidrug)-Resistant Rhodococcus equi.. J Clin Microbiol 2021 Sep 20;59(10):e0114921.
                doi: 10.1128/JCM.01149-21pubmed: 34319806google scholar: lookup
              11. Álvarez-Narváez S, Huber L, Giguère S, Hart KA, Berghaus RD, Sanchez S, Cohen ND. Epidemiology and Molecular Basis of Multidrug Resistance in Rhodococcus equi.. Microbiol Mol Biol Rev 2021 May 19;85(2).
                doi: 10.1128/MMBR.00011-21pubmed: 33853933google scholar: lookup
              12. Bordin AI, Cohen ND, Giguère S, Bray JM, Berghaus LJ, Scott B, Johnson R, Hook M. Host-directed therapy in foals can enhance functional innate immunity and reduce severity of Rhodococcus equi pneumonia.. Sci Rep 2021 Jan 28;11(1):2483.
                doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-82049-ypubmed: 33510265google scholar: lookup
              13. Álvarez-Narváez S, Giguère S, Cohen N, Slovis N, Vázquez-Boland JA. Spread of Multidrug-Resistant Rhodococcus equi, United States.. Emerg Infect Dis 2021 Feb;27(2):529-537.
                doi: 10.3201/eid2702.203030pubmed: 33496218google scholar: lookup
              14. Rakowska A, Cywinska A, Witkowski L. Current Trends in Understanding and Managing Equine Rhodococcosis.. Animals (Basel) 2020 Oct 18;10(10).
                doi: 10.3390/ani10101910pubmed: 33081047google scholar: lookup
              15. Álvarez-Narváez S, Giguère S, Berghaus LJ, Dailey C, Vázquez-Boland JA. Horizontal Spread of Rhodococcus equi Macrolide Resistance Plasmid pRErm46 across Environmental Actinobacteria.. Appl Environ Microbiol 2020 Apr 17;86(9).
                doi: 10.1128/AEM.00108-20pubmed: 32169935google scholar: lookup
              16. Álvarez-Narváez S, Berghaus LJ, Morris ERA, Willingham-Lane JM, Slovis NM, Giguere S, Cohen ND. A Common Practice of Widespread Antimicrobial Use in Horse Production Promotes Multi-Drug Resistance.. Sci Rep 2020 Jan 22;10(1):911.
                doi: 10.1038/s41598-020-57479-9pubmed: 31969575google scholar: lookup
              17. Álvarez-Narváez S, Giguère S, Anastasi E, Hearn J, Scortti M, Vázquez-Boland JA. Clonal Confinement of a Highly Mobile Resistance Element Driven by Combination Therapy in Rhodococcus equi.. mBio 2019 Oct 15;10(5).
                doi: 10.1128/mBio.02260-19pubmed: 31615959google scholar: lookup
              18. Willingham-Lane JM, Berghaus LJ, Berghaus RD, Hart KA, Giguère S. Effect of Macrolide and Rifampin Resistance on Fitness of Rhodococcus equi during Intramacrophage Replication and In Vivo.. Infect Immun 2019 Oct;87(10).
                doi: 10.1128/IAI.00281-19pubmed: 31331959google scholar: lookup
              19. Folmar CN, Cywes-Bentley C, Bordin AI, Rocha JN, Bray JM, Kahn SK, Schuckert AE, Pier GB, Cohen ND. In vitro evaluation of complement deposition and opsonophagocytic killing of Rhodococcus equi mediated by poly-N-acetyl glucosamine hyperimmune plasma compared to commercial plasma products.. J Vet Intern Med 2019 May;33(3):1493-1499.
                doi: 10.1111/jvim.15511pubmed: 31034109google scholar: lookup
              20. Rocha JN, Dangott LJ, Mwangi W, Alaniz RC, Bordin AI, Cywes-Bentley C, Lawhon SD, Pillai SD, Bray JM, Pier GB, Cohen ND. PNAG-specific equine IgG(1) mediates significantly greater opsonization and killing of Prescottella equi (formerly Rhodococcus equi) than does IgG(4/7).. Vaccine 2019 Feb 21;37(9):1142-1150.
                doi: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2019.01.028pubmed: 30691984google scholar: lookup
              21. Huber L, Giguère S, Slovis NM, Carter CN, Barr BS, Cohen ND, Elam J, Erol E, Locke SJ, Phillips ED, Smith JL. Emergence of Resistance to Macrolides and Rifampin in Clinical Isolates of Rhodococcus equi from Foals in Central Kentucky, 1995 to 2017.. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2019 Jan;63(1).
                doi: 10.1128/AAC.01714-18pubmed: 30373803google scholar: lookup
              22. Oliver-Espinosa O. Foal Diarrhea: Established and Postulated Causes, Prevention, Diagnostics, and Treatments.. Vet Clin North Am Equine Pract 2018 Apr;34(1):55-68.
                doi: 10.1016/j.cveq.2017.11.003pubmed: 29395727google scholar: lookup
              23. Tirosh-Levy S, Gürbilek SE, Tel OY, Keskin O, Steinman A. Seroprevalence of Rhodococcus equi in horses in Israel.. J S Afr Vet Assoc 2017 Jun 26;88(0):e1-e6.
                doi: 10.4102/jsava.v88i0.1508pubmed: 28697612google scholar: lookup
              24. Rutenberg D, Venner M, Giguère S. Efficacy of Tulathromycin for the Treatment of Foals with Mild to Moderate Bronchopneumonia.. J Vet Intern Med 2017 May;31(3):901-906.
                doi: 10.1111/jvim.14717pubmed: 28421633google scholar: lookup
              25. McQueen CM, Whitfield-Cargile CM, Konganti K, Blodgett GP, Dindot SV, Cohen ND. TRPM2 SNP genotype previously associated with susceptibility to Rhodococcus equi pneumonia in Quarter Horse foals displays differential gene expression identified using RNA-Seq.. BMC Genomics 2016 Dec 5;17(1):993.
                doi: 10.1186/s12864-016-3345-3pubmed: 27919223google scholar: lookup
              26. Rofe AP, Davis LJ, Whittingham JL, Latimer-Bowman EC, Wilkinson AJ, Pryor PR. The Rhodococcus equi virulence protein VapA disrupts endolysosome function and stimulates lysosome biogenesis.. Microbiologyopen 2017 Apr;6(2).
                doi: 10.1002/mbo3.416pubmed: 27762083google scholar: lookup
              27. Giguère S, Berghaus LJ, Miller CD. Clinical Assessment of a Point-of-Care Serum Amyloid A Assay in Foals with Bronchopneumonia.. J Vet Intern Med 2016 Jul;30(4):1338-43.
                doi: 10.1111/jvim.13978pubmed: 27296082google scholar: lookup
              28. Giles C, Ndi O, Barton MD, Vanniasinkam T. An Adenoviral Vector Based Vaccine for Rhodococcus equi.. PLoS One 2016;11(3):e0152149.
                doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0152149pubmed: 27008624google scholar: lookup
              29. Madrigal RG, Shaw SD, Witkowski LA, Sisson BE, Blodgett GP, Chaffin MK, Cohen ND. Use of Serial Quantitative PCR of the vapA Gene of Rhodococcus equi in Feces for Early Detection of R. equi Pneumonia in Foals.. J Vet Intern Med 2016 Mar-Apr;30(2):664-70.
                doi: 10.1111/jvim.13828pubmed: 26806422google scholar: lookup
              30. Cohen ND, Giguère S, Burton AJ, Rocha JN, Berghaus LJ, Brake CN, Bordin AI, Coleman MC. Use of Liposomal Gentamicin for Treatment of 5 Foals with Experimentally Induced Rhodococcus equi Pneumonia.. J Vet Intern Med 2016 Jan-Feb;30(1):322-5.
                doi: 10.1111/jvim.13810pubmed: 26692327google scholar: lookup
              31. Fenton CS, Buckley TC. Minimum inhibitory concentrations of erythromycin and rifampin for Rhodococcus equi during the years 2007-2014.. Ir Vet J 2015;68:23.
                doi: 10.1186/s13620-015-0051-4pubmed: 26445669google scholar: lookup
              32. Shaw SD, Cohen ND, Chaffin MK, Blodgett GP, Syndergaard M, Hurych D. Estimating the Sensitivity and Specificity of Real-Time Quantitative PCR of Fecal Samples for Diagnosis of Rhodococcus equi Pneumonia in Foals.. J Vet Intern Med 2015 Nov-Dec;29(6):1712-7.
                doi: 10.1111/jvim.13631pubmed: 26436545google scholar: lookup
              33. Whitfield-Cargile CM, Cohen ND, Suchodolski J, Chaffin MK, McQueen CM, Arnold CE, Dowd SE, Blodgett GP. Composition and Diversity of the Fecal Microbiome and Inferred Fecal Metagenome Does Not Predict Subsequent Pneumonia Caused by Rhodococcus equi in Foals.. PLoS One 2015;10(8):e0136586.
                doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0136586pubmed: 26305682google scholar: lookup
              34. Cohen ND, Slovis NM, Giguère S, Baker S, Chaffin MK, Bernstein LR. Gallium maltolate as an alternative to macrolides for treatment of presumed Rhodococcus equi pneumonia in foals.. J Vet Intern Med 2015 May-Jun;29(3):932-9.
                doi: 10.1111/jvim.12595pubmed: 25868480google scholar: lookup
              35. Burton AJ, Giguère S, Berghaus LJ, Hondalus MK. Activity of clarithromycin or rifampin alone or in combination against experimental Rhodococcus equi infection in mice.. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2015;59(6):3633-6.
                doi: 10.1128/AAC.04941-14pubmed: 25824218google scholar: lookup
              36. Okoko T, Blagova EV, Whittingham JL, Dover LG, Wilkinson AJ. Structural characterisation of the virulence-associated protein VapG from the horse pathogen Rhodococcus equi.. Vet Microbiol 2015 Aug 31;179(1-2):42-52.
                doi: 10.1016/j.vetmic.2015.01.027pubmed: 25746683google scholar: lookup
              37. Hildebrand F, Venner M, Giguère S. Efficacy of gamithromycin for the treatment of foals with mild to moderate bronchopneumonia.. J Vet Intern Med 2015 Jan;29(1):333-8.
                doi: 10.1111/jvim.12504pubmed: 25619521google scholar: lookup
              38. Cohen ND, Bourquin JR, Bordin AI, Kuskie KR, Brake CN, Weaver KB, Liu M, Felippe MJ, Kogut MH. Intramuscular administration of a synthetic CpG-oligodeoxynucleotide modulates functional responses of neutrophils of neonatal foals.. PLoS One 2014;9(10):e109865.
                doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0109865pubmed: 25333660google scholar: lookup
              39. McQueen CM, Doan R, Dindot SV, Bourquin JR, Zlatev ZZ, Chaffin MK, Blodgett GP, Ivanov I, Cohen ND. Identification of genomic loci associated with Rhodococcus equi susceptibility in foals.. PLoS One 2014;9(6):e98710.
                doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0098710pubmed: 24892408google scholar: lookup
              40. Bordin AI, Suchodolski JS, Markel ME, Weaver KB, Steiner JM, Dowd SE, Pillai S, Cohen ND. Effects of administration of live or inactivated virulent Rhodococccus equi and age on the fecal microbiome of neonatal foals.. PLoS One 2013;8(6):e66640.
                doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0066640pubmed: 23785508google scholar: lookup
              41. Kachroo P, Ivanov I, Seabury AG, Liu M, Chowdhary BP, Cohen ND. Age-related changes following in vitro stimulation with Rhodococcus equi of peripheral blood leukocytes from neonatal foals.. PLoS One 2013;8(5):e62879.
                doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0062879pubmed: 23690962google scholar: lookup
              Subscribe to our newsletter
              Join 99,344 horse owners like you who receive our email updates on horse health and nutrition.