Prevalence and risk factors associated with emergence of Rhodococcus equi resistance to macrolides and rifampicin in horse-breeding farms in Kentucky, USA.
Abstract: The combination of a macrolide and rifampicin has been the mainstay of therapy in foals with Rhodococcus equi pneumonia for decades. Recent studies suggest that mass antimicrobial treatment of subclinically affected foals over time has selected for antimicrobial resistance. Our objective was to estimate the prevalence of R. equi strains resistant to macrolides and rifampicin at horse breeding farms in Kentucky. A hundred breeding farms in Kentucky were surveyed and R. equi were cultured from soil samples. Data were analyzed with logistic regression and generalized linear modeling (P < 0.05). Seventy-six percent (76%) of farms yielded resistant R. equi, and resistance to macrolides and rifampicin was associated with their use at farms. The present study is the first to report the prevalence and distribution of resistant isolates in the environment of farms in Kentucky, USA. Collectively, previous reports and the data presented herein provide irrefutable evidence of emerging antimicrobial resistance in R. equi with alarming prevalence. Widespread dissemination and maintenance of resistance genes in the environment where many other pathogenic bacteria exist is a concern for both animal and human health.
Copyright © 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Publication Date: 2019-07-10 PubMed ID: 31383308DOI: 10.1016/j.vetmic.2019.07.010Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
Summary
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This research investigates the prevalence and risk factors related to drug resistance in Rhodococcus equi, a bacteria causing pneumonia in foals, on horse breeding farms in Kentucky. It found 76% of surveyed farms had drug-resistant R. equi and its presence was linked to farms using antibiotics macrolides and rifampicin.
Objective of the Study
- The primary goal of the study was to estimate the prevalence of Rhodococcus equi strains resistant to two types of antibiotics: macrolides and rifampicin. Rhodococcus equi is a bacterium causing pneumonia in foals (young horses).
- Furthermore, the research aimed to provide insight into emerging antimicrobial resistance which is of growing concerns in both human and animal healthcare.
Methodology
- For the study, 100 horse breeding farms in Kentucky, USA were surveyed.
- R. equi samples were cultured from soil samples collected from these farms.
- The research data was then analyzed using logistics regression and generalized linear modeling with a <0.05 significance level.
Study Findings
- The appeared that a staggering 76% of the sampled farms had instances of R. equi which were resistant to macrolides and rifampicin.
- The usage of macrolides and rifampicin was found to have a direct association with the emergence of such resistant strains of the bacteria.
Significance and Implications of the Study
- The study offers the first report detailing the prevalence and distribution of antibiotic-resistant strains of R. equi in the environmental setting of horse farms in Kentucky.
- Emerging antimicrobial resistance is a major concern for both human and animal health. The fact that resistant strains of R. equi were found in areas where many other pathogenic bacteria could exist is alarming, suggesting that resistance genes could potentially spread to other bacteria.
- The findings hint towards the need for more responsible and judicious use of antibiotics in veterinary contexts to help curb the surge of drug-resistant strains of harmful bacteria.
Cite This Article
APA
Huber L, Giguère S, Cohen ND, Slovis NM, Hanafi A, Schuckert A, Berghaus L, Greiter M, Hart KA.
(2019).
Prevalence and risk factors associated with emergence of Rhodococcus equi resistance to macrolides and rifampicin in horse-breeding farms in Kentucky, USA.
Vet Microbiol, 235, 243-247.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vetmic.2019.07.010 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Large Animal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA.
- Department of Large Animal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA.
- Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA. Electronic address: ncohen@cvm.tamu.edu.
- Hagyard Equine Medical Institute, Lexington, KY, USA.
- Department of Large Animal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA.
- Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA.
- Department of Large Animal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA.
- Hagyard Equine Medical Institute, Lexington, KY, USA.
- Department of Large Animal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA.
MeSH Terms
- Actinomycetales Infections / veterinary
- Animals
- Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology
- Breeding
- Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial / genetics
- Farms
- Horse Diseases / epidemiology
- Horse Diseases / microbiology
- Horses
- Kentucky / epidemiology
- Macrolides / pharmacology
- Prevalence
- Rhodococcus equi / drug effects
- Rhodococcus equi / genetics
- Rifampin / pharmacology
- Risk Factors
Citations
This article has been cited 12 times.- 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).
- 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).
- Cohen ND, Flores-Ahlschewde P, Gonzales GM, Kahn SK, da Silveira BP, Bray JM, King EE, Blair CC, Bordin AI. Fecal concentration of Rhodococcus equi determined by quantitative polymerase chain reaction of rectal swab samples to differentiate foals with pneumonia from healthy foals.. J Vet Intern Med 2022 May;36(3):1146-1151.
- 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.
- Kahn SK, Cywes-Bentley C, Blodgett GP, Canaday NM, Turner-Garcia CE, Vinacur M, Cortez-Ramirez SC, Sutter PJ, Meyer SC, Bordin AI, Vlock DR, Pier GB, Cohen ND. Antibody activities in hyperimmune plasma against the Rhodococcus equi virulence -associated protein A or poly-N-acetyl glucosamine are associated with protection of foals against rhodococcal pneumonia.. PLoS One 2021;16(8):e0250133.
- 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.
- 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).
- 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.
- 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.
- Rakowska A, Cywinska A, Witkowski L. Current Trends in Understanding and Managing Equine Rhodococcosis.. Animals (Basel) 2020 Oct 18;10(10).
- 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).
- 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.
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