Ulcerative, granulomatous glossitis and enteritis caused by Rhodococcus equi in a heifer.
Abstract: infection in horses is common and is characterized by pyogranulomatous pneumonia and ulcerative enterocolitis. clinical disease in cattle, however, is rare and typically manifests as granulomatous lymphadenitis discovered in the abattoir. A 19-mo-old female Santa Gertrudis had a history of intermittent inappetence and weight loss for a 3-mo period before euthanasia. Gross and histologic examination revealed severe, chronic, ulcerative, and granulomatous inflammation in the tongue, pharynx, and small intestine. Also, the heifer had severe, granulomatous pharyngeal and mesenteric lymphadenitis. Bacterial cultures from the ileum, tongue, and liver yielded numerous-to-moderate numbers of . PCR analysis of the isolate detected the linear virulence plasmid , which is often identified in bovine isolates (- and -positive). The bacteria also lack the circular plasmids and that are associated with virulence in horses and swine, respectively. We report herein an atypical and unusual clinical presentation of infection in cattle, which has zoonotic potential.
Publication Date: 2019-07-26 PubMed ID: 31347467PubMed Central: PMC6727123DOI: 10.1177/1040638719867120Google 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.
- Case Reports
- 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 article reveals an unusual case in a heifer where a typically horse-related bacteria, Rhodococcus equi, caused a number of severe health issues such as chronic inflammation in various parts of the body, significant weight loss and intermittent inappetence leading to euthanasia.
Background on Bacterial Infections
- In normal circumstances, Rhodococcus equi is a type of bacteria particularly common in horses. It’s known for causing pyogranulomatous pneumonia and ulcerative enterocolitis in the usual host.
- Infections caused by this bacteria in cattle is considered rare, and when it happens, it tends to cause granulomatous lymphadenitis (a condition related to the lymph nodes).
Case Study of Infected Heifer
- The focus of the study is a 19-month-old Santa Gertrudis cow who exhibited significant health concerns before her euthanasia.
- Issues observed included weight loss and intermittent inappetence over a period of three months.
- Physical examination both before and after the death revealed severe and chronic inflammation across the tongue, pharynx and small intestine.
- The cow also suffered from severe granulomatous pharyngeal (throat) and mesenteric (part of the intestine) lymphadenitis.
Bacterial Cultures and Analysis
- The researchers cultured bacterial samples from different parts of the cow’s body, including the tongue and liver, and found a noticeably larger number of Rhodococcus equi bacteria present.
- They further conducted a PCR analysis which detected a specific virulence factor specific to bovine isolates, a linear plasmid named ‘vapA’.
- According to their research, the Rhodococcus equi bacteria affecting the cow did not possess two circular plasmids known’>pVapB and ‘pVapC’. These are typically associated with virulence in horses and pigs, respectively.
Significance of the Study
- This research provides important insights into an atypical type of bacterial infection in cattle and its observed effects.
- Notably, the analysis reveals Rhodococcus equi’s capability to cause severe illness in animals outside of its typical host, stressing on its potential zoonotic threat, i.e., its ability to jump from animals to humans.
Cite This Article
APA
Saied AA, Bryan LK, Bolin DC.
(2019).
Ulcerative, granulomatous glossitis and enteritis caused by Rhodococcus equi in a heifer.
J Vet Diagn Invest, 31(5), 783-787.
https://doi.org/10.1177/1040638719867120 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, Department of Veterinary Sciences, College of Agriculture Food & Environment, University of Kentucky, Lexington KY (Saied, Bolin).
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX (Bryan).
- Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, Department of Veterinary Sciences, College of Agriculture Food & Environment, University of Kentucky, Lexington KY (Saied, Bolin).
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX (Bryan).
- Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, Department of Veterinary Sciences, College of Agriculture Food & Environment, University of Kentucky, Lexington KY (Saied, Bolin).
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX (Bryan).
MeSH Terms
- Actinomycetales Infections / diagnosis
- Actinomycetales Infections / microbiology
- Actinomycetales Infections / veterinary
- Animals
- Cattle
- Cattle Diseases / diagnosis
- Cattle Diseases / microbiology
- Enteritis / diagnosis
- Enteritis / microbiology
- Enteritis / veterinary
- Fatal Outcome
- Female
- Glossitis / diagnosis
- Glossitis / microbiology
- Glossitis / veterinary
- Granuloma / diagnosis
- Granuloma / microbiology
- Granuloma / veterinary
- Rhodococcus equi / isolation & purification
- Ulcer / diagnosis
- Ulcer / microbiology
- Ulcer / veterinary
Conflict of Interest Statement
The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.
References
This article includes 20 references
- Bryan LK, Alexander ER, Lawhon SD, Cohen ND. Detection of vapN in Rhodococcus equi isolates cultured from humans.. PLoS One 2018;13(1):e0190829.
- Flynn O, Quigley F, Costello E, O'Grady D, Gogarty A, Mc Guirk J, Takai S. Virulence-associated protein characterisation of Rhodococcus equi isolated from bovine lymph nodes.. Vet Microbiol 2001 Feb 12;78(3):221-8.
- Ladrón N, Fernández M, Agüero J, González Zörn B, Vázquez-Boland JA, Navas J. Rapid identification of Rhodococcus equi by a PCR assay targeting the choE gene.. J Clin Microbiol 2003 Jul;41(7):3241-5.
- Letek M, Ocampo-Sosa AA, Sanders M, Fogarty U, Buckley T, Leadon DP, González P, Scortti M, Meijer WG, Parkhill J, Bentley S, Vázquez-Boland JA. Evolution of the Rhodococcus equi vap pathogenicity island seen through comparison of host-associated vapA and vapB virulence plasmids.. J Bacteriol 2008 Sep;190(17):5797-805.
- MacArthur I, Anastasi E, Alvarez S, Scortti M, Vázquez-Boland JA. Comparative Genomics of Rhodococcus equi Virulence Plasmids Indicates Host-Driven Evolution of the vap Pathogenicity Island.. Genome Biol Evol 2017 May 1;9(5):1241-1247.
- Nakagawa R, Moki H, Hayashi K, Ooniwa K, Tokuyama K, Kakuda T, Yoshioka K, Takai S. A case report on disseminated Rhodococcus equi infection in a Japanese black heifer.. J Vet Med Sci 2018 May 18;80(5):819-822.
- Ocampo-Sosa AA, Lewis DA, Navas J, Quigley F, Callejo R, Scortti M, Leadon DP, Fogarty U, Vazquez-Boland JA. Molecular epidemiology of Rhodococcus equi based on traA, vapA, and vapB virulence plasmid markers.. J Infect Dis 2007 Sep 1;196(5):763-9.
- Prescott JF. Rhodococcus equi: an animal and human pathogen.. Clin Microbiol Rev 1991 Jan;4(1):20-34.
- Puthucheary SD, Sangkar V, Hafeez A, Karunakaran R, Raja NS, Hassan HH. Rhodococcus equi--an emerging human pathogen in immunocompromized hosts: a report of four cases from Malaysia.. Southeast Asian J Trop Med Public Health 2006 Jan;37(1):157-61.
- Quinn PJ. Corynebacterium species and Rhodococcus equi. In: Concise Review of Veterinary Microbiology. 2nd ed. Chichester, West Sussex, UK: Wiley, 2016:40–42.
- Ribeiro MG, Lara GHB, da Silva P, Franco MMJ, de Mattos-Guaraldi AL, de Vargas APC, Sakate RI, Pavan FR, Colhado BS, Portilho FVR, Motta RG, Kakuda T, Takai S. Novel bovine-associated pVAPN plasmid type in Rhodococcus equi identified from lymph nodes of slaughtered cattle and lungs of people living with HIV/AIDS.. Transbound Emerg Dis 2018 Apr;65(2):321-326.
- Stranahan LW, Plumlee QD, Lawhon SD, Cohen ND, Bryan LK. Rhodococcus equi Infections in Goats: Characterization of Virulence Plasmids.. Vet Pathol 2018 Mar;55(2):273-276.
- Takai S, Imai Y, Fukunaga N, Uchida Y, Kamisawa K, Sasaki Y, Tsubaki S, Sekizaki T. Identification of virulence-associated antigens and plasmids in Rhodococcus equi from patients with AIDS.. J Infect Dis 1995 Nov;172(5):1306-11.
- Takai S, Tharavichitkul P, Takarn P, Khantawa B, Tamura M, Tsukamoto A, Takayama S, Yamatoda N, Kimura A, Sasaki Y, Kakuda T, Tsubaki S, Maneekarn N, Sirisanthana T, Kirikae T. Molecular epidemiology of Rhodococcus equi of intermediate virulence isolated from patients with and without acquired immune deficiency syndrome in Chiang Mai, Thailand.. J Infect Dis 2003 Dec 1;188(11):1717-23.
- Uzal F. Alimentary system. In: Maxie MG, ed. Jubb, Kennedy, and Palmer’s Pathology of Domestic Animals. 6th ed. Vol. 2 St. Louis, MO: Elsevier, 2016:18–19.
- Valero-Rello A, Hapeshi A, Anastasi E, Alvarez S, Scortti M, Meijer WG, MacArthur I, Vázquez-Boland JA. An Invertron-Like Linear Plasmid Mediates Intracellular Survival and Virulence in Bovine Isolates of Rhodococcus equi.. Infect Immun 2015 Jul;83(7):2725-37.
- Van Etta LL, Filice GA, Ferguson RM, Gerding DN. Corynebacterium equi: a review of 12 cases of human infection.. Rev Infect Dis 1983 Nov-Dec;5(6):1012-8.
- Vázquez-Boland JA, Giguère S, Hapeshi A, MacArthur I, Anastasi E, Valero-Rello A. Rhodococcus equi: the many facets of a pathogenic actinomycete.. Vet Microbiol 2013 Nov 29;167(1-2):9-33.
- Venner M, Rödiger A, Laemmer M, Giguère S. Failure of antimicrobial therapy to accelerate spontaneous healing of subclinical pulmonary abscesses on a farm with endemic infections caused by Rhodococcus equi.. Vet J 2012 Jun;192(3):293-8.
- Witkowski L, Rzewuska M, Takai S, Kizerwetter-Świda M, Kita J. Molecular epidemiology of Rhodococcus equi in slaughtered swine, cattle and horses in Poland.. BMC Microbiol 2016 May 27;16:98.
Citations
This article has been cited 3 times.- Żychska M, Witkowski L, Klementowska A, Rzewuska M, Kwiecień E, Stefańska I, Czopowicz M, Szaluś-Jordanow O, Mickiewicz M, Moroz A, Bonecka J, Kaba J. Rhodococcus equi-Occurrence in Goats and Clinical Case Report. Pathogens 2021 Sep 4;10(9).
- Takai S, Yoshida E, Isomura M, Kawakami T, Torii S, Kato S, Takamura Y, Hiraiwa S, Sato R, Takahashi K, Suzuki Y. Rhodococcus equi infection in Japanese Black Cattle in Japan: 12 case reports and literature review. J Vet Med Sci 2025 Dec 3;87(12):1473-1479.
- Yu X, Wu H, Chai H, Zhao D, Peng W, Ji F, Zhang L, Lv R. Moderate Reduction in Dietary Net Energy Level Enhances Intestinal Health in Tunchang Pigs via Gut Microbiota Modulation. Animals (Basel) 2025 Sep 28;15(19).
Use Nutrition Calculator
Check if your horse's diet meets their nutrition requirements with our easy-to-use tool Check your horse's diet with our easy-to-use tool
Talk to a Nutritionist
Discuss your horse's feeding plan with our experts over a free phone consultation Discuss your horse's diet over a phone consultation
Submit Diet Evaluation
Get a customized feeding plan for your horse formulated by our equine nutritionists Get a custom feeding plan formulated by our nutritionists
