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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.
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Summary
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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
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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).
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