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Takai S, Sudo M, Sakai M, Suzuki K, Sasaki Y, Kakuda T, Suzuki Y. Isolation of Rhodococcus equi from the gastrointestinal contents of earthworms (family Megascolecidae). Lett Appl Microbiol 2021; 74:27-31. [PMID: 34608644 DOI: 10.1111/lam.13577] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2021] [Revised: 09/29/2021] [Accepted: 10/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Rhodococcus equi was isolated from the gastrointestinal contents of earthworms (family Megascolecidae) and their surrounding soil collected from pastures of two horse-breeding farms in Aomori Prefecture, outdoor pig pens, forest in Towada campus, orange groves and forest where wild boars (Sus scrofa) are established in Tanabe, Wakayama Prefecture. The number of R. equi in the lower gastrointestinal contents of 23 earthworms collected from our campus was significantly larger than that of the upper gastrointestinal content. The mean numbers of R. equi from the gastrointestinal contents of earthworms collected from the various places were 2·3-fold to 39·7-fold more than those of the surrounding soil samples. In all, 1771 isolates from the earthworms and 489 isolates from the soil samples were tested for the presence of vapA and vapB genes using polymerase chain reaction. At the horse-breeding farm N, 9 of the 109 isolates (8·3%) from the earthworms and 7 of the 106 isolates (6·6%) from the soil samples were positive for the vapA gene. At the University's forest, one of the 250 isolates (0·4%) from the gastrointestinal contents of the earthworm was positive for the vapB gene. These results revealed that R. equi can be found in significant quantities in the gastrointestinal contents of earthworms, suggesting that they act as an accumulator of R. equi in the soil environment and as a source or reservoir of animal infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Takai
- Department of Animal Hygiene, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, Kitasato University, Towada, Japan
| | - M Sudo
- Department of Animal Hygiene, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, Kitasato University, Towada, Japan
| | - M Sakai
- Department of Animal Hygiene, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, Kitasato University, Towada, Japan
| | - K Suzuki
- Hikiiwa Park Center, Tanabe, Japan
| | - Y Sasaki
- Department of Animal Hygiene, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, Kitasato University, Towada, Japan
| | - T Kakuda
- Department of Animal Hygiene, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, Kitasato University, Towada, Japan
| | - Y Suzuki
- Department of Animal Hygiene, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, Kitasato University, Towada, Japan
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Löhr CV, O'Neill TW, Daw DN, Pitel MO, Schlipf JW. Pyogranulomatous enteritis and mesenteric lymphadenitis in an adult llama caused by Rhodococcus equi carrying virulence-associated protein A gene. J Vet Diagn Invest 2019; 31:747-751. [PMID: 31272304 DOI: 10.1177/1040638719862834] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
We report herein Rhodococcus equi infection in an 11-y-old, male llama with a history of diarrhea and endoparasitism. Postmortem examination revealed granulomatous and ulcerative enteritis, pyogranulomatous mesenteric lymphadenitis, fibrinosuppurative peritonitis, and granulomatous hepatitis. Intralesional macrophages were laden with gram-positive cocci. Bacteriology identified R. equi, and cultures tested positive for R. equi choE and vapA genes by PCR. This case expands the reported spectrum of lesions associated with R. equi infections in llamas from pyogranulomatous bronchopneumonia and peripheral lymphadenitis to pyogranulomatous mesenteric lymphadenitis and enteritis. We also link a R. equi that is carrying the virulent-associated protein gene VapA to clinical disease in New World camelids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christiane V Löhr
- Oregon Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, Departments of Biomedical Sciences (Löhr, O'Neill).,Clinical Sciences (Daw, Pitel, Schlipf), Carlson College of Veterinary Medicine, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR
| | - T William O'Neill
- Oregon Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, Departments of Biomedical Sciences (Löhr, O'Neill).,Clinical Sciences (Daw, Pitel, Schlipf), Carlson College of Veterinary Medicine, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR
| | - Danielle N Daw
- Oregon Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, Departments of Biomedical Sciences (Löhr, O'Neill).,Clinical Sciences (Daw, Pitel, Schlipf), Carlson College of Veterinary Medicine, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR
| | - Mariya O Pitel
- Oregon Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, Departments of Biomedical Sciences (Löhr, O'Neill).,Clinical Sciences (Daw, Pitel, Schlipf), Carlson College of Veterinary Medicine, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR
| | - John W Schlipf
- Oregon Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, Departments of Biomedical Sciences (Löhr, O'Neill).,Clinical Sciences (Daw, Pitel, Schlipf), Carlson College of Veterinary Medicine, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR
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Lara G, Takai S, Sasaki Y, Kakuda T, Listoni F, Risseti R, de Morais A, Ribeiro M. VapB type 8 plasmids in Rhodococcus equi
isolated from the small intestine of pigs and comparison of selective culture media. Lett Appl Microbiol 2015; 61:306-10. [DOI: 10.1111/lam.12458] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2015] [Revised: 06/10/2015] [Accepted: 06/10/2015] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- G.H.B. Lara
- Department of Veterinary Hygiene and Public Health; School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science; Universidade Estadual Paulista - UNESP; Botucatu Brazil
| | - S. Takai
- Department of Animal Hygiene; School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences; Kitasato University; Towada Japan
| | - Y. Sasaki
- Department of Animal Hygiene; School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences; Kitasato University; Towada Japan
| | - T. Kakuda
- Department of Animal Hygiene; School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences; Kitasato University; Towada Japan
| | - F.J.P. Listoni
- Department of Veterinary Hygiene and Public Health; School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science; Universidade Estadual Paulista - UNESP; Botucatu Brazil
| | - R.M. Risseti
- Department of Veterinary Hygiene and Public Health; School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science; Universidade Estadual Paulista - UNESP; Botucatu Brazil
| | - A.B.C. de Morais
- Department of Veterinary Hygiene and Public Health; School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science; Universidade Estadual Paulista - UNESP; Botucatu Brazil
| | - M.G. Ribeiro
- Department of Veterinary Hygiene and Public Health; School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science; Universidade Estadual Paulista - UNESP; Botucatu Brazil
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Witkowski L, Rzewuska M, Cisek AA, Chrobak-Chmiel D, Kizerwetter-Świda M, Czopowicz M, Welz M, Kita J. Prevalence and genetic diversity of Rhodococcus equi in wild boars (Sus scrofa), roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) and red deer (Cervus elaphus) in Poland. BMC Microbiol 2015; 15:110. [PMID: 25997952 PMCID: PMC4440313 DOI: 10.1186/s12866-015-0445-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2014] [Accepted: 05/13/2015] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Rhodococcus equi is now considered an emerging zoonotic pathogen. Sources and routes of human infection remain unclear but foodborne transmission seems to be the most probable way. Strains of pig or bovine type are most often isolated from human cases and moreover R. equi is present in submaxillary lymph nodes of apparently healthy pigs and wild boars intended for human consumption. The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of R. equi in submaxillary lymph nodes in wild boars, roe deer and red deer. RESULTS Samples were collected from 936 animals and 27 R. equi strains were isolated, from 5.1 % of wild boars (23/452), 0.7 % of red deer (2/272) and 0.9 % of roe deer (2/212). Genetic diversity of all 27 isolates was studied using VspI-PFGE method, resulting in the detection of 25 PFGE patterns and four PFGE clusters. PFGE patterns of the isolates were compared with virulence plasmid types and no concordance was observed. CONCLUSIONS R. equi was present in wild animal tissues and consumption of the game may be a potential source of R. equi infection for humans. To the authors' best knowledge, this is the first epidemiological report of R. equi prevalence in tissues of roe deer and red deer. However, risk associated with wild ruminant consumption seems marginal. Investigation of R. equi transmission between animals and humans based exclusively on types of virulence plasmids seems to be insufficient to identify sources of R. equi infection for people.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucjan Witkowski
- Laboratory of Veterinary Epidemiology and Economics, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, Nowoursynowska, 159c, 02-776, Warsaw, Poland.
| | - Magdalena Rzewuska
- Department of Preclinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, Ciszewskiego 8, 02-786, Warsaw, Poland.
| | - Agata Anna Cisek
- Department of Preclinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, Ciszewskiego 8, 02-786, Warsaw, Poland.
| | - Dorota Chrobak-Chmiel
- Department of Preclinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, Ciszewskiego 8, 02-786, Warsaw, Poland.
| | - Magdalena Kizerwetter-Świda
- Department of Preclinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, Ciszewskiego 8, 02-786, Warsaw, Poland.
| | - Michał Czopowicz
- Laboratory of Veterinary Epidemiology and Economics, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, Nowoursynowska, 159c, 02-776, Warsaw, Poland.
| | - Mirosław Welz
- Voivodeship Veterinary Inspectorate in Krosno, ks. Piotra Ściegiennego 6 A, 38-400, Krosno, Poland.
| | - Jerzy Kita
- Laboratory of Veterinary Epidemiology and Economics, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, Nowoursynowska, 159c, 02-776, Warsaw, Poland.
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Characterization of Rhodococcus equi isolates from submaxillary lymph nodes of wild boars (Sus scrofa), red deer (Cervus elaphus) and roe deer (Capreolus capreolus). Vet Microbiol 2014; 172:272-8. [PMID: 24878324 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetmic.2014.04.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2014] [Revised: 04/24/2014] [Accepted: 04/26/2014] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Rhodococcus equi is a soil saprophyte and an opportunistic pathogen causing infections in animals, and rarely in humans. The presence of R. equi in tissues and faeces of some wild animal species was demonstrated previously. In this study we characterized R. equi isolates from submaxillary lymph nodes of free-living wild boars (n=23), red deer (n=2) and roe deer (n=2). This is the first description of R. equi strains isolated from tissues of the Cervidae. All isolates were initially recognized as R. equi based on the phenotypic properties. Their identification was confirmed by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry, detection of the choE gene and by sequence analysis of the 16S rRNA and rpoB genes. The presence of three plasmidic genes (traA, vapA and vapB) associated with R. equi virulence was investigated by PCR. In 16 wild boar isolates the traA and vapB genes were detected and they were located on virulence plasmids type 5, 7 or 11. The isolates from cervids and the remaining wild boar isolates were classified as avirulent based on a genotype traA(-)/vapA(-)B(-). In summary, these results confirm that wild boars can be a source of intermediately virulent R. equi strains, and indicate that red deer and roe deer can be a reservoir of avirulent R. equi strains.
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