Rhodococcus equi

Question 1

What is the oxygen requirement for R. equi?

Answer 1

Aerobic rods or Coccobacilli

Question 2

Is R. equi use Acid fast stain?

Answer 2

Yes, WEAKLY acid fast

Question 3

What kind of pathogen is R. equi?

Answer 3

Facultative intracellular pathogen

Question 4

What kind of bacteria (gram +/-) is R. equi?

Answer 4

Gram positive w/ mycolic acid in membrane (lipid rich)

Question 5

R. equi is the MAIN CAUSE of what in foals?

Answer 5

Foal Pneumonia

Question 6

Where does R. equi reside?

Answer 6

In soil and manure

Question 7

T/F: Virulence is maintain in horses

Answer 7

TRUE (non-equine hosts last virulence assoc. proteins)

Question 8

T/F: R. equi pneumonia is unclear but could be result from inappropriate Th2 rather than Th1 based immune response

Answer 8

True

Question 9

What are the virulence factors associated with R. equi?

Answer 9

• Capsule
• Virulence assoc. proteins (VAPs) promotes survival in non-activated macrophages
• Mycolic acid
• Phospholipase C

Question 10

When does R. equi cause clinical signs?

Answer 10

Pneumonia occurs in young foals 1-4 mo. old

Pulmonary infection - suppurative bronchopneumonia

Question 11

R. equi cannot be diagnosed using:

Answer 11

Feces

Question 12

What drugs are used to treat R. Equi?

Answer 12

Combination of Macrolide (erythromycin or clarithromycin) and rifampin

Question 13

Is there resistance in treatment?

Answer 13

Resistance to macro lies

Question 14

How to prevent R. equi?

Answer 14

COLOSTRUM

• dust control
• clean pasture