Rhodococcus equi: challenges to treat infection

Foal pneumonia, always a challenge to treat, Is getting even harder as multidrug resistance is becoming more prevalent.
DrO

Rhodococcus equi: challenges to treat infections and to mitigate antimicrobial resistance
J Equine Vet Sci. 2023 Jun 7;104845. doi: 10.1016/j.jevs.2023.104845. Online ahead of print.
Authors
Courtney Higgins 1 , Laura Huber 2
Affiliations

1 Department of Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn University, 1130 Wire Road, Auburn, Alabama, USA 36832. Electronic address: cmh0101@auburn.edu.
2 Department of Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn University, 1130 Wire Road, Auburn, Alabama, USA 36832. Electronic address: lzh0067@auburn.edu.

PMID: 37295760
DOI: 10.1016/j.jevs.2023.104845

Abstract

Rhodococcus equi, a gram-positive facultative intracellular pathogen and a soil saprophyte, is one of the most common causes of pneumonia in young foals. It poses a threat to the economy in endemic horse-breeding farms and to animal welfare annually. Many farms use thoracic ultrasonographic screening and antimicrobial treatment of subclinically affected foals as a preventive measure against severe R. equi infections. The wide use antimicrobials to treat subclinically affected foals has contributed to the emergence of multidrug resistant (MDR)-R. equi in both clinical isolates from sick foals and in the environment of horse-breeding farms. Alternatives to treat foals infected with MDR-R. equi are scarce and the impact of the emergence of MDR-R. equi in the environment of farms is still unknown. The aim of this review is to discuss the emergence of MDR-R. equi in the United States and the challenges faced to guide antimicrobial use practices. Reduction of antimicrobial use at horse-breeding farms is essential for the preservation of antimicrobial efficacy and, ultimately, human, animal, and environmental health.

Keywords: Antimicrobial resistance; Equine; One Health; Rhodococcus equi.