Bronchopneumonia in wild boar (Sus scrofa) caused by Rhodococcus equi carrying the VapB type 8 plasmid

Intermediately virulent (VapB) is a common plasmid-type harboured by R. equi isolated from pigs and humans with AIDS. Curiously, humans with rhodococcosis usually have no history of contact with pigs or pig farms. Virulence-plasmid profile of 40 R. equi isolated among 150 small intestine content samples from pigs revelled two carrying isolates with the VapB type-8 plasmids. Moreover, comparison of three selective culture media shows that CAZ-NB was the best. Our results provide evidence that contamination of slaughtered pig carcasses with pathogenic R. equi might occur through faeces, representing a public health concern. Furthermore, R. equi carrying VapB type-8 plasmids types are described for the first time in the gut of the pig.

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“…) and in pneumonia in wild boars (de Vargas et al . ). In addition to the lymph nodes content (Ribeiro et al .…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 97%

VapB type 8 plasmids in Rhodococcus equi isolated from the small intestine of pigs and comparison of selective culture media

Lara

Takaı̈

Sasaki

et al. 2015

Lett Appl Microbiol

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“…Moreover, contrary to Poland, wild boars in Brazil are not wildlife but animals exotic for local fauna, kept on commercial farms in semi-extensive conditions. Clinical cases of pulmonary infection caused by R. equi were described in wild boars only in Brazil [ 22 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Recently, R. equi isolation from lymphatic tissues has also been described in Poland [ 21 ]. Furthermore, the case of bronchopneumonia in wild boars caused by R. equi was reported in 2013 in Brazil [ 22 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Prevalence and genetic diversity of Rhodococcus equi in wild boars (Sus scrofa), roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) and red deer (Cervus elaphus) in Poland

et al. 2015

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BackgroundRhodococcus 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.ResultsSamples 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.ConclusionsR. 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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“…2014), and the case of bronchopneumonia in wild boars caused by R. equi was also reported in Brazil (de Vargas et al . 2013). Wild boars are omnivores, and they eat almost anything, including nuts, acorns, seeds, roots, fruit, rodents, small reptiles and earthworms (Baubet and Ropert‐Coudert 2003).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Isolation of Rhodococcus equi from the gastrointestinal contents of earthworms (family Megascolecidae)

Takaı̈

Sudo

Sakai

et al. 2021

Letters Applied Microbiology

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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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Bronchopneumonia in wild boar (Sus scrofa) caused by Rhodococcus equi carrying the VapB type 8 plasmid

Cited by 6 publications

References 22 publications

VapB type 8 plasmids in Rhodococcus equi isolated from the small intestine of pigs and comparison of selective culture media

VapB type 8 plasmids in Rhodococcus equi isolated from the small intestine of pigs and comparison of selective culture media

Prevalence and genetic diversity of Rhodococcus equi in wild boars (Sus scrofa), roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) and red deer (Cervus elaphus) in Poland

Isolation of Rhodococcus equi from the gastrointestinal contents of earthworms (family Megascolecidae)

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