Virulence plasmids in clinical isolates of Rhodococcus equi from sick foals in the Netherlands

Abstract

Significance and Impact of the Study Rhodococcus equi is a bacterial pathogen well-known to cause pyogranulomatous pneumonia and lung abscesses in foals aged less than 6 months. This study showed that the virulent R. equi strains harbouring a virulence plasmid of 85-kb type I or 87-kb type I, which have been detected in clinical isolates from five European countries, are widespread in the Netherlands, and a new variant of pVAPA 52 kb was identified. This is the first report of plasmid types of clinical R. equi isolates in the Netherlands.