Rhodococcus equi is a multi-host pathogen that infects a range of animals as well as immune-compromised humans. Equine and porcine isolates harbour a virulence plasmid encoding a homologous family of virulence-associated proteins associated with the capacity of R. equi to divert the normal processes of endosomal maturation, enabling bacterial survival and proliferation in alveolar macrophages. ...

The prevalence of intermediately virulent Rhodococcus equi isolates from pig submaxillary lymph nodes from four slaughterhouses in Nakhonpathom province, Thailand, was investigated. The isolates were tested for the presence of virulence plasmids and the 20-kDa virulence-associated protein antigen (VapB) gene by PCR. Of the 734 submaxillary lymph nodes tested, 19 (2.6%) produced positive culture...

The bacterial strain RB1 has been isolated by enrichment cultivation with 2,4-dinitrophenol as the sole nitrogen, carbon, and energy source and characterized, on the basis of 16S rRNA gene sequence comparison, as a Rhodococcus species closely related to Rhodococcus opacus. Rhodococcus sp. strain RB1 degrades 2,4-dinitrophenol, releasing the two nitro groups from the compound as nitrite. The rel...

Rhodococcus equi has emerged as a serious pathogen in immunocompromised patients, including solid organ transplant recipients. Primary pulmonary involvement is the most common presentation. However, this opportunistic pathogen is often not considered in the differential diagnosis of pneumonia in transplant recipients. Furthermore, in cultures, Rhodococcus can be misinterpreted by microbiologist...

New desulfurizing bacteria able to convert dibenzothiophene into 2-hydroxybiphenyl and sulfate were isolated from contaminated soils collected in Mexican refineries. Random amplified polymorphic DNA analysis showed they were different from previously reported Rhodococcus erythropolis desulfurizing strains. According to 16S rRNA gene sequencing and fatty acid analyses, these new isolates belonge...

Procedure – A proprietary formulation of ATCC 33701 Rhodococcus equi known to contain the virulence plasmid was developed and tested on 72 horses. Antibody levels to Rhodococcus equi Virulence associated protein A (VapA) were determined relative to a Standard Plasma. A clinical trial was performed on 28 foals. Seven foals were administered hyperimmune plasma and seven foals were administered pu...

A Rhodococcus sp. isolated from contaminated river sediment was investigated to determine if the isolate could degrade high molecular mass polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. The Rhodococcus sp. was able to utilize anthracene (53%), phenanthrene (31%), pyrene (13%), and fluoranthene (5%) as sole source of carbon and energy, but not naphthalene or chrysene. In a study of the degradation of anthrac...

The req_39680 gene, associated to a putative efflux system, was detected in 60% (54/90) of R. equi isolates by PCR. The phenotypic expression of efflux mechanism was verified in 20% of the isolates using ethidium bromide. For the first time, the expression of efflux mechanism was demonstrated in R. equi.

Bacteriophage-encoded proteins which inhibit or modify cellular components may contribute to antibacterial drug discovery by allowing the identification of novel targets. Given their abundance and diversity, phages may have various strategies in host inhibition and therefore may possess a variety of such proteins. Using Rhodococcus equi and phage YF1, we show that a single phage possesses numer...

Background & Aims of the Study: Rhodococci according to possess large genome, their active metabolism and survival under extreme conditions, are highly regarded for biodegradation and bioremediation of different pollutants especially heavy metals in the environment. Biofilms are more resistant to heavy metals than free-swimming organisms. The aim of this study was biofilm forma...