Distribution of Rhodococcus equi in animals, birds and from the environment

Authors: Hodges RT, Carman MG
Publication: New Zealand Veterinary Journal, Volume 35, Issue 7, pp 114-115, Jul 1987
Publisher: Taylor and Francis

Animal type: Avian, Cat, Companion animal, Dog, Livestock
Subject Terms: Bacterial, Biosecurity, Disease surveillance, Epidemiology, Disease/defect, Infectious disease
Article class: Correspondence

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Abstract: As well as causing sporadic infections in animals, Rhodococcus (Corynebacterium) equi has been isolated from the gastro-intestinal tract of healthy grazing animals and from the environment. R. equi has been isolated in this laboratory from cattle and pigs in association with tuberculosis-like lesions and from lungs and abscesses from horses and deer. The introduction of a selective medium (NANAT) has improved the reliability of isolating R. equi from faecal samples and was used during an investigation of the relationships between R. equi and Strongyloides westeri in equine infections. Following this survey, a study of the occurrence of R. equi in faeces of various species, water and soils in the Waikato area was undertaken during the summer of 1981/82. Faecal samples were collected and submitted from different properties except that: a) rabbit faeces were from pets owned by laboratory staff; b) sheep faeces were from those submitted to a local meat works; c) bird droppings were collected from public park asphalt, concrete or wooden seats with saline-moistened swabs. Moist faeces were swabbed directly onto one half of a plate of NANAT medium. The remainder of the plate was streaked to obtain discrete colonies…

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