First Detection of <i>Rhodococcus equi</i> in a Foal in Bulgaria—A Case Report

This case report describes the following scenario: A 56-day-old Arabian filly presented with classical symptoms of respiratory distress and a rapidly deteriorating condition, despite intensive antimicrobial treatment, resulting in death. The post-mortem examination revealed severe bronchopneumonia w...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Betina Boneva-Marutsova, Plamen Marutsov, Katharina Kerner, Georgi Zhelev
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-07-01
Series:Animals
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/15/14/2058
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:This case report describes the following scenario: A 56-day-old Arabian filly presented with classical symptoms of respiratory distress and a rapidly deteriorating condition, despite intensive antimicrobial treatment, resulting in death. The post-mortem examination revealed severe bronchopneumonia with characteristic disseminated pus-containing nodules. Microbiological tests and PCR confirmed the presence of <i>R. equi</i> carrying the virulence-associated protein A (<i>VapA</i>) gene. The isolate was sensitive to macrolides and fluoroquinolones but showed resistance or intermediate susceptibility to several commonly used antimicrobials. This case highlights the diagnostic and therapeutic challenges posed by this intracellular pathogen and emphasizes the importance of early detection, targeted therapy, and biosecurity measures—especially in the absence of an effective commercial vaccine.
ISSN:2076-2615