Molecular epidemiology of Rhodococcus equi of intermediate virulence isolated from patients with and without acquired immune deficiency syndrome in Chiang Mai, Thailand.
We investigated the prevalence of virulent Rhodococcus equi in clinical isolates from 69 sporadic cases (60 men, 8 women, and 1 patient of unknown sex) in Chiang Mai, Thailand, between 1993 and 2001. Fifty were human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) positive, 3 were HIV negative, and HIV status was unknown for 16. Fifty-two (75%) of 69 isolates were strains of intermediate virulence that contained the virulence-associated 20-kDa antigen, and 17 isolates (25%) were avirulent. No virulent strains with the virulence-associated 15-17-kDa antigens were identified. R. equi was isolated from HIV-positive patients' houses and those of their neighbors: avirulent strains were widespread, but only 1 strain of intermediate virulence was isolated. R. equi strains of intermediate virulence were isolated from 4 (0.8%) of 500 submaxillary lymph nodes from apparently healthy pigs in Chiang Mai. The routes of R. equi acquisition should be investigated from the viewpoint of zoonosis and public health.
Takai
Shinji
S
Department of Animal Hygiene, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, Kitasato University, Towada, Aomori, Japan. takai@vmas.kitasato-u.ac.jp.
Tharavichitkul
Prasit
P
Takarn
Piyawan
P
Khantawa
Banyoung
B
Tamura
Mami
M
Tsukamoto
Azusa
A
Takayama
Saki
S
Yamatoda
Noriko
N
Kimura
Ayumi
A
Sasaki
Yukako
Y
Kakuda
Tsutomu
T
Tsubaki
Shiro
S
Maneekarn
Niwat
N
Sirisanthana
Thira
T
Kirikae
Teruo
T
D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000382:microbiology*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000382:microbiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016929:Rhodococcus equi / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D012988:Soil Microbiology; D013552:Swine / Q000382:microbiology; D014774:Virulence