Serotypes of Rhodococcus equi isolated from horses, immunocompromised human patients and soil in Hungary.
Two hundred and twelve Rhodococcus equi strains were isolated from soil, nasal and rectal swabs of horses and immunocompromised human patients in Hungary and serotyped using Prescott's serotyping system. One hundred and forty-seven strains (69.3%) belonged to serotype 1, 22 strains (10.4%) to serotype 2, 6 strains (2.8%) to serotype 3 and 1 strain (0.5%) to serotype 4. Serotypes 5, 6 and 7 were not found and 36 strains (17%) could not be typed. Serotype 1 (72%) was the type most commonly isolated from clinical samples of foals or from the soil of horse facilities. Six out of 8 R. equi strains from humans belonged to serotype 2, and two human strains were untypable. The data show that the prevalence of R. equi serotypes varies in different geographic areas of the country.
Makrai
László
L
Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Szent István University, H-1581 Budapest, P.O. Box 22, Hungary. makrai.laszlo@aotk.szie.hu
Dénes
Béla
B
Hajtós
István
I
Fodor
László
L
Varga
János
J
D000818:Animals; D006736:Horses / Q000382:microbiology*; D006801:Humans; D006814:Hungary; D016867:Immunocompromised Host / Q000276:immunology*; D010802:Phylogeny; D016929:Rhodococcus equi / Q000145:classification* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012703:Serotyping; D012988:Soil Microbiology