title: Bronchopneumonia in wild boar (Sus scrofa) caused by Rhodococcus equi carrying the VapB type 8 plasmid.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Rhodococcus equi is associated with pyogranulomatous infections, especially in foals, and this bacterium has also emerged as a pathogen for humans, particularly immunocompromised patients. R. equi infections in pigs, wild boar (Sus scrofa) and humans are mainly due to strains carrying the intermediate virulence (VapB) plasmid. In Brazil, R. equi carrying the VapB type 8 plasmid is the most common type recovered from humans co-infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). R. equi infection in pigs and wild boar is restricted predominantly to the lymphatic system, without any reports of pulmonary manifestations.
  
  
  RESULTS
  This report describes the microbiological and histopathological findings, and molecular characterization of R. equi in two bronchopneumonia cases in wild boar using PCR and plasmid profile analysis by digestion with restriction endonucleases. The histological findings were suggestive of pyogranulomatous infection, and the plasmid profile of both R. equi isolates enabled the characterization of the strains as VapB type 8.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This is the first report of bronchopneumonia in wild boar due to R. equi. The detection of the VapB type 8 plasmid in R. equi isolates emphasize that wild boar may be a potential source of pathogenic R. equi strains for humans.
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, UFSM, 97105-900, Santa Maria, State of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. agueda.vargas@gmail.com
authors.forename: Agueda Castagna
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: de Vargas
authors.forename: Fernanda
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Monego
authors.forename: Letícia Trevisan
authors.initials: LT
authors.lastname: Gressler
authors.forename: Sônia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: de Avila Botton
authors.forename: Andrea Maria
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Lazzari
authors.forename: Mateus Matiuzzi
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: da Costa
authors.forename: Roselene
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ecco
authors.forename: Márcio Garcia
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Ribeiro
authors.forename: Gustavo Henrique Batista
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Lara
authors.forename: Shinji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Takai
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001996:Bronchopneumonia / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000662:veterinary*; D008168:Lung / Q000382:microbiology; D010957:Plasmids / Q000235:genetics; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D016929:Rhodococcus equi / Q000235:genetics*; D034421:Sus scrofa / Q000382:microbiology*; D013552:Swine / Q000382:microbiology; D013553:Swine Diseases / Q000382:microbiology*