title: Characterization of Rhodococcus equi isolates from submaxillary lymph nodes of wild boars (Sus scrofa), red deer (Cervus elaphus) and roe deer (Capreolus capreolus).
abstract: Rhodococcus equi is a soil saprophyte and an opportunistic pathogen causing infections in animals, and rarely in humans. The presence of R. equi in tissues and faeces of some wild animal species was demonstrated previously. In this study we characterized R. equi isolates from submaxillary lymph nodes of free-living wild boars (n=23), red deer (n=2) and roe deer (n=2). This is the first description of R. equi strains isolated from tissues of the Cervidae. All isolates were initially recognized as R. equi based on the phenotypic properties. Their identification was confirmed by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry, detection of the choE gene and by sequence analysis of the 16S rRNA and rpoB genes. The presence of three plasmidic genes (traA, vapA and vapB) associated with R. equi virulence was investigated by PCR. In 16 wild boar isolates the traA and vapB genes were detected and they were located on virulence plasmids type 5, 7 or 11. The isolates from cervids and the remaining wild boar isolates were classified as avirulent based on a genotype traA(-)/vapA(-)B(-). In summary, these results confirm that wild boars can be a source of intermediately virulent R. equi strains, and indicate that red deer and roe deer can be a reservoir of avirulent R. equi strains.
authors.affiliation: Department of Preclinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, Ciszewskiego 8, 02-786 Warsaw, Poland. Electronic address: magdalena_rzewuska@sggw.pl.
authors.forename: Magdalena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rzewuska
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Veterinary Epidemiology and Economics, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, Nowoursynowska 159c, 02-776 Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Lucjan
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Witkowski
authors.affiliation: Department of Preclinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, Ciszewskiego 8, 02-786 Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Agata A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Cisek
authors.affiliation: Department of Fermentation Technology, Institute of Agricultural and Food Biotechnology, Rakowiecka 36, 02-532 Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Ilona
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Stefańska
authors.affiliation: Department of Preclinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, Ciszewskiego 8, 02-786 Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Dorota
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Chrobak
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Clinical Microbiology, National Medicines Institute, Chełmska 30/34, 00-725 Warsaw, Poland; Centre of Quality Control in Microbiology, Rydygiera 8 unit 20A, 01-793 Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Elżbieta
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Stefaniuk
authors.affiliation: Department of Preclinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, Ciszewskiego 8, 02-786 Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Magdalena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kizerwetter-Świda
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Hygiene, School of Veterinary Medicine, Kitasato University, Higashi 23-35-1, Towada, Aomori 034-8628, Japan.
authors.forename: Shinji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Takai
mesh_terms: D000193:Actinomycetales Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000635:transmission / Q000662:veterinary*; D000818:Animals; D003670:Deer / Q000382:microbiology*; D004197:Disease Reservoirs; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D006801:Humans; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000382:microbiology; D010802:Phylogeny; D011044:Poland / Q000453:epidemiology; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics*; D016929:Rhodococcus equi / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000472:pathogenicity; D034421:Sus scrofa / Q000382:microbiology*; D013552:Swine; D014774:Virulence
chemical_list: D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S
keywords: Cervids; Identification; Rhodococcus equi; Virulence; Wild Boars