Biomaterial Database

Disseminated Rhodococcus equi infection in dromedary camels (Camelus dromedarius). 2011

J Kinne, and H Madarame, and S Takai, and S Jose, and U Wernery

Central Veterinary Research Laboratory (CVRL), POB 597, Dubai, United Arab Emirates. jkinne@cvrl.ae

Rhodococcus (R). equi, a recognized pathogen in horses, is emerging as a human opportunistic pathogen, especially in immunocompromized people. It affects also New World camelids, but there are no reports of R. equi infection in Old World camelids yet. Four cases of disseminated R. equi infection in adult breeding dromedaries occurred at one camel farm near Dubai within 16 months of each other. At necropsy the lungs were diffusely consolidated with large caseous areas. Histology revealed severe suppurative to necrotising pneumonia with multiple encapsulated abscesses. Immunohistochemistry enabled the detection of 15- to 17-kDa antigens (VapA) of R. equi in the lung sections. High numbers of R. equi were isolated from the lung lesions as well as from liver, spleen and mediastinal lymph nodes, indicative of septicaemia. The isolated strains were PCR-positive for the specific virulence plasmid (VapA-Gen) of R. equi, indicating virulent strains and containing an 85-kb type I plasmid. This is the first report of disseminated R. equi infection in Old World camelids. Since adult camels in general do not suffer from bacterial caused pneumonia (except tuberculosis), this is a new emerging disease for camels.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008099	Liver	A large lobed glandular organ in the abdomen of vertebrates that is responsible for detoxification, metabolism, synthesis and storage of various substances.	Livers
D008168	Lung	Either of the pair of organs occupying the cavity of the thorax that effect the aeration of the blood.	Lungs
D008169	Lung Abscess	Solitary or multiple collections of PUS within the lung parenchyma as a result of infection by bacteria, protozoa, or other agents.	Abscess, Pulmonary,Abscesses, Pulmonary,Pulmonary Abscess,Pulmonary Abscesses,Abscess, Lung,Abscesses, Lung,Lung Abscesses
D010957	Plasmids	Extrachromosomal, usually CIRCULAR DNA molecules that are self-replicating and transferable from one organism to another. They are found in a variety of bacterial, archaeal, fungal, algal, and plant species. They are used in GENETIC ENGINEERING as CLONING VECTORS.	Episomes,Episome,Plasmid
D002162	Camelus	Two-toed, hoofed mammals with four legs, a big-lipped snout, and a humped back belonging to the family Camelidae. They are native to North Africa, and Western and Central Asia.	Camels,Dromedary,Bactrian Camels,Bractrian Camels,Camelus bactrianus,Camelus dromedarius,Bactrian Camel,Bractrian Camel,Camel,Camel, Bactrian,Camel, Bractrian,Camels, Bactrian,Camels, Bractrian,Dromedaries
D005260	Female		Females
D000193	Actinomycetales Infections	Infections with bacteria of the order ACTINOMYCETALES.	Actinomycete Infections,Infections, Actinomycetales,Infections, Actinomycete,Actinomycetales Infection,Actinomycete Infection,Infection, Actinomycetales,Infection, Actinomycete
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D001426	Bacterial Proteins	Proteins found in any species of bacterium.	Bacterial Gene Products,Bacterial Gene Proteins,Gene Products, Bacterial,Bacterial Gene Product,Bacterial Gene Protein,Bacterial Protein,Gene Product, Bacterial,Gene Protein, Bacterial,Gene Proteins, Bacterial,Protein, Bacterial,Proteins, Bacterial
D014479	United Arab Emirates	A federation of seven states on the southeast portion of the Arabian peninsula: Abu Dhabi, Ajman, Dubai, Fujairah, Ras al-Khaimah, Sharjah and Umm al-Qaiwain. In 1820 a treaty of peace was concluded between Great Britain and native rulers. During the 19th century the rulers agreed to suppression of the slave trade and restriction of foreign relations to Great Britain. The Trucial Council was established in 1952 and defense treaties with Great Britain terminated. In 1971 an independent six-member federation was formed, with Ras al-Khaimah joining the federation in 1972. (From Webster's New Geographical Dictionary, 1988, p1250)	Abu Dhabi,Trucial States