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Rhodococcus equi, qPCR

Name: Rhodococcus equi, qPCR
Brand: Equigerminal
Price: 55.35 EUR

Test that looks for Rhodococcus equi, the germ that gives young foals pneumonia. Pathogen test The PCR test detects the genome (DNA) of...

€55.35 Inkl. mva.

About

The PCR test detects thegenome (DNA)of the Rhodococcus equi, the pathogen responsible for Pneumonia.

Rhodococcus equi, a Gram‐positive facultative intracellular pathogen, is one of the most common causes of pneumonia in foals. Rhodococcus equi is a very well recognized pathogen in horses – it is a common cause of pneumonia in foalsbetween the ages of 1-6 months, and infection is also sometimes associated with other problems such as diarrheas, swollen joints and abscesses in other parts of the body. The infection can be very difficult to treat because the bacteria are able to live inside white blood cells, which helps protect them from the body’s immune system, and because they often cause abscesses to form, which are difficult for antibiotics to penetrate. Rhodococcus equi infection in foals has been studied extensively, but there’s still a lot we don’t know how the body defends itself against this organism.

Why test?

Testing is recommended to:

Diagnose Rhodococcus equi pneumonia in foals.
Investigate respiratory disease and poor performance.
Support early treatment before severe lung damage develops.
Differentiate R. equi from other respiratory pathogens.
Improve disease management on breeding farms.

Clinical signs

Clinical signs commonly include:

Fever
Increased respiratory rate
Cough
Nasal discharge
Difficulty breathing
Reduced appetite
Lethargy
Poor growth or weight gain

Advanced cases may also develop joint infections, uveitis, diarrhoea or abdominal abscesses.

Transmission

Foals become infected primarily by inhaling dust contaminated with virulent Rhodococcus equi present in the environment. The bacterium is commonly found in soil and manure on breeding farms. Direct horse-to-horse transmission is considered uncommon.

Prevention

In the absence of an effective vaccine, control and prevention of the disease at farms endemic for infections caused by R. equi have relied on passive immunisation and screening to promote earlier recognition of the disease.
There are no isolation requirements for foals with this disease. Foals with pneumonia caused by R. equi shed higher numbers of R. equi in their feces than healthy foals or foals with subclinical lesions.
Therefore, pneumonic foals might be an important source of contamination of the environment with virulent R. equi but there is no evidence that R. equi infection is contagious among foals and exposure to virulent R. equi is widespread in the environment of foals.
Thus, currently no environmental management practice or biosecurity measure has sufficient evidence on which to base recommendations for controlling and preventing R. equi pneumonia.
Zoonotic Potential R. equi can occasionally cause severe pulmonary or systemic infections in immunosuppressed people. Infections with R. equi are extremely rare and typically less severe in immunocompetent individuals.

Results

The qPCR test reports one of the following:

Detected: Rhodococcus equi DNA was identified in the submitted sample.
Not Detected: No Rhodococcus equi DNA was detected.

Results should be interpreted together with clinical findings and veterinary examination.

Sample

1 nasopharyngeal swab - dry swab

Turnaround

2 to 5 working days

How it works

🛒 Buy the test: select and buy the test online.

📧 Receive the instructions: after payment is confirmed, you receive the sample collection instructions by e-mail.

📄 Complete the form: print and complete the submission form with the animal’s identification.

✨ Collect the sample: pull 20 to 40 hair roots with the bulb and stick them in the marked area of the form, or ask your veterinarian to collect blood in a K3-EDTA tube.

📮 Send it to the laboratory: Equigerminal, S.A., HIESE, Rua da Quinta do Sobreiro, 25, Quinta Vale do Espinhal, 3230-343 Penela, PORTUGAL.

📊 Receive the report: the certified report is issued as soon as the analysis is validated.

FAQs

Which horses should be tested?

Foals showing respiratory signs, fever, poor growth or suspected pneumonia.

What sample is required?

One dry nasopharyngeal swab.

Can healthy foals carry Rhodococcus equi?

Yes. The bacterium is widespread in the environment, so results should always be interpreted together with clinical signs.

How long does the test take?

Results are available within 2 to 5 working days after sample arrival.

More

Rhodococcus equi is one of the leading causes of bacterial pneumonia in foals between 1 and 6 months of age. Because the organism survives inside immune cells, infections are often difficult to treat and may require prolonged antimicrobial therapy. Early diagnosis greatly improves the prognosis.