Rhodococcus equi is a gram-positive, facultative intracellular
pathogenic bacteria that infects domesticated animals (horses,
sheep, pigs, goats, cattle, dogs and cats); but also
immunocompromised people, such as AIDS patients and transplant
recipients are at risk of an infection with R. equi. However, R.
equi is a severe problem in horse breeding since it is the main
cause of lethal chronic bronchopneumonia in fols. Infection is
observed for fols of an age between three weeks and five months.
Typically, infections are transmitted through grazing and thereby
inhalation of contaminated soil. Within excrements and soil R. equi
is durable and is active at temperatures over 10°C.
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