Pyogranulomatous enteritis and mesenteric lymphadenitis in an adult llama caused by Rhodococcus equi carrying virulence-associated protein A gene.
We report herein Rhodococcus equi infection in an 11-y-old, male llama with a history of diarrhea and endoparasitism. Postmortem examination revealed granulomatous and ulcerative enteritis, pyogranulomatous mesenteric lymphadenitis, fibrinosuppurative peritonitis, and granulomatous hepatitis. Intralesional macrophages were laden with gram-positive cocci. Bacteriology identified R. equi, and cultures tested positive for R. equi choE and vapA genes by PCR. This case expands the reported spectrum of lesions associated with R. equi infections in llamas from pyogranulomatous bronchopneumonia and peripheral lymphadenitis to pyogranulomatous mesenteric lymphadenitis and enteritis. We also link a R. equi that is carrying the virulent-associated protein gene VapA to clinical disease in New World camelids.
['Löhr|Christiane V|CV|', "O'Neill|T William|TW|", 'Daw|Danielle N|DN|', 'Pitel|Mariya O|MO|', 'Schlipf|John W|JW|']
D000193:Actinomycetales Infections D000818:Animals D000829:Animals, Domestic D001426:Bacterial Proteins D002161:Camelids, New World D004751:Enteritis D008297:Male D008640:Mesenteric Lymphadenitis D009922:Oregon D016929:Rhodococcus equi D037521:Virulence Factors
virulence-associated protein PCR camelid VapA protein pathology