RHODOCOCCUS EQUI

Course overview

RHODOCOCCUS EQUI (R. EQUI), FORMERLY KNOWN AS CORYNEBACTERIUM EQUI, IS A RARE CAUSE OF SUBACUTE, NECROTIZING INFECTION. IT MOSTLY CAUSES CAVITARY PNEUMONIA AND LUNG ABSCESS, ESPECIALLY IN IMMUNOCOMPROMISED HOSTS. R. EQUI IS BEST DESCRIBED AS A SOIL ORGANISM THAT IS CARRIED IN THE GUT OF MANY HERBIVORES AND WIDESPREAD IN ANIMAL DUNG, MANURES, SOILS OF GRAZING FIELDS, AND OTHER RELATED FARM ENVIRONMENTS. THE NUMBER OF ORGANISMS ISOLATED FROM THE AIR INCREASES WITH WARMER TEMPERATURES AND IS TYPICALLY HIGHEST ON DRY AND WINDY DAYS. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS HOW TO PROPERLY EVALUATE FOR R. EQUI INFECTIONS AND FURTHER STEPS THAT SHOULD BE TAKEN WHEN THIS PATHOGEN IS PRESENT. THIS ACTIVITY HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN CARING FOR PATIENTS WITH THIS CONDITION.