Identification of virulence-associated antigens and plasmids in Rhodococcus equi from patients with acquired immune deficiency syndrome and prevalence of virulent R. equi in soil collected from domestic animal farms in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

Shinji Takai Department of Animal Hygiene, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, Kitasato University, Towada, Aomori, Japan. takai@vmas.kitasato-u.ac.jp

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Prasit Tharavichitkul Department of Animal Hygiene, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, Kitasato University, Towada, Aomori, Japan. takai@vmas.kitasato-u.ac.jp

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Chie Sasaki Department of Animal Hygiene, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, Kitasato University, Towada, Aomori, Japan. takai@vmas.kitasato-u.ac.jp

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Yoko Onishi Department of Animal Hygiene, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, Kitasato University, Towada, Aomori, Japan. takai@vmas.kitasato-u.ac.jp

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Shigeki Yamano Department of Animal Hygiene, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, Kitasato University, Towada, Aomori, Japan. takai@vmas.kitasato-u.ac.jp

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Tsutomu Kakuda Department of Animal Hygiene, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, Kitasato University, Towada, Aomori, Japan. takai@vmas.kitasato-u.ac.jp

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Shiro Tsubaki Department of Animal Hygiene, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, Kitasato University, Towada, Aomori, Japan. takai@vmas.kitasato-u.ac.jp

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Chumnan Trinarong Department of Animal Hygiene, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, Kitasato University, Towada, Aomori, Japan. takai@vmas.kitasato-u.ac.jp

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Suvichai Rojanasthien Department of Animal Hygiene, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, Kitasato University, Towada, Aomori, Japan. takai@vmas.kitasato-u.ac.jp

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Anucha Sirimalaisuwan Department of Animal Hygiene, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, Kitasato University, Towada, Aomori, Japan. takai@vmas.kitasato-u.ac.jp

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Ted Tesaprateep Department of Animal Hygiene, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, Kitasato University, Towada, Aomori, Japan. takai@vmas.kitasato-u.ac.jp

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Niwat Maneekarn Department of Animal Hygiene, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, Kitasato University, Towada, Aomori, Japan. takai@vmas.kitasato-u.ac.jp

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Thira Sirisanthana Department of Animal Hygiene, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, Kitasato University, Towada, Aomori, Japan. takai@vmas.kitasato-u.ac.jp

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Teruo Kirikae Department of Animal Hygiene, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, Kitasato University, Towada, Aomori, Japan. takai@vmas.kitasato-u.ac.jp

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The prevalence of virulent Rhodococcus equi in soil collected from 17 domestic animal farms (from 12 cattle, 1 pig, and 4 horse farms) and in 6 clinical specimens from patients with acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) in Chiang Mai, Thailand, was investigated. The isolates were tested for the presence of 15-17-kDa antigens (VapA) and a 20-kDa antigen (VapB) by immunoblotting and for the presence of virulence plasmid DNA. Rhodococcus equi was isolated from most soil samples (68 of 80) obtained from the 17 farms, with 2.0 x 10(2) to 6.0 x 10(5) colony-forming units per gram of soil. We detected VapA in none of the 537 isolates from the soil samples. In one isolate from a pig farm, both VapB and virulence plasmid DNA were detected. Of the 6 clinical isolates from patients with AIDS, however, 4 isolates contained both VapB and virulence plasmid DNA. The remaining 2 isolates were avirulent.

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