Year 2015 - Volume 35, Number 10


Title
Biofilm formation by Rhodococcus equi and putative association with macrolide resistance, 35(10):835-841
Authors

Abstract
ABSTRACT.- Gressler L.T., Vargas A.C., Costa M.M., Sutili F.J., Schwab M., Pereira D.I.B., Sangioni L.A. & Botton S.A. 2015. Biofilm formation by Rhodococcus equi and putative association with macrolide resistance. Pesquisa Veterinária Brasileira 35(10):835-841. Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Av. Roraima 1000, Camobi, Santa Maria, RS 97105-900, Brazil. E-mail: sabott20@gmail.com

Rhodococcus equi is a facultative intracellular pathogen, which cause severe pyogranulomatous pneumonia in foals and tuberculosis-like lesions in humans. Its ability to form biofilm was described in strains isolated from chronic diseases associated to treatment failures in humans. This study aimed to verify the biofilm formation by 113 R. equi isolated from equine samples (clinical and fecal) using two different methods (biofilm-culturing with and without additional glucose and epifluorescence microscopy). We also aimed to determine the efficacy of azithromycin, clarithromycin and erythromycin on R. equi in established biofilm. We found 80.5% (26/41) and 63% (58/72) biofilm-positive isolates, in fecal and clinical samples, respectively. The additional glucose increased the biofilm formation by R. equi fecal samples, but not by clinical samples. The antimicrobials tested herein were not able to eradicate R. equi in biofilm even at higher concentrations. This is the first study showing the biofilm formation by R. equi isolated from equine samples. Our findings indicate that R. equi biofilm-producers may be more resistant to the antimicrobials evaluated. Further studies are warranted to test this hypothesis.
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Colégio Brasileiro de Patologia Animal CNPq - Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior ISI Web of Knowledge SciELO - Scientific Electronic Library Online Banco de Dados Bibliográficos da USP UnB - Universidade de Brasília UFRRJ - Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro CFMV - Conselho Federal de Medicina Veterinária