Edinburgh Napier University

  Rhodococcus equi (Req) is responsible for severe respiratory disease of foals with a major economic impact on the equine industry, and can be endemic on stud farms. In foals under 6 months of age, this bacterial disease manifests as pneumonia, with 30% mortality amongst antibiotic-treated foals (70-80% mortality in untreated cases). Furthermore, foals that recover from the disease are less likely to race as adults. In addition to potential life-threatening side-effects observed with rifampin/antibiotic treatment, there is increasing prevalence of antibiotic resistance. Together with the lack of effective commercial vaccines, this highlights the urgency for novel tools as alternatives, or as a complement, to antibiotics.