Multidrug-resistant Rhodococcus equi (MDR-RE): detection in East Asia confirms global spread

Jorge Val Calvo; Yuta Kinoshita; James Gibbons; Mariela Scortti; Hidekazu Niwa; José A. Vazquez-Boland

doi:10.1128/asmam.00016-25

Multidrug-resistant Rhodococcus equi (MDR-RE): detection in East Asia confirms global spread

Jorge Val Calvo, Yuta Kinoshita, James Gibbons, Mariela Scortti, Hidekazu Niwa, José A. Vazquez-Boland^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Rhodococcus equi is an aerobic pathogenic actinomycete that causes severe pyogranulomatous infections in equids and other animals, as well as in humans through zoonotic transmission. Macrolide- and multidrug-resistant R. equi (MDR-RE) emerged in the early 2000s and has since spread across horse farms in the United States. Following its detection in Europe (Ireland) in 2016, we report here its isolation in Japan, along with evidence of its presence in China. Indications of continued importation into Ireland are also presented. These findings underscore the ongoing international dissemination of MDR-RE and its potential for global establishment.

Original language	English
Journal	ASM Animal Microbiology
Early online date	11 Feb 2026
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1128/asmam.00016-25
Publication status	E-pub ahead of print - 11 Feb 2026

Keywords / Materials (for Non-textual outputs)

Rhodococcus equi
multidrug-resistant (MDR) R. equi
MDR-RE 2287 clone
erm(46)
pRErm46
TnRErm46
R. equi macrolide resistance
R. equi rifampicin resistance

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10.1128/asmam.00016-25Licence: Creative Commons: Attribution (CC-BY)

val-calvo-et-al-2026-multidrug-resistant-rhodococcus-equi-(mdr-re)-detection-in-east-asia-confirms-global-spreadFinal published version, 484 KBLicence: Creative Commons: Attribution (CC-BY)

Cite this

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title = "Multidrug-resistant Rhodococcus equi (MDR-RE): detection in East Asia confirms global spread",

abstract = "Rhodococcus equi is an aerobic pathogenic actinomycete that causes severe pyogranulomatous infections in equids and other animals, as well as in humans through zoonotic transmission. Macrolide- and multidrug-resistant R. equi (MDR-RE) emerged in the early 2000s and has since spread across horse farms in the United States. Following its detection in Europe (Ireland) in 2016, we report here its isolation in Japan, along with evidence of its presence in China. Indications of continued importation into Ireland are also presented. These findings underscore the ongoing international dissemination of MDR-RE and its potential for global establishment.",

keywords = "Rhodococcus equi, multidrug-resistant (MDR) R. equi, MDR-RE 2287 clone, erm(46), pRErm46, TnRErm46, R. equi macrolide resistance, R. equi rifampicin resistance",

author = "\{Val Calvo\}, Jorge and Yuta Kinoshita and James Gibbons and Mariela Scortti and Hidekazu Niwa and Vazquez-Boland, \{Jos{\'e} A.\}",

year = "2026",

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doi = "10.1128/asmam.00016-25",

language = "English",

journal = "ASM Animal Microbiology",

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T1 - Multidrug-resistant Rhodococcus equi (MDR-RE): detection in East Asia confirms global spread

AU - Val Calvo, Jorge

AU - Kinoshita, Yuta

AU - Gibbons, James

AU - Scortti, Mariela

AU - Niwa, Hidekazu

AU - Vazquez-Boland, José A.

PY - 2026/2/11

Y1 - 2026/2/11

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AB - Rhodococcus equi is an aerobic pathogenic actinomycete that causes severe pyogranulomatous infections in equids and other animals, as well as in humans through zoonotic transmission. Macrolide- and multidrug-resistant R. equi (MDR-RE) emerged in the early 2000s and has since spread across horse farms in the United States. Following its detection in Europe (Ireland) in 2016, we report here its isolation in Japan, along with evidence of its presence in China. Indications of continued importation into Ireland are also presented. These findings underscore the ongoing international dissemination of MDR-RE and its potential for global establishment.

KW - Rhodococcus equi

KW - multidrug-resistant (MDR) R. equi

KW - MDR-RE 2287 clone

KW - erm(46)

KW - pRErm46

KW - TnRErm46

KW - R. equi macrolide resistance

KW - R. equi rifampicin resistance

UR - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/nuccore/JBTLPH000000000.1/

UR - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/nuccore/JBTLPI000000000

UR - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/nuccore/JBTLPG000000000

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DO - 10.1128/asmam.00016-25

M3 - Article

SN - 3068-5265

JO - ASM Animal Microbiology

JF - ASM Animal Microbiology

ER -

Multidrug-resistant Rhodococcus equi (MDR-RE): detection in East Asia confirms global spread

Abstract

Keywords / Materials (for Non-textual outputs)

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