Treatment of Rhodococcus Infections

Abstract

Introduction: The genus Rhodococcus, first described by Zopf in 1891, comprises 56 species with validly published names. This bacterium belongs to the phylum Actinobacteria, class Actinobacteria, order Mycobacteriales, and family Nocardiaceae. Notable characteristics of this bacterial genus include: Gram-positive, partially acid-fast positive, catalase-positive, non-spore-forming, and non-motile. The use of molecular methods such as 16S rRNA gene sequencing, along with phenotypic methods, has been suggested for the identification of this bacterium. To date, nine species of the genus Rhodococcus have been reported from clinical specimens. Currently, microbroth dilution is the standard method for assessing the antibiotic susceptibility testing of Rhodococcus species. The pattern of antibiotic resistance in Rhodococcus species varies based on geographical region, and it is recommended that antibiotic susceptibility testing be performed for clinical isolates.

Keywords

• rhodococcus
• infection
• treatment