Al-Salihi, K., Al-Izzi, S., Al-Darraji, A. Aim: To investigate the prevalence of Rhodococcus. equi (R. equi) infection in 5 horse farms in Baghdad province. Methods: Faecal, drinking water and soil samples were taken from each farm for bacteriological isolation. Agar gel immunodiffusion test (AGIT) was conducted on 168 serum samples, as screening serological test to detect anti-R.equi antibody. Results: Tube agglutination test (TA), indirect haemagglutination (IHA) and ELISA were conducted on the 68 serum samples showing a positive result in AGIT. Post mortem examination was conducted on 2 foals that died at the first farm during this study. R. equi was isolated from 12 faecal samples and the lungs of the dead foals. Sixty-eight of 168 serum samples showed precipitin lines in AGIT. These 68 sera gave titre 1/10 to 1/320 and 1/40 to 1/1280 in TA and IHA test, respectively. All 68 sera were positive in ELISA with optical density mean of 1.246 plusminus 0.05. Conclusion: Virulent R. equi was isolated and considered as one of the important pathogens that causes pneumonia and death of foals in Baghdad. To evaluate the actual prevalence rate of R. equi in Iraq another study should be done in all horse stables throughout Iraq.
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