Forgotten Infection Friday: Rhodococcus equi — The Macrophage‑Hiding Threat

This episode explores Rhodococcus equi — a pink, soil‑associated bacterium historically linked to horses that can survive inside macrophages and mimic tuberculosis in the lungs. Dr. G discusses its discovery, how humans become exposed, diagnostic clues (culture, MALDI‑TOF, PCR), challenges in treatment (intracellular survival, prolonged combination antibiotics, and need for surgical source control), and its importance in immunocompromised and diabetic foot wound patients.