Rhodococcus equi pnemonia is an insidious disease of foals–by the time one sees clinical signs, the pnemonia can be well advanced. Thus, tests that have greater sensitivity for R. equi are needed because they might permit earlier diagnosis.

Texas A&M researchers have described a test that could detect and quantitate virulent R. equi faster than previous tests. The test is based on a technique called quantitative polymerase chain reaction, or QPCR