Molecular epidemiology of glanders, Pakistan.
Abstract: We collected epidemiologic and molecular data from Burkholderia mallei isolates from equines in Punjab, Pakistan from 1999 through 2007. We show that recent outbreaks are genetically distinct from available whole genome sequences and that these genotypes are persistent and ubiquitous in Punjab, probably due to human-mediated movement of equines.
Publication Date: 2009-12-08 PubMed ID: 19961695PubMed Central: PMC3044535DOI: 10.3201/eid1512.090738Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary
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The research article discusses a study conducted in Punjab, Pakistan, which collected epidemiologic and molecular data from Burkholderia mallei isolates in equines from 1999 through 2007. The researchers’ findings reveal that the recent outbreaks of glanders, a contagious equine disease caused by Burkholderia mallei, were genetically distinct from previously known genotypes, likely due to human-mediated movements of equines.
Research Objectives and Methodology
- The objective of the research was to study the molecular epidemiology of glanders (an infectious disease caused by the bacterium Burkholderia mallei) in Punjab, Pakistan. The timeframe of the study spanned from 1999 through 2007.
- To achieve this, the researchers collected epidemiologic (related to the incidence, distribution, and control of disease) and molecular data from Burkholderia mallei isolates in equines, which are most affected by glanders.
Findings
- The researchers found that the genotypes from recent outbreaks of glanders were genetically distinct from those available in whole genome sequences.
- They concluded that these new genotypes were both persistent and ubiquitous in Punjab, as they were present across time and space. The persistence of these genotypes suggests an ongoing source of infection or a highly stable bacterium, while their ubiquity implies a widespread distribution.
Implication of the Findings
- The human-mediated movement of equines was identified as the likely reason for the outbreak of these genetically distinct genotypes. This could be due to the transportation of infected animals into uninfected areas, consequently spreading the disease and introducing new strains.
- The study thus stresses the need for effective disease control measures, requiring the combined efforts of veterinarians, horse owners, and public health officials. These measures could include improving hygiene practices, isolating infected animals, and implementing effective vaccination programs.
Importance of the Study
- The identification of these new, genetically distinct genotypes of Burkholderia mallei contributes to our understanding of the disease’s transmission, persistence, and spread, particularly in regions with a high prevalence of equines.
- This study also highlights the role of human behaviors, such as the movement of animals, in the transmission of infectious diseases, underlining the importance of an integrated and coordinated approach to disease control.
Cite This Article
APA
Hornstra H, Pearson T, Georgia S, Liguori A, Dale J, Price E, O'Neill M, Deshazer D, Muhammad G, Saqib M, Naureen A, Keim P.
(2009).
Molecular epidemiology of glanders, Pakistan.
Emerg Infect Dis, 15(12), 2036-2039.
https://doi.org/10.3201/eid1512.090738 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona 86011-4073, USA.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Burkholderia mallei / classification
- Burkholderia mallei / genetics
- Glanders / epidemiology
- Glanders / transmission
- Horses
- Humans
- Minisatellite Repeats
- Molecular Epidemiology
- Pakistan / epidemiology
- Phylogeny
Grant Funding
- U01 AI075568 / NIAID NIH HHS
- U54 AI065359 / NIAID NIH HHS
- U54AI-56359 / NIAID NIH HHS
- R21 AI056359 / NIAID NIH HHS
- R01 AI056359 / NIAID NIH HHS
- U01AI-075568 / NIAID NIH HHS
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Citations
This article has been cited 14 times.- Bonsi M, Anderson NE, Carder G. The Socioeconomic Impact of Diseases of Working Equids in Low and Middle-Income Countries: A Critical Review. Animals (Basel) 2023 Dec 15;13(24).
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