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Home / Equine Research Bank / Emerg Infect Dis / Natural Burkholderia mallei infection in Dromedary, Bahrain.
Emerging infectious diseases2011; 17(7); 1277-1279; doi: 10.3201/eid1707.110222

Natural Burkholderia mallei infection in Dromedary, Bahrain.

Abstract: We confirm a natural infection of dromedaries with glanders. Multilocus variable number tandem repeat analysis of a Burkholderia mallei strain isolated from a diseased dromedary in Bahrain revealed close genetic proximity to strain Dubai 7, which caused an outbreak of glanders in horses in the United Arab Emirates in 2004.
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Publication Date: 2011-07-19 PubMed ID: 21762586PubMed Central: PMC3381376DOI: 10.3201/eid1707.110222Google Scholar: Lookup
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  • Journal Article
  • Research Support
  • Non-U.S. Gov't

Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

The research article focuses on the identification of a Burkholderia mallei infection in dromedaries in Bahrain, suggesting a link between this strain and one that previously caused an outbreak of glanders in horses in Dubai.

Overview of the Research

  • The study is centered around a natural infection observed in dromedaries (a type of camel), caused by the Burkholderia mallei bacteria. This bacterium is primarily responsible for glanders, a highly infectious and lethal disease found in equines such as horses, mules, and donkeys.
  • The research was prompted by the detection of a Burkholderia mallei strain from a sick dromedary in Bahrain.

Genetic Analysis of the Burkholderia mallei Strain

  • The team conducted a ‘Multilocus variable number tandem repeat analysis’ on the bacteria strain. This type of analysis is a molecular biology technique which enables researchers to differentiate strains of certain species of bacteria.
  • The results of this analysis showed that the strain was closely related to Dubai 7, a strain that previously provoked a glanders outbreak in horses in the United Arab Emirates in 2004.

Significance of the Study

  • This study provides substantial evidence for the natural infection of dromedaries with glanders. Previously, glanders was mainly associated with equines, but this research highlights that the bacterium can also infect dromedaries, showing a wider range of susceptible animals.
  • The genetic similarity between the Bahrain dromedary strain and the Dubai 7 horse strain suggests potential common reservoirs or similar transmission paths for the bacterium, the understanding of which may assist in preventing future outbreaks.

Cite This Article

APA
Wernery U, Wernery R, Joseph M, Al-Salloom F, Johnson B, Kinne J, Jose S, Jose S, Tappendorf B, Hornstra H, Scholz HC. (2011). Natural Burkholderia mallei infection in Dromedary, Bahrain. Emerg Infect Dis, 17(7), 1277-1279. https://doi.org/10.3201/eid1707.110222

Publication

Emerging infectious diseases
ISSN: 1080-6059
NlmUniqueID: 9508155
Country: United States
Language: English
Volume: 17
Issue: 7
Pages: 1277-1279

Researcher Affiliations

Wernery, Ulrich
  • Central Veterinary Research Laboratory, Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Wernery, Renate
    Joseph, Marina
      Al-Salloom, Fajer
        Johnson, Bobby
          Kinne, Joerg
            Jose, Shanti
              Jose, Sherry
                Tappendorf, Britta
                  Hornstra, Heidie
                    Scholz, Holger C

                      MeSH Terms

                      • Animals
                      • Bahrain
                      • Burkholderia mallei / genetics
                      • Burkholderia mallei / isolation & purification
                      • Camelus / microbiology
                      • Disease Outbreaks
                      • Glanders / diagnosis
                      • Glanders / epidemiology
                      • Glanders / microbiology
                      • Glanders / pathology
                      • Glanders / transmission
                      • Horse Diseases / diagnosis
                      • Horse Diseases / epidemiology
                      • Horse Diseases / microbiology
                      • Horse Diseases / pathology
                      • Horse Diseases / transmission
                      • Horses / microbiology
                      • Lung / microbiology
                      • Lung / pathology
                      • Multilocus Sequence Typing
                      • Nasopharynx / microbiology
                      • Nasopharynx / pathology
                      • RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / analysis

                      References

                      This article includes 13 references
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                      Citations

                      This article has been cited 18 times.
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