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Restriction enzyme analysis of the virulence plasmids of VapA-positive Rhodococcus equi strains isolated from humans and horses.
Abstract: Restriction enzyme digestion patterns of the large virulence plasmids of 8 human and 37 foal isolates of virulence-associated protein (VapA)-positive Rhodococcus equi strains from different sources were compared. Foal isolates came from five continents. Digestion with EcoRI divided these plasmids into three closely related types, and digestion with BamHI divided them into three major types which corresponded to the EcoRI types. The only EcoRI and BamHI type 3 plasmid was from a single foal isolate obtained from Japan. There are thus two major but related virulence plasmids in isolates from foals. Geographic differences were noted, since foal isolates with the EcoRI type 1 plasmid digestion pattern tended to come mostly from the United States, Canada, European countries, India or Zimbabwe and foal isolates with EcoRI type 2 pattern tended to come mostly from Latin American countries. Only 8 of 38 different human isolates, mostly from AIDS patients, were VapA positive, in contrast to 37 of 42 foal isolates. VapA-positive isolates from humans possessed virulence plasmids of either EcoRI type 1 or EcoRI type 2. These results confirm that only a small proportion of human patients with R. equi infections acquire foal virulent R. equi.
Publication Date: 1997-03-01 PubMed ID: 9041424PubMed Central: PMC229662DOI: 10.1128/jcm.35.3.738-740.1997Google Scholar: Lookup The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
- Comparative Study
- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
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The research paper talks about the analysis of the large virulence plasmids of VapA-positive Rhodococcus equi strains isolated from humans and horses using restriction enzymes. The results differentiate these plasmids into different types and indicate geographical variations in their distribution. Furthermore, the study highlights a lower prevalence of VapA-positive strains in human isolates, especially those from AIDS patients, as compared to foal isolates.
Methods and Experimental Design
- The researchers isolated Rhodococcus equi strains from both human and foal samples sourced from different global locations.
- These samples underwent restriction enzyme digestion, specifically using EcoRI and BamHI enzymes.
- The digestion patterns of the large virulence plasmids from these strains were then analyzed and compared.
Findings
- EcoRI digestion divided the plasmids into three closely related types, while BamHI digestion resulted in three major types, matching the EcoRI types.
- An exclusive EcoRI and BamHI type 3 plasmid was discovered from a single foal isolate from Japan, hinting at two major but closely related virulence plasmids present in these isolates.
- Geographical variations were noticed in the distribution of these plasmids: for instance, foal isolates with the EcoRI type 1 pattern mainly sourced from the US, Canada, Europe, India, or Zimbabwe, whereas those with EcoRI type 2 largely were from Latin American countries.
Prevalence of VapA-Positive Strains in Human vs. Foal Isolates
- Out of 38 different human isolates, predominantly from AIDS patients, only 8 were VapA-positive.
- In contrast, 37 out of 42 foal isolates were VapA positive, showing a significantly higher prevalence of these strains in foal samples.
- In the VapA-positive human isolates, either the EcoRI type 1 or type 2 virulence plasmids were present.
- This data suggests that only a small fraction of human patients with R. equi infections acquire R. equi strains that are virulent to foals.
Cite This Article
APA
Nicholson VM, Prescott JF.
(1997).
Restriction enzyme analysis of the virulence plasmids of VapA-positive Rhodococcus equi strains isolated from humans and horses.
J Clin Microbiol, 35(3), 738-740.
https://doi.org/10.1128/jcm.35.3.738-740.1997 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Pathobiology, University of Guelph, Ontario, Canada.
MeSH Terms
- AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / microbiology
- Actinomycetales Infections / complications
- Actinomycetales Infections / microbiology
- Actinomycetales Infections / veterinary
- Animals
- Bacterial Proteins / genetics
- DNA Restriction Enzymes
- Horse Diseases / microbiology
- Horses / microbiology
- Humans
- Membrane Glycoproteins / genetics
- Plasmids / genetics
- Plasmids / isolation & purification
- Rhodococcus equi / genetics
- Rhodococcus equi / isolation & purification
- Rhodococcus equi / pathogenicity
- Species Specificity
- Virulence / genetics
- Virulence Factors
References
This article includes 13 references
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Citations
This article has been cited 7 times.- Kalinowski M, Grądzki Z, Jarosz Ł, Kato K, Hieda Y, Kakuda T, Takai S. Plasmid Profiles of Virulent Rhodococcus equi Strains Isolated from Infected Foals in Poland. PLoS One 2016;11(4):e0152887.
- Lührmann A, Mauder N, Sydor T, Fernandez-Mora E, Schulze-Luehrmann J, Takai S, Haas A. Necrotic death of Rhodococcus equi-infected macrophages is regulated by virulence-associated plasmids. Infect Immun 2004 Feb;72(2):853-62.
- Vengust M, Staempfli H, Prescott JF. Rhodococcus equi pleuropneumonia in an adult horse. Can Vet J 2002 Sep;43(9):706-8.
- Navas J, González-Zorn B, Ladrón N, Garrido P, Vázquez-Boland JA. Identification and mutagenesis by allelic exchange of choE, encoding a cholesterol oxidase from the intracellular pathogen Rhodococcus equi. J Bacteriol 2001 Aug;183(16):4796-805.
- Byrne BA, Prescott JF, Palmer GH, Takai S, Nicholson VM, Alperin DC, Hines SA. Virulence plasmid of Rhodococcus equi contains inducible gene family encoding secreted proteins. Infect Immun 2001 Feb;69(2):650-6.
- Takai S, Hines SA, Sekizaki T, Nicholson VM, Alperin DA, Osaki M, Takamatsu D, Nakamura M, Suzuki K, Ogino N, Kakuda T, Dan H, Prescott JF. DNA sequence and comparison of virulence plasmids from Rhodococcus equi ATCC 33701 and 103. Infect Immun 2000 Dec;68(12):6840-7.
- Takai S, Shoda M, Sasaki Y, Tsubaki S, Fortier G, Pronost S, Rahal K, Becu T, Begg A, Browning G, Nicholson VM, Prescott JF. Restriction fragment length polymorphisms of virulence plasmids in Rhodococcus equi. J Clin Microbiol 1999 Oct;37(10):3417-20.
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