Molecular epidemiological investigation of an outbreak of Campylobacter jejuni identifies a dominant clonal line within Scottish serotype HS55 populations.
Three molecular typing methods, pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE), ribotyping, and flagellin (flaA) gene typing, were used to discriminate within a group of 28 Campylobacter jejuni, heat-stable serotype 55 (HS55) isolates derived from cases of campylobacter enteritis occurring throughout Scotland, including 9 isolates associated with an outbreak. PFGE was found to be most discriminatory, identifying 6 distinct profiles, followed by ribotyping (5 profiles), and then flagellin gene typing (4 profiles). The coincidence of all three genotypic markers identified a dominant clonal line within the HS55 group, accounting for each of the outbreak strains, and for 9 of the 19 sporadic strains. A second, closely related, clonal line accounted for a further 5 of the sporadic strains, and also included the HS55 reference strain. Identification and monitoring of such clonal lines should facilitate more effective future epidemiological surveillance of C. jejuni.
Harrington
C S
CS
Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Aberdeen, Scotland, UK.
Thomson-Carter
F M
FM
Carter
P E
PE
D002169:Campylobacter Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016123:Campylobacter jejuni / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics*; D017931:DNA Primers; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000378:metabolism; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D016521:Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005408:Flagellin / Q000235:genetics; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D012606:Scotland / Q000453:epidemiology; D012703:Serotyping
D017931:DNA Primers; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; D005408:Flagellin