Genetic and epidemiological relationships among Campylobacter isolates from humans.
84 Campylobacter jejuni isolates from Swedish patients with domestic infection were characterized with pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE), and the subtype information considered in relation to epidemiological data. Based on pattern combinations from restriction cleavage with SmaI and SalI, 52 different PFGE types were identified. Types with an average pattern similarity of at least 82% and 63% were assembled in groups and clusters, respectively. The 2 largest clusters included 71% of the isolates. The distribution in time varied between different groups and clusters, where some were isolated sporadically during the whole period and others appeared more concentrated in time. Types in 1 cluster were significantly more often isolated in summer than other types in the study. Isolates from children showed lower pattern similarity to other isolates than isolates from adults. Sets of type and time related cases, possibly representing small outbreaks, were identified when indistinguishable PFGE patterns were found in isolates from temporally related cases. Our results indicate that although a large number of genotypes may be found among C. jejuni strains infecting humans, a large proportion of these may be genetically related, and that different genotypes may appear during different seasons and infect individuals of different ages.
Division of Food Hygiene and Bacteriology, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Veterinary Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden. helena.hook@bvf.slu.se
Helena
H
Höök
Maj-Britt
MB
Ekegren
Henrik
H
Ericsson
Ivar
I
Vågsholm
Marie-Louise
ML
Danielsson-Tham
D000328:Adult; D015373:Bacterial Typing Techniques; D002169:Campylobacter Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D016123:Campylobacter jejuni / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015252:Deoxyribonucleases, Type II Site-Specific / Q000378:metabolism; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D016521:Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D015183:Restriction Mapping; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology
C025651:CCCGGG-specific type II deoxyribonucleases; D015252:Deoxyribonucleases, Type II Site-Specific; C029792:GTCGAC-specific type II deoxyribonucleases