title: VNTR analysis of selected outbreaks of Burkholderia pseudomallei in Australia.
abstract: Molecular typing methods for Burkholderia pseudomallei have been successful at assigning isolates into epidemiologically related groups, but have not been able to detect differences and define evolutionary patterns within groups. Our variable number tandem repeat (VNTR) analysis of a set of 121 Australian B. pseudomallei isolates, 104 of which were associated with nine epidemiological groups, provides fine scale differentiation even among very closely related isolates. We used a Bayesian model based upon mutation accumulation patterns to define the close phylogenetic relationships within these epidemiological groups. Our results reveal that genetic diversity can exist within a very small geographic area, and that low levels of diversity can exist even within a single infection. These methods provide the ability to generate robust evolutionary hypotheses that enable tracking of B. pseudomallei in forensic and epidemiological outbreaks at fine phylogenetic scales.
authors.affiliation: Northern Arizona University, Center for Microbial Genetics and Genomics, Box 5640, Flagstaff, AZ 86011, USA.
authors.forename: Talima
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Pearson
authors.forename: Jana M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: U'Ren
authors.forename: James M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Schupp
authors.forename: Gerard J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Allan
authors.forename: Peter G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Foster
authors.forename: Mark J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Mayo
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gal
authors.forename: Jodie Low
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Choy
authors.forename: Rebecca Leadem
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Daugherty
authors.forename: Sergey
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kachur
authors.forename: Christine L Clark
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Friedman
authors.forename: Benjamin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Leadem
authors.forename: Shalamar
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Georgia
authors.forename: Heidie
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hornstra
authors.forename: Amy J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Vogler
authors.forename: David M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Wagner
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Keim
authors.forename: Bart J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Currie
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D016957:Burkholderia pseudomallei / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D006041:Goats; D006801:Humans; D008554:Melioidosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D018598:Minisatellite Repeats / Q000235:genetics*; D010802:Phylogeny