title: Pathogenic potential and genetic diversity of environmental and clinical isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
abstract: The aim of this study was to investigate the occurrence of virulence genes among clinical and environmental isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and to establish their genetic relationships by Enterobacterial Repetitive Intergenic Consensus PCR (ERIC-PCR). A total of 60 P. aeruginosa isolates from environmental and clinical sources were studied. Of these, 20 bacterial isolates were from soil, 20 from water, and 20 from patients with cystic fibrosis. Analysis of ERIC-PCR demonstrated that the isolates of P. aeruginosa showed a considerable genetic variability, regardless of their habitat. Numerous virulence genes were detected in both clinical and environmental isolates, reinforcing the possible pathogenic potential of soil and water isolates. The results showed that the environmental P. aeruginosa has all the apparatus needed to cause disease in humans and animals.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Analyses, Toxicology and Food Sciences, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Ribeirao Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil.
authors.forename: Vinicius Vicente
authors.initials: VV
authors.lastname: Martins
authors.forename: André
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pitondo-Silva
authors.forename: Luisa de Melo
authors.initials: Lde M
authors.lastname: Manço
authors.forename: Juliana Pfrimer
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Falcão
authors.forename: Sueli dos Santos
authors.initials: Sdos S
authors.lastname: Freitas
authors.forename: Wanderley Dias
authors.initials: WD
authors.lastname: da Silveira
authors.forename: Eliana Guedes
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: Stehling
mesh_terms: D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D015373:Bacterial Typing Techniques; D003550:Cystic Fibrosis / Q000382:microbiology; D017931:DNA Primers; D014644:Genetic Variation; D006801:Humans; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011550:Pseudomonas aeruginosa / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000472:pathogenicity; D012988:Soil Microbiology; D037521:Virulence Factors / Q000235:genetics*; D014871:Water Microbiology
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D017931:DNA Primers; D037521:Virulence Factors
keywords: ERIC-PCR; Pseudomonas aeruginosa; environmental and hospital isolates; pathogenic potential; virulence genes