Transformation of Brevibacillus, a soil microbe to an uropathogen with hemagglutination trait.
An urinary tract infection (UTI) with Brevibacillus agri, an aerobic soil bacteria is discussed. The preliminary urine analysis tested negative for UTI, while the patient was diagnosed with focal pyelonephritis. The urine sample was analyzed for the presence of possible micro-organisms. The isolated micro-organism was phenotypically characterized and compared with a standard B. agri strain and an established uropathogen Eschericia coli, CFT073. Each experimental mouse was trans-urethrally infected using 2.5 × 10(8) c.f.u. for the generation of an UTI model. The kidney tissues were stored in buffered 10 % formaldehyde solution for histopathological analysis. The destruction of the glomerular and tubular morphology with prominent hemagglutination in the tubular region in the mouse kidneys were confirmed by light microscopic examination of the H&E stained sections. Hence, the identity of pathogen was confirmed using the 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The phylogenetic tree constructed using the 16S rRNA sequence obtained from the isolated microbial strain showed 99 % similarity with the strain, B. agri AB112716. Finally this study concludes based on the phenotypic characteristics, production of lipopolysaccharide, the ability to aggregate in the presence of ammonium sulphate, agglutinate erythrocytes in the presence of mannose, and the potential to resist the interactions of serum, the possibility that the soil microbe could have undergone genotypic modification to cause UTI. However, further detailed and in-depth genetic analysis are required to point out exactly how the soil bacterium has adapted itself to cause infection in a human subject.
Renal Research Lab, School of Bio Sciences and Technology, VIT University, Vellore, 632 014, Tamil Nadu, India.
S C
SC
Suneeva
R
R
Prasanth
N G
NG
Rajesh
P
P
Viswanathan
D000818:Animals; D058675:Brevibacillus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000382:microbiology; D016908:Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections / Q000382:microbiology*; D006384:Hemagglutination; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008875:Middle Aged; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D012988:Soil Microbiology; D014552:Urinary Tract Infections / Q000382:microbiology*; D014774:Virulence