title: PCR based differentiation between Streptococcus dysgalactiae subsp. equisimilis strains isolated from humans and horses.
abstract: Streptococcus dysgalactiae subsp. equisimilis (SDSE) can be severely pathogenic in humans and is increasingly isolated from horses with respiratory, reproductive or other diseases, although it is often considered a commensal bacterium. Here a PCR protocol is described for identifying SDSE recovered from humans. A multiplex PCR targeting the 16S rRNA and the streptokinase precursor gene has been optimized for differentiating between SDSE strains isolated from humans and those isolated from horses. Previously, the sequence of the streptokinase precursor gene of SDSE recovered from horses has been found in two human cases of pneumonia in Japan. Although further evaluation is required, the findings of this study suggest that SDSE strains are host-specific and this multiplex PCR protocol can be useful in further epidemiological studies and for investigating the zoonotic potential of SDSE.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biosciences and Veterinary Medicine, University of Camerino, Via Circonvallazione 93/95, 62024 Matelica (MC), Italy. Electronic address: silvia.preziuso@unicam.it.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Preziuso
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Microbiologia, Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Egas Moniz, Lisbon PT 1649-028, Portugal.
authors.forename: M D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Pinho
authors.affiliation: Department of Biosciences and Veterinary Medicine, University of Camerino, Via Circonvallazione 93/95, 62024 Matelica (MC), Italy.
authors.forename: A R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Attili
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Microbiologia, Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Egas Moniz, Lisbon PT 1649-028, Portugal.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Melo-Cristino
authors.affiliation: Institute of Veterinary, Animal and Biomedical Sciences, Massey University, Palmerston North 4442, New Zealand.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Acke
authors.affiliation: Institute of Veterinary, Animal and Biomedical Sciences, Massey University, Palmerston North 4442, New Zealand.
authors.forename: A C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Midwinter
authors.affiliation: Department of Biosciences and Veterinary Medicine, University of Camerino, Via Circonvallazione 93/95, 62024 Matelica (MC), Italy.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Cuteri
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Microbiologia, Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Egas Moniz, Lisbon PT 1649-028, Portugal.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ramirez
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015373:Bacterial Typing Techniques; D004285:Dogs; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D006736:Horses; D058507:Host Specificity; D006801:Humans; D060885:Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics*; D013291:Streptococcus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013300:Streptokinase / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; D013300:Streptokinase
keywords: Dog; Horse; Humans; PCR; Streptococcus dysgalactiae subsp. equisimilis