title: Detection of enzyme activities and their relation to serotypes of bovine and human group B streptococci.
abstract: Enzymatic properties of group B streptococci (GBS) serotypes from bovine milk and human routine vaginal specimens were investigated. Out of the 56 human and 66 bovine GBS, 35 and 30 could be classified serologically by a co-agglutination test with type-specific antisera, respectively. Hyaluronidase (HYAL), streptokinase (SK) and protease activities were detected using culture media. HYAL activity was observed mostly in typable human GBS, and serotypes Ia, Ic and II comprised 77.3% of the typable strains producing HYAL. Bovine GBS serotypes II, III and VII comprised 87.5% of typable bovine strains exhibiting HYAL activity. SK activity was detected only in three human GBS. Human GBS serotypes Ia, Ic, II, III, VII and almost all typable bovine GBS strains showed protease activity. β-D-glucosidase activity was frequently observed in human GBS, whereas N-acetyl-β-D-glucosaminidase activity was mostly detected in non-typable GBS from humans. These results indicate that different GBS serotypes could vary in their virulence properties, and bovine and human GBS isolates could not be differentiated by their enzyme activities. Use of the culture media appeared to be a simple-to-apply and useful method for the detection of extracellular enzyme activity such as HYAL, protease and SK.
authors: Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Yuzuncu Yil, Van, Turkey.
authors: Ismail Hakki
authors: IH
authors: Ekin
authors: Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Yuzuncu Yil, Van, Turkey.
authors: Kemal
authors: K
authors: Gurturk
authors: Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Yuzuncu Yil, Van, Turkey.
authors: Ziya
authors: Z
authors: Ilhan
authors: Department of Microbiology, Okmeydani Education and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors: Cigdem
authors: C
authors: Arabaci
authors: Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Yuzuncu Yil, Van, Turkey.
authors: Ozgul
authors: O
authors: Gulaydin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D005260:Female; D058507:Host Specificity; D006801:Humans; D008892:Milk / Q000382:microbiology; D065288:Serogroup; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000382:microbiology; D013292:Streptococcus agalactiae / Q000145:classification* / Q000201:enzymology*