Characterisation of Yersinia pseudotuberculosis isolated from animals with yersiniosis during 1996-2013 indicates the presence of pathogenic and Far Eastern strains in Italy.
Yersinia pseudotuberculosis is a pathogen that infects both animals and humans worldwide. The epidemiology of infection caused by Y. pseudotuberculosis is poorly understood; however, its outbreaks have been traced back to a probable source in wildlife. This study aimed to characterise Y. pseudotuberculosis isolates collected from animals with yersiniosis. This study included 90 isolates of Y. pseudotuberculosis collected from different animals with yersiniosis between 1996 and 2013 in Italy. The isolates were tested for antimicrobial susceptibility and were biotyped. Genes associated with virulence plasmid pYV and those encoding O-antigen, high pathogenicity island (HPI), and superantigenic toxin (YPM) were determined by performing PCR. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) was performed using NotI and SpeI enzymes, and 3 dendrograms were generated. No antibiotic resistance was found. The presence of pYV was shown in 57 out of 90 isolates. Virulence profiles of majority of the isolates indicated that they belonged to O:1a and O:1b serotypes, biotype 1, and genetic type 2. Isolates belonging to O:2a serotype were detected in sheep and cattle and were found to be associated (for the first time) with septicemia in hares. Y. pseudotuberculosis isolates belonging to O:5a and O:12-O13 serotypes were also detected in hares. To our knowledge, this is the first study to detect Y. pseudotuberculosis isolates belonging to the O:12-O13 serotype from a clinical case in Europe. Results of PFGE indicated that it was a reliable method for investigating the genetic relatedness of Y. pseudotuberculosis isolates. Thus, characterisation of Y. pseudotuberculosis infection in animals should be considered a possible tool for the surveillance of pseudotuberculosis.
Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Umbria e delle Marche, via Salvemini, 1, 06126 Perugia (PG), Italy. Electronic address: c.magistrali@izsum.it.
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Magistrali
Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Umbria e delle Marche, via Salvemini, 1, 06126 Perugia (PG), Italy.
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Cucco
Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Umbria e delle Marche, via Salvemini, 1, 06126 Perugia (PG), Italy.
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Pezzotti
Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Umbria e delle Marche, via Salvemini, 1, 06126 Perugia (PG), Italy.
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Farneti
Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Umbria e delle Marche, via Salvemini, 1, 06126 Perugia (PG), Italy.
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Cambiotti
Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, Viale dell'Universita', 10-35 020 Legnaro (PD), Italy.
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Catania
Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e Emilia Romagna, sezione diagnostica di Pavia, Strada Campeggi 59/61, 27 100 Pavia (PV), Italy.
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Prati
Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e Emilia Romagna, sezione diagnostica di Pavia, Strada Campeggi 59/61, 27 100 Pavia (PV), Italy.
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Fabbi
Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sardegna, Via Duca degli Abruzzi 8, 7 100 Sassari (SS), Italy.
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Lollai
Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Umbria e delle Marche, via Salvemini, 1, 06126 Perugia (PG), Italy.
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Mangili
Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Umbria e delle Marche, via Salvemini, 1, 06126 Perugia (PG), Italy.
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Sebastiani
Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, Viale dell'Universita', 10-35 020 Legnaro (PD), Italy.
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Bano
Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Dipartimento di Malattie Infettive, Parassitarie e Immunomediate, Viale Regina Elena 299, 161, Roma, Italy.
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Dionisi
Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Dipartimento di Malattie Infettive, Parassitarie e Immunomediate, Viale Regina Elena 299, 161, Roma, Italy.
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Luzzi
D000818:Animals; D016521:Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D019081:O Antigens / Q000235:genetics; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D012703:Serotyping; D018089:Superantigens / Q000235:genetics; D013997:Time Factors; D014774:Virulence / Q000235:genetics; D015009:Yersinia Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D015011:Yersinia pseudotuberculosis / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification
D019081:O Antigens; D018089:Superantigens
Animals; Genetic type; O-antigen; PFGE; Pseudotuberculosis; Virulence factors; Yersinia pseudotuberculosis