title: Anthrax Toxin-Expressing Bacillus cereus Isolated from an Anthrax-Like Eschar.
abstract: Bacillus cereus isolates have been described harboring Bacillus anthracis toxin genes, most notably B. cereus G9241, and capable of causing severe and fatal pneumonias. This report describes the characterization of a B. cereus isolate, BcFL2013, associated with a naturally occurring cutaneous lesion resembling an anthrax eschar. Similar to G9241, BcFL2013 is positive for the B. anthracis pXO1 toxin genes, has a multi-locus sequence type of 78, and a pagA sequence type of 9. Whole genome sequencing confirms the similarity to G9241. In addition to the chromosome having an average nucleotide identity of 99.98% when compared to G9241, BcFL2013 harbors three plasmids with varying homology to the G9241 plasmids (pBCXO1, pBC210 and pBFH_1). This is also the first report to include serologic testing of patient specimens associated with this type of B. cereus infection which resulted in the detection of anthrax lethal factor toxemia, a quantifiable serum antibody response to protective antigen (PA), and lethal toxin neutralization activity.
authors.affiliation: National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United States of America.
authors.forename: Chung K
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Marston
authors.affiliation: Villages Regional Hospital, Lady Lake, FL, United States of America.
authors.forename: Hisham
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ibrahim
authors.affiliation: Bureau of Public Health Laboratories, Florida Department of Health, Jacksonville, FL, United States of America.
authors.forename: Philip
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Bureau of Public Health Laboratories, Florida Department of Health, Jacksonville, FL, United States of America.
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Churchwell
authors.affiliation: Bureau of Epidemiology, Florida Department of Health, Tallahassee, FL, United States of America.
authors.forename: Megan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gumke
authors.affiliation: Bureau of Epidemiology, Florida Department of Health, Tallahassee, FL, United States of America.
authors.forename: Danielle
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Stanek
authors.affiliation: National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United States of America.
authors.forename: Jay E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Gee
authors.affiliation: National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United States of America.
authors.forename: Anne E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Boyer
authors.affiliation: National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United States of America.
authors.forename: Maribel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gallegos-Candela
authors.affiliation: National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United States of America.
authors.forename: John R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Barr
authors.affiliation: National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United States of America.
authors.forename: Han
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United States of America.
authors.forename: Darbi
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Boulay
authors.affiliation: National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United States of America.
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cronin
authors.affiliation: National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United States of America.
authors.forename: Conrad P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Quinn
authors.affiliation: National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United States of America.
authors.forename: Alex R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Hoffmaster
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000881:Anthrax / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000378:metabolism*; D001409:Bacillus cereus / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D001427:Bacterial Toxins / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male
chemical_list: D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D001427:Bacterial Toxins; C030325:anthrax toxin