PCR Assay Based on the gyrB Gene for Rapid Identification of Acinetobacter baumannii-calcoaceticus Complex at Specie Level.
BACKGROUND
The genus Acinetobacter sp. comprises more than 50 species, and four are closely related and difficult to be distinguished by either phenotypic or genotypic methods: the Acinetobacter calcoaceticus-baumannii complex (ABC). The correct identification at species level is necessary mainly due to the epidemiological aspects.


METHODS
We evaluated a multiplex PCR for gyrB gene to identify the species of the ABC using the sequencing of the ITS 16S-23S fragment as a gold standard. Isolates identified as Acinetobacter calcoaceticus-baumannii from three hospitals at southern Brazil in 2011 were included in this study.


RESULTS
A total of 117 isolates were obtained and 106 (90.6%) were confirmed as A. baumannii, 6 (5.1%) as A. nosocomialis and 4 (3.4%) as A. pittii by PCR for gyrB gene. Only one isolate did not present a product of the PCR for the gyrB gene; this isolate was identified as Acinetobacter genospecie 10 by sequencing of ITS. We also noted that the non-A. baumannii isolates were recovered from respiratory tract (8/72.7%), blood (2/18.2%) and urine (1/9.1%), suggesting that these species can cause serious infection.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings evidenced that the multiplex PCR of the gyrB is a feasible and simple method to identify isolates of the ABC at the species level.
Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Médicas, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
Aline B
AB
Teixeira
Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Médicas, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
Juliana
J
Barin
Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Médicas, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
Djuli M
DM
Hermes
Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Médicas, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil.|Laboratório de Resistência Bacteriana, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
Afonso L
AL
Barth
Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Médicas, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil.|Programa de Pós-Graduação em Microbiologia Agrícola e do Ambiente, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
Andreza F
AF
Martins
D000151:Acinetobacter Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology; D040981:Acinetobacter baumannii / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D027081:DNA Gyrase / Q000235:genetics*; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D060885:Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*
D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D027081:DNA Gyrase

A. baumannii
; 
A. nosocomialis
; 
Acinetobacter pitti
; Acinetobacter sp; gyrB; multiplex PCR