ARS | Publication request: RECOGNITION OF YERSINIA ENTEROCOLITICA MULTIPLE STRAIN INFECTION IN TWIN INFANTS USING PCR-BASED DNA FINGERPRINTING

Submitted to: Journal of Applied Microbiology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: November 7, 2000
Publication Date: January 12, 2001
Citation: Gray, J.T., Wakabongo, M., Campos, F.E., Diallo, A.A., Tyndal, C., Tucker, C.A. 2001. Recognition of yersinia enterocolitica multiple strain infection in twin infants using pcr-based dna fingerprinting. Journal of Applied Microbiology. Vol. 90. P.358-364

Interpretive Summary: Yersinia enterocolitica causes several syndromes in humans, the most common presentation is enterocolitis in children presenting as fever and diarrhea. In some cases more than one type of Yersinia enterocolitica can infect young patients, however, this problem is difficult to recognize. We investigated Y. enterocolitica multiple strain infection in twin infants. One isolate was recovered from one patient and two different isolates were recovered from the other infant. Using traditional laboratory tests, all isolates were identified as the same Y. enterocolitica group. We purified the genomic DNA from each strain and developed a method of DNA fingerprinting to compare strains. The fingerprinting assay indicated that Y. enterocolitica isolates 2 and 3, from patients 1 and 2 respectively, were identical when comparing the presence or absence of major bands. However, Y. enterocolitica isolate 1, from patient 1, showed a distinctive banding pattern from isolates 2 and 3. The findings indicate one infant was colonized by more than one strain of Y. enterocolitica, demonstrating that multiple strains can colonize and invade a patient. Recognition of multiple strain infections can be important in diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of Y. enterocolitica infections. The technique developed here offers a straightforward method for strain comparison and recognition of multiple strain infection.

Technical Abstract: Aims; Yersinia enterocolitica causes several syndromes in humans, the most common presentation is enterocolitis in children presenting as fever and diarrhea. We investigated Y. enterocolitica multiple strain infection in twin infants. Methods & Results; One isolate was recovered from one patient and two morphologically different isolates were recovered from the other infant. Biochemically, all isolates were identified as Y. enterocolitica group. The genomic DNA from each strain was purified and DNA fingerprinting was performed. The banding patterns observed for Y. enterocolitica isolates 2 and 3, from patients 1 and 2 respectively, were identical when comparing the presence or absence of major bands. However, Y. enterocolitica isolate 1, from patient 1, showed a distinctive banding pattern from isolates 2 and 3. Conclusions; The findings indicate one infant was colonized by more than n one strain of Y enterocolitica, demonstrating that multiple strains can colonize and invade a patient. Significance; Recognition of multiple strain infections can be important in diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of Y enterocolitica infections as well as the disease epidemiology, the technique described here offers a straightforward method for strain comparison.