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Characterization of Bacillus cereus Isolates Associated with Fatal Pneumonias: Strains Are Closely Related to Bacillus anthracis and Harbor B. anthracis Virulence Genes
- Source :
- Journal of Clinical Microbiology. 44:3352-3360
- Publication Year :
- 2006
- Publisher :
- American Society for Microbiology, 2006.
-
Abstract
- Bacillus cereus is ubiquitous in nature, and while most isolates appear to be harmless, some are associated with food-borne illnesses, periodontal diseases, and other more serious infections. In one such infection, B. cereus G9241 was identified as the causative agent of a severe pneumonia in a Louisiana welder in 1994. This isolate was found to harbor most of the B. anthracis virulence plasmid pXO1 (13). Here we report the characterization of two clinical and one environmental B. cereus isolate collected during an investigation of two fatal pneumonia cases in Texas metal workers. Molecular subtyping revealed that the two cases were not caused by the same strain. However, one of the three isolates was indistinguishable from B. cereus G9241. PCR analysis demonstrated that both clinical isolates contained B. anthracis pXO1 toxin genes. One clinical isolate and the environmental isolate collected from that victim's worksite contained the cap A , B , and C genes required for capsule biosynthesis in B. anthracis . Both clinical isolates expressed a capsule; however, neither was composed of poly- d -glutamic acid. Although most B. cereus isolates are not opportunistic pathogens and only a limited number cause food-borne illnesses, these results demonstrate that some B. cereus strains can cause severe and even fatal infections in patients who appear to be otherwise healthy.
- Subjects :
- Adult
Male
Microbiology (medical)
Bacterial capsule
Bacterial Toxins
Bacillus cereus
Virulence
Bacillaceae Infections
Microbiology
Fatal Outcome
Plasmid
Bacterial Proteins
Pneumonia, Bacterial
medicine
Humans
Bacterial Capsules
Phylogeny
Antigens, Bacterial
biology
fungi
Bacteriology
Middle Aged
Louisiana
biology.organism_classification
medicine.disease
Texas
Virology
Bacillus anthracis
Phenotype
Cereus
Pneumonia (non-human)
Bacteria
Plasmids
Subjects
Details
- ISSN :
- 1098660X and 00951137
- Volume :
- 44
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- Journal of Clinical Microbiology
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....cc11696f00b05dfac7181ba80a0528e1