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Rouffaer LO, Baert K, Van den Abeele AM, Cox I, Vanantwerpen G, De Zutter L, Strubbe D, Vranckx K, Lens L, Haesebrouck F, Delmée M, Pasmans F, Martel A. Low prevalence of human enteropathogenic Yersinia spp. in brown rats (Rattus norvegicus) in Flanders. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0175648. [PMID: 28403184 PMCID: PMC5389835 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0175648] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2016] [Accepted: 03/29/2017] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Brown rats (Rattus norvegicus) have been identified as potential carriers of Yersinia enterocolitica and Y. pseudotuberculosis, the etiological agents of yersiniosis, the third most reported bacterial zoonosis in Europe. Enteropathogenic Yersinia spp. are most often isolated from rats during yersiniosis cases in animals and humans, and from rats inhabiting farms and slaughterhouses. Information is however lacking regarding the extent to which rats act as carriers of these Yersinia spp.. In 2013, 1088 brown rats across Flanders, Belgium, were tested for the presence of Yersinia species by isolation method. Identification was performed using MALDI-TOF MS, PCR on chromosomal- and plasmid-borne virulence genes, biotyping and serotyping. Yersinia spp. were isolated from 38.4% of the rats. Of these, 53.4% were designated Y. enterocolitica, 0.7% Y. pseudotuberculosis and 49.0% other Yersinia species. Two Y. enterocolitica possessing the virF-, ail- and ystA-gene were isolated. Additionally, the ystB-gene was identified in 94.1% of the other Y. enterocolitica isolates, suggestive for biotype 1A. Three of these latter isolates simultaneously possessed the ail-virulence gene. Significantly more Y. enterocolitica were isolated during winter and spring compared to summer. Based on our findings we can conclude that brown rats are frequent carriers for various Yersinia spp., including Y. pseudotuberculosis and (human pathogenic) Y. enterocolitica which are more often isolated during winter and spring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lieze Oscar Rouffaer
- Department of Pathology, Bacteriology and Avian Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - Kristof Baert
- Research Institute for Nature and Forest (INBO), Brussels, Belgium
| | | | - Ivo Cox
- Microbiology Laboratory, AZ Sint Lucas Ghent, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Gerty Vanantwerpen
- Department of Veterinary Public Health and Food Safety, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - Lieven De Zutter
- Department of Veterinary Public Health and Food Safety, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium
| | | | | | - Luc Lens
- Terrestrial Ecology Unit, Department of Biology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Freddy Haesebrouck
- Department of Pathology, Bacteriology and Avian Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - Michel Delmée
- Institute of Experimental and Clinical Research, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Frank Pasmans
- Department of Pathology, Bacteriology and Avian Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - An Martel
- Department of Pathology, Bacteriology and Avian Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium
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Petsios S, Fredriksson-Ahomaa M, Sakkas H, Papadopoulou C. Conventional and molecular methods used in the detection and subtyping of Yersinia enterocolitica in food. Int J Food Microbiol 2016; 237:55-72. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2016.08.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2015] [Revised: 07/28/2016] [Accepted: 08/11/2016] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
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