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Sing A, Berger A. Cats – Revered and Reviled – and Associated Zoonoses. ZOONOSES: INFECTIONS AFFECTING HUMANS AND ANIMALS 2023:837-914. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-27164-9_23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2025]
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Schlez K, Eisenberg T, Rau J, Dubielzig S, Kornmayer M, Wolf G, Berger A, Dangel A, Hoffmann C, Ewers C, Sing A. Corynebacterium rouxii, a recently described member of the C. diphtheriae group isolated from three dogs with ulcerative skin lesions. Antonie van Leeuwenhoek 2021; 114:1361-1371. [PMID: 34170418 PMCID: PMC8379122 DOI: 10.1007/s10482-021-01605-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2021] [Accepted: 06/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Corynebacterium (C.) diphtheriae is one of the two etiological pathogens for human diphtheria with significant morbidity and mortality. Recently, members of its biovar Belfanti have been described as two novel species, C. belfantii and C. rouxii. The most important virulence factor and also the premise to cause diphtheria is the isolate’s capacity to encode and express the diphtheria toxin (DT). In contrast to C. ulcerans, which represents a potentially zoonotic pathogen, C. diphtheriae (incl. the novel deduced species) has almost exclusively been found to comprise a human pathogen. We here report three rare cases of C. rouxii isolation from dogs suffering from disseminated poly-bacterial exsudative to purulent dermatitis and a traumatic labial defect, respectively. The isolates were identified as C. diphtheriae based on commercial biochemistry and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionisation–time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) analysis. However, recently described specific spectral peaks were highly similar to spectra of C. rouxii, which was confirmed by whole genome sequencing. Further investigations of the dog isolates for the presence of DT by tox gene qPCR revealed negative results. The findings from this study point out that skin infections in companion animals can be colonized by uncommon and so believed human specific pathogens, thereby resembling the clinical signs of cutaneous diphtheria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen Schlez
- Hessian State Laboratory, Department of Veterinary Medicine, Hessisches Landeslabor, Schubertstr. 60, 35392, Giessen, Germany.
| | - Tobias Eisenberg
- Hessian State Laboratory, Department of Veterinary Medicine, Hessisches Landeslabor, Schubertstr. 60, 35392, Giessen, Germany.
- Institute of Hygiene and Infectious Diseases of Animals, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Frankfurter Str. 87-89, 35392, Giessen, Germany.
| | - Jörg Rau
- Chemical and Veterinary Analysis Agency Stuttgart, Schaflandstr. 3/2, 70736, Fellbach, Germany
| | - Sabine Dubielzig
- Veterinary Practice for Pets, Wehrenpfad 3, 34560, Fritzlar, Germany
| | - Matthias Kornmayer
- Department for Clinical Veterinary Medicine, Clinic for Small Animal Surgery and Reproduction, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Veterinärstr. 13, 80539, Munich, Germany
| | - Georg Wolf
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, Institute of Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ludwig-Maximilian-University, Veterinärstr. 13, 80539, Munich, Germany
| | - Anja Berger
- National Consiliary Laboratory on Diphtheria, Bayerisches Landesamt für Gesundheit und Lebensmittelsicherheit, Veterinärstr. 2, 85764, Oberschleißheim, Germany
| | - Alexandra Dangel
- National Consiliary Laboratory on Diphtheria, Bayerisches Landesamt für Gesundheit und Lebensmittelsicherheit, Veterinärstr. 2, 85764, Oberschleißheim, Germany
| | - Christiane Hoffmann
- Institute of Hygiene and Infectious Diseases of Animals, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Frankfurter Str. 87-89, 35392, Giessen, Germany
| | - Christa Ewers
- Institute of Hygiene and Infectious Diseases of Animals, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Frankfurter Str. 87-89, 35392, Giessen, Germany
| | - Andreas Sing
- National Consiliary Laboratory on Diphtheria, Bayerisches Landesamt für Gesundheit und Lebensmittelsicherheit, Veterinärstr. 2, 85764, Oberschleißheim, Germany
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Helke KL, Meyerholz DK, Beck AP, Burrough ER, Derscheid RJ, Löhr C, McInnes EF, Scudamore CL, Brayton CF. Research Relevant Background Lesions and Conditions: Ferrets, Dogs, Swine, Sheep, and Goats. ILAR J 2021; 62:133-168. [PMID: 33712827 DOI: 10.1093/ilar/ilab005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2020] [Revised: 11/17/2020] [Accepted: 01/06/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Animal models provide a valuable tool and resource for biomedical researchers as they investigate biological processes, disease pathogenesis, novel therapies, and toxicologic studies. Interpretation of animal model data requires knowledge not only of the processes/diseases being studied but also awareness of spontaneous conditions and background lesions in the model that can influence or even confound the study results. Species, breed/stock, sex, age, anatomy, physiology, diseases (noninfectious and infectious), and neoplastic processes are model features that can impact the results as well as study interpretation. Here, we review these features in several common laboratory animal species, including ferret, dog (beagle), pig, sheep, and goats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristi L Helke
- Department of Comparative Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina, USA
| | - David K Meyerholz
- Department of Pathology, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
| | - Amanda P Beck
- Department of Pathology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, USA
| | - Eric R Burrough
- Veterinary Diagnostic and Production Animal Medicine Department, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, USA
| | - Rachel J Derscheid
- Veterinary Diagnostic and Production Animal Medicine Department, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, USA
| | - Christiane Löhr
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, USA
| | - Elizabeth F McInnes
- Toxicologic Pathology, Toxicology Section, Human Safety at Syngenta, in Jealott's Hill, Bracknell, United Kingdom
| | - Cheryl L Scudamore
- ExePathology, Pathologist at ExePathology, Exmouth, Devon, United Kingdom
| | - Cory F Brayton
- Department of Molecular and Comparative Pathobiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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Berger A, Dangel A, Peters M, Mühldorfer K, Braune S, Eisenberg T, Szentiks CA, Rau J, Konrad R, Hörmansdorfer S, Ackermann N, Sing A. Tox-positive Corynebacterium ulcerans in hedgehogs, Germany . Emerg Microbes Infect 2019; 8:211-217. [PMID: 30866774 PMCID: PMC6455118 DOI: 10.1080/22221751.2018.1562312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Toxigenic Corynebacterium ulcerans may cause both respiratory and cutaneous diphtheria in humans. As a zoonotic emerging pathogen it has been isolated from a wide variety of animals living in captivity, such as livestock, pet, zoo and research animals and additionally in a large number of different wild animals. Here we report the isolation of tox-positive C. ulcerans in four hedgehogs with cutaneous diphtheria and pneumonia, respectively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anja Berger
- a National Consiliary Laboratory for Diphtheria , Oberschleißheim , Germany.,b MA DTM&H, National Consiliary Laboratory for Diphtheria , Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority , Oberschleißheim , Germany
| | - Alexandra Dangel
- b MA DTM&H, National Consiliary Laboratory for Diphtheria , Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority , Oberschleißheim , Germany
| | - Martin Peters
- c Chemisches und Veterinäruntersuchungsamt Westfalen , Arnsberg , Germany
| | | | - Silke Braune
- e Lower Saxony State Office for Consumer Protection and Food Safety , Food and Veterinary Institute , Hannover , Germany
| | | | | | - Jörg Rau
- g Chemisches und Veterinäruntersuchungsamt Stuttgart , Fellbach , Germany
| | - Regina Konrad
- b MA DTM&H, National Consiliary Laboratory for Diphtheria , Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority , Oberschleißheim , Germany
| | - Stefan Hörmansdorfer
- b MA DTM&H, National Consiliary Laboratory for Diphtheria , Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority , Oberschleißheim , Germany
| | - Nikolaus Ackermann
- b MA DTM&H, National Consiliary Laboratory for Diphtheria , Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority , Oberschleißheim , Germany
| | - Andreas Sing
- a National Consiliary Laboratory for Diphtheria , Oberschleißheim , Germany.,b MA DTM&H, National Consiliary Laboratory for Diphtheria , Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority , Oberschleißheim , Germany
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5
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Katsukawa C, Komiya T, Umeda K, Goto M, Yanai T, Takahashi M, Yamamoto A, Iwaki M. Toxigenic Corynebacterium ulcerans isolated from a hunting dog and its diphtheria toxin antibody titer. Microbiol Immunol 2017; 60:177-86. [PMID: 26853714 DOI: 10.1111/1348-0421.12364] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2015] [Revised: 01/29/2016] [Accepted: 01/03/2016] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Toxigenic Corynebacterium ulcerans is a zoonotic pathogen that produces diphtheria toxin and causes a diphtheria-like illness in humans. The organism is known to infect and circulate among dogs, which can then transmit it to humans. Furthermore, previous studies have found that C. ulcerans is carried by wild animals, including game animals. In the present study, we tested hunting and companion dogs for the presence of toxigenic C. ulcerans and succeeded in isolating the bacterium from a hunting dog. Moreover, several hunting dogs had serum diphtheria antitoxin titers that were higher than the titers required for protection in humans, suggesting a history of exposure to toxigenic Corynebacterium strains. Notably, ribotyping, pulsed-field gel electrophoresis and tox gene sequencing demonstrated that the isolate from the hunting dog clustered with previously characterized C. ulcerans strains isolated from wild animals, as opposed to groups of isolates from humans and companion dogs. Interestingly, the wild animal cluster also contains an isolate from an outdoor breeding dog, which could have formed a bridge between isolates from wild animals and those from companion dogs. The results presented herein provide insight into the mechanism by which the zoonotic pathogen C. ulcerans circulates among wild animals, hunting and companion dogs, and humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chihiro Katsukawa
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Osaka Prefectural Institute of Public Health, 1-3-69 Nakamichi, Higashinari-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka, 537-0025
| | - Takako Komiya
- Department of Bacteriology II, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, 4-7-1 Gakuen, Musashimurayama-shi, Tokyo, 208-0011
| | - Kaoru Umeda
- Department of Microbiology, Osaka City Institute of Public Health and Environmental Sciences, 8-34 Tojo-cho, Tennoji-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka, 543-0026
| | - Minami Goto
- Department of Pathogenetic Veterinary Sciences, United Graduate School of Veterinary Sciences, Gifu University, 1-1 Yanagido, Gifu-shi, Gifu 501-1193, Japan
| | - Tokuma Yanai
- Department of Pathogenetic Veterinary Sciences, United Graduate School of Veterinary Sciences, Gifu University, 1-1 Yanagido, Gifu-shi, Gifu 501-1193, Japan
| | - Motohide Takahashi
- Department of Bacteriology II, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, 4-7-1 Gakuen, Musashimurayama-shi, Tokyo, 208-0011
| | - Akihiko Yamamoto
- Department of Bacteriology II, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, 4-7-1 Gakuen, Musashimurayama-shi, Tokyo, 208-0011
| | - Masaaki Iwaki
- Department of Bacteriology II, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, 4-7-1 Gakuen, Musashimurayama-shi, Tokyo, 208-0011
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Hacker E, Antunes CA, Mattos-Guaraldi AL, Burkovski A, Tauch A. Corynebacterium ulcerans, an emerging human pathogen. Future Microbiol 2016; 11:1191-208. [PMID: 27545005 DOI: 10.2217/fmb-2016-0085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
While formerly known infections of Corynebacterium ulcerans are rare and mainly associated with contact to infected cattle, C. ulcerans has become an emerging pathogen today. In Western Europe, cases of respiratory diphtheria caused by C. ulcerans have been reported more often than infections by Corynebacterium diphtheria, while systemic infections are also increasingly reported. Little is known about factors that contribute to host colonization and virulence of this zoonotic pathogen. Research in this field has received new impetus by the publication of several C. ulcerans genome sequences in the past years. This review gives a comprehensive overview of the basic knowledge of C. ulcerans, as well as the recent advances made in the analysis of putative virulence factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Hacker
- Professur für Mikrobiologie, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Camila A Antunes
- Professur für Mikrobiologie, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany.,Laboratory of Diphtheria and Clinically Important Corynebacteria (LDCIC), Rio de Janeiro State University, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Ana L Mattos-Guaraldi
- Laboratory of Diphtheria and Clinically Important Corynebacteria (LDCIC), Rio de Janeiro State University, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Andreas Burkovski
- Professur für Mikrobiologie, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Andreas Tauch
- Centrum für Biotechnologie, Universität Bielefeld, Bielefeld, Germany
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Katsukawa C, Umeda K, Inamori I, Kosono Y, Tanigawa T, Komiya T, Iwaki M, Yamamoto A, Nakatsu S. Toxigenic Corynebacterium ulcerans isolated from a wild bird (ural owl) and its feed (shrew-moles): comparison of molecular types with human isolates. BMC Res Notes 2016; 9:181. [PMID: 27000873 PMCID: PMC4802582 DOI: 10.1186/s13104-016-1979-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2015] [Accepted: 03/07/2016] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Corynebacterium ulcerans is a pathogen causing diphtheria-like illness to humans. In contrast to diphtheria by Corynebacterium diphtheriae circulating mostly among humans, C. ulcerans infection is zoonotic. The present study aimed to clarify how a zoonotic pathogen C. ulcerans circulates among wild birds and animals. RESULTS By screening 380 birds, a single strain of toxigenic C. ulcerans was isolated from a carnivorous bird, ural owl (Strix uralensis). The bacterium was also isolated from two individuals of Japanese shrew-mole (Urotrichus talpoides), a food preference of the owl. Analysis by ribotyping showed that the owl and mole isolates were classified in a group, suggesting that C. ulcerans can be transmissible among wild birds and their prey animals. Moreover, our isolates were found to belong to a group of previously reported C. ulcerans isolates from dogs and a cat, which are known to serve as sources for human infection. CONCLUSION The findings suggest that the shrew-mole may be a potential reservoir of a zoonotic pathogen C. ulcerans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chihiro Katsukawa
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Osaka Prefectural Institute of Public Health, 1-3-69 Nakamichi, Higashinari-ku, Osaka-Shi, Osaka, 537-0025, Japan
| | - Kaoru Umeda
- Department of Microbiology, Osaka City Institute of Public Health and Environmental Sciences, 8-34 Tojo-cho, Tennoji-ku, Osaka-Shi, Osaka, 543-0026, Japan
| | - Ikuko Inamori
- Nature Conservation Club of Soenji, 1-20-11 Himurodai, Hirakata-Shi, Osaka, 573-0115, Japan
| | - Yuka Kosono
- Bird Bander, 5-17 Suganodai, Nara-Shi, Nara, 631-0043, Japan
| | - Tomokazu Tanigawa
- Wild Living Thing Society of Hirakata, 1-24-10, Tanokuchiyama, Hirakata-Shi, Osaka, 573-0001, Japan
| | - Takako Komiya
- Department of Bacteriology II, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, 4-Gakuen, Musashimurayama-Shi, Tokyo, 208-0011, Japan
| | - Masaaki Iwaki
- Department of Bacteriology II, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, 4-Gakuen, Musashimurayama-Shi, Tokyo, 208-0011, Japan.
| | - Akihiko Yamamoto
- Department of Bacteriology II, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, 4-Gakuen, Musashimurayama-Shi, Tokyo, 208-0011, Japan.,Division of Biosafety Control and Research, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, 4-7-1 Gakuen, Musashimurayama-Shi, Tokyo, 208-0011, Japan
| | - Susumu Nakatsu
- Nakatsu Animal Hospital, 2-2-15 Shorinji-cho nishi, Sakai-ku, Sakai-Shi, Osaka, 590-0960, Japan
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SAEKI J, KATSUKAWA C, MATSUBAYASHI M, NAKANISHI H, FURUYA M, TANI H, SASAI K. The detection of toxigenic Corynebacterium ulcerans from cats with nasal inflammation in Japan. Epidemiol Infect 2015; 143:2660-5. [PMID: 25578079 PMCID: PMC9151074 DOI: 10.1017/s0950268814003550] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2014] [Revised: 10/14/2014] [Accepted: 11/26/2014] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Corynebacterium ulcerans (toxigenic C. ulcerans) produces the diphtheria toxin, which causes pharyngeal and cutaneous diphtheria-like disease in people, and this bacterium is commonly detected in dogs and cats that are reared at home. It is considered dangerous when a carrier animal becomes the source of infection in people. To investigate the carrier situation of toxigenic C. ulcerans of cats bred in Japan, bacteria were isolated from 37 cats with a primary complaint of rhinitis in 16 veterinary hospitals in Osaka. Toxigenic C. ulcerans was detected in two of the cats. By drug sensitivity testing, the detected bacterium was sensitive to all investigated drugs, except clindamycin. It appears necessary to create awareness regarding toxigenic C. ulcerans infection in pet owners because this bacterium is believed to be the causative organism for rhinitis in cats.
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Affiliation(s)
- J. SAEKI
- Department of Veterinary Internal Medicine, School of Veterinary Sciene, Osaka Prefecture University, Izumisano, Osaka, Japan
| | - C. KATSUKAWA
- Department of Infectious Disease, Osaka Prefectural Institute of Public Health, Osaka, Japan
| | - M. MATSUBAYASHI
- Bacterial and Parasitic Diseases Research Division, National Institute of Animal Health, National Agricultural and Food Research Organization, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - H. NAKANISHI
- Department of Veterinary Internal Medicine, School of Veterinary Sciene, Osaka Prefecture University, Izumisano, Osaka, Japan
| | - M. FURUYA
- Department of Veterinary Internal Medicine, School of Veterinary Sciene, Osaka Prefecture University, Izumisano, Osaka, Japan
| | - H. TANI
- Department of Veterinary Internal Medicine, School of Veterinary Sciene, Osaka Prefecture University, Izumisano, Osaka, Japan
| | - K. SASAI
- Department of Veterinary Internal Medicine, School of Veterinary Sciene, Osaka Prefecture University, Izumisano, Osaka, Japan
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Eisenberg T, Mauder N, Contzen M, Rau J, Ewers C, Schlez K, Althoff G, Schauerte N, Geiger C, Margos G, Konrad R, Sing A. Outbreak with clonally related isolates of Corynebacterium ulcerans in a group of water rats. BMC Microbiol 2015; 15:42. [PMID: 25887321 PMCID: PMC4342102 DOI: 10.1186/s12866-015-0384-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2014] [Accepted: 02/11/2015] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The zoonotic bacterium Corynebacterium ulcerans may be pathogenic both in humans and animals: toxigenic strains can cause diphtheria or diphtheria-like disease in humans via diphtheria toxin, while strains producing the dermonecrotic exotoxin phospholipase D may lead to caseous lymphadenitis primarily in wild animals. Diphtheria toxin-positive Corynebacterium ulcerans strains have been isolated mainly from cattle, dogs and cats. Results Here, we report a series of ten isolations of Corynebacterium ulcerans from a group of water rats (Hydromys chrysogaster) with ulcerative skin lesions, which were kept in a zoo. The isolates were clearly assigned to species level by biochemical identification systems, Fourier-transform infrared-spectroscopy, Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry and partial rpoB sequencing, respectively. All ten isolates turned out to represent the same sequence type, strongly indicating a cluster of infections by clonally-related isolates as could be demonstrated for the first time for this species using multilocus sequence typing. Unequivocal demonstration of high relatedness of the isolates could also be demonstrated by Fourier-transform infrared-spectroscopy. All isolates were lacking the diphtheria toxin encoding tox-gene, but were phospholipase D-positive. Conclusions Our results indicate that water rats represent a suitable new host species that is prone to infection and must be regarded as a reservoir for potentially zoonotic Corynebacterium ulcerans. Furthermore, the applied methods demonstrated persistent infection as well as a very close relationship between all ten isolates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tobias Eisenberg
- Landesbetrieb Hessisches Landeslabor, Schubertstr. 60, 35392, Gießen, Germany.
| | - Norman Mauder
- Chemisches und Veterinäruntersuchungsamt Stuttgart, Schaflandstr. 3/2, 70736, Fellbach, Germany.
| | - Matthias Contzen
- Chemisches und Veterinäruntersuchungsamt Stuttgart, Schaflandstr. 3/2, 70736, Fellbach, Germany.
| | - Jörg Rau
- Chemisches und Veterinäruntersuchungsamt Stuttgart, Schaflandstr. 3/2, 70736, Fellbach, Germany.
| | - Christa Ewers
- Institute of Hygiene and Infectious Diseases of Animals, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Frankfurter Strasse 85-89, 35392, Giessen, Germany.
| | - Karen Schlez
- Landesbetrieb Hessisches Landeslabor, Schubertstr. 60, 35392, Gießen, Germany.
| | - Gisa Althoff
- Landesbetrieb Hessisches Landeslabor, Schubertstr. 60, 35392, Gießen, Germany.
| | - Nicole Schauerte
- Zoo Frankfurt, Bernhard-Grzimek-Allee 1, 60316, Frankfurt, Germany.
| | - Christina Geiger
- Zoo Frankfurt, Bernhard-Grzimek-Allee 1, 60316, Frankfurt, Germany.
| | - Gabriele Margos
- National Consiliary Laboratory on Diphtheria, Bayerisches Landesamt für Gesundheit und Lebensmittelsicherheit, Veterinärstraße 2, 85764, Oberschleißheim, Germany.
| | - Regina Konrad
- National Consiliary Laboratory on Diphtheria, Bayerisches Landesamt für Gesundheit und Lebensmittelsicherheit, Veterinärstraße 2, 85764, Oberschleißheim, Germany.
| | - Andreas Sing
- National Consiliary Laboratory on Diphtheria, Bayerisches Landesamt für Gesundheit und Lebensmittelsicherheit, Veterinärstraße 2, 85764, Oberschleißheim, Germany.
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Meinel DM, Margos G, Konrad R, Krebs S, Blum H, Sing A. Next generation sequencing analysis of nine Corynebacterium ulcerans isolates reveals zoonotic transmission and a novel putative diphtheria toxin-encoding pathogenicity island. Genome Med 2014; 6:113. [PMID: 25587356 PMCID: PMC4293111 DOI: 10.1186/s13073-014-0113-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2014] [Accepted: 11/17/2014] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Toxigenic Corynebacterium ulcerans can cause a diphtheria-like illness in humans and have been found in domestic animals, which were suspected to serve as reservoirs for a zoonotic transmission. Additionally, toxigenic C. ulcerans were reported to take over the leading role in causing diphtheria in the last years in many industrialized countries. METHODS To gain deeper insights into the tox gene locus and to understand the transmission pathway in detail, we analyzed nine isolates derived from human patients and their domestic animals applying next generation sequencing and comparative genomics. RESULTS We provide molecular evidence for zoonotic transmission of C. ulcerans in four cases and demonstrate the superior resolution of next generation sequencing compared to multi-locus sequence typing for epidemiologic research. Additionally, we provide evidence that the virulence of C. ulcerans can change rapidly by acquisition of novel virulence genes. This mechanism is exemplified by an isolate which acquired a prophage not present in the corresponding isolate from the domestic animal. This prophage contains a putative novel virulence factor, which shares high identity with the RhuM virulence factor from Salmonella enterica but which is unknown in Corynebacteria so far. Furthermore, we identified a putative pathogenicity island for C. ulcerans bearing a diphtheria toxin gene. CONCLUSION The novel putative diphtheria toxin pathogenicity island could provide a new and alternative pathway for Corynebacteria to acquire a functional diphtheria toxin-encoding gene by horizontal gene transfer, distinct from the previously well characterized phage infection model. The novel transmission pathway might explain the unexpectedly high number of toxigenic C. ulcerans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dominik M Meinel
- LGL, Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority, Oberschleißheim, 85764 Germany
| | - Gabriele Margos
- LGL, Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority, Oberschleißheim, 85764 Germany
| | - Regina Konrad
- LGL, Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority, Oberschleißheim, 85764 Germany ; National Consiliary Laboratory on Diphtheria, Oberschleißheim, 85764 Germany
| | - Stefan Krebs
- Laboratory for Functional Genome Analysis, Gene Center, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Munich, 81377 Germany
| | - Helmut Blum
- Laboratory for Functional Genome Analysis, Gene Center, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Munich, 81377 Germany
| | - Andreas Sing
- LGL, Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority, Oberschleißheim, 85764 Germany ; National Consiliary Laboratory on Diphtheria, Oberschleißheim, 85764 Germany
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11
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Multilocus sequence typing of Corynebacterium ulcerans provides evidence for zoonotic transmission and for increased prevalence of certain sequence types among toxigenic strains. J Clin Microbiol 2014; 52:4318-24. [PMID: 25320226 DOI: 10.1128/jcm.02291-14] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Human-to-human-transmitted Corynebacterium diphtheriae was historically the main pathogen causing diphtheria and has therefore been studied extensively in the past. More recently, diphtheria caused by toxigenic Corynebacterium ulcerans is an emerging disease in several industrial countries, including the United Kingdom, the United States, France, and Germany. However, toxigenic C. ulcerans has so far been almost neglected in the development of epidemiologic tools. One of the most important tools in modern epidemiology to understand transmission pathways is sequence typing of pathogens. Here, we provide a protocol for multilocus sequence typing (MLST) to type C. ulcerans strains rapidly and relatively cost-effectively. Applying MLST to C. ulcerans for the first time, we show that related sequence types (STs) might be associated with the presence of the diphtheria toxin gene, which encodes diphtheria toxin (DT), the most important diphtheria-causing virulence factor. Interestingly, we found only two very closely related STs in the isolates derived from six dogs. Additionally, our data show that all STs derived from animals which were at least twice present in our analysis were found in humans as well. This finding is congruent with zoonotic transmission of C. ulcerans.
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Vandentorren S, Guiso N, Badell E, Boisrenoult P, Micaelo M, Troché G, Lecouls P, Moquet MJ, Patey O, Belchior E. Toxigenic Corynebacterium ulcerans in a fatal human case and her feline contacts, France, March 2014. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2014; 19. [PMID: 25306877 DOI: 10.2807/1560-7917.es2014.19.38.20910] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
In March 2014, a person in their eighties who was diagnosed with extensive cellulitis due to toxigenic Corynebacterium ulcerans died from multiple organ failure. Environmental investigation also isolated C. ulcerans in biological samples from two stray cats in contact with the case. This finding provides further evidence that pets can carry toxigenic C. ulcerans and may be a source of the infection in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Vandentorren
- Regional office of the French Institute for Public Health Surveillance - Ile de France and Champagne Ardenne, Paris, France
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