This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowReprints and Permissions
Right arrow Copyright Information
Right arrow Books from ASM Press
Right arrow MicrobeWorld
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Toivanen, P.
Right arrow Articles by Nissilä, M.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Toivanen, P.
Right arrow Articles by Nissilä, M.

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

Journal of Clinical Microbiology, September 1999, p. 2808-2812, Vol. 37, No. 9
0095-1137/99/$04.00+0
Copyright © 1999, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.

Somatic Serogroups, Capsular Types, and Species of Fecal Klebsiella in Patients with Ankylosing Spondylitis

Paavo Toivanen,1,* Dennis S. Hansen,2 Francisca Mestre,3 Leena Lehtonen,1 Jussi Vaahtovuo,1 Mari Vehma,4 Timo Möttönen,5 Riitta Saario,6 Reijo Luukkainen,7 and Martti Nissilä4

Turku Immunology Centre, Department of Medical Microbiology, Turku University, Turku,1 Rheumatism Foundation Hospital, Heinola,4 Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, Turku University Central Hospital, Preitilä,5 Department of Medicine, Turku University Central Hospital, Turku,6 and Department of Rheumatology, Satalinna Hospital, Harjavalta,7 Finland; The International Escherichia and Klebsiella Centre (WHO), Department of Gastrointestinal Infections, Statens Seruminstitut, Copenhagen, Denmark2; and Area de Microbiologia, Departamento de Biologia, Universidad de las Islas Baleares, Palma de Mallorca, Spain3

Received 21 December 1998/Returned for modification 31 March 1999/Accepted 26 May 1999

The purpose of the present study was to find out whether patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) carry fecal Klebsiella strains that belong to serotypes or species specific for AS. Somatic serotypes (O groups), capsular (K) serotypes, and biochemically identified species were determined for fecal klebsiellae isolated from 187 AS patients and 195 control patients. The controls were patients with fibromyalgia or rheumatoid arthritis. The 638 isolates of Klebsiella that were obtained represented 161 strains; 81 from AS patients and 80 from the controls. The average number of Klebsiella strains per patient was 1.7 for the AS group and 1.5 for the control group. The most common O group was O1, which was observed for isolates from 23 of 187 AS patients and 24 of 195 control patients. Next in frequency was group O2, which was observed for isolates from 17 AS patients and 15 control patients. Regarding the K serotypes, 59 different types were identified, revealing a heterogeneous representation of Klebsiella strains, without a predominance of any serotype. By biochemical identification, Klebsiella pneumoniae was the most frequently occurring species, being found in 45 AS patients and 45 control patients. Next in the frequency was K. oxytoca, which was observed in 26 AS patients and in 29 control patients. K. planticola and K. terrigena occurred in only a minority of patients. Altogether, when analyzed either separately or simultaneously according to O groups, K serotypes, and biochemically identified species, no evidence of the existence of AS-specific Klebsiella strains was obtained. These findings do not indicate participation of Klebsiella in the etiopathogenesis of AS.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Department of Medical Microbiology, Turku University, FIN-20520 Turku, Finland. Phone: 358-2-333 7426. Fax: 358-2-233 0008. E-mail: paatoi{at}utu.fi.

Journal of Clinical Microbiology, September 1999, p. 2808-2812, Vol. 37, No. 9
0095-1137/99/$04.00+0
Copyright © 1999, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.


This article has been cited by other articles:

  • Fevre, C., Passet, V., Weill, F.-X., Grimont, P. A. D., Brisse, S. (2005). Variants of the Klebsiella pneumoniae OKP Chromosomal Beta-Lactamase Are Divided into Two Main Groups, OKP-A and OKP-B. Antimicrob. Agents Chemother. 49: 5149-5152 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Sahly, H., Aucken, H., Benedi, V. J., Forestier, C., Fussing, V., Hansen, D. S., Ofek, I., Podschun, R., Sirot, D., Tomas, J. M., Sandvang, D., Ullmann, U. (2004). Increased Serum Resistance in Klebsiella pneumoniae Strains Producing Extended-Spectrum {beta}-Lactamases. Antimicrob. Agents Chemother. 48: 3477-3482 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Feltelius, N, Ekbom, A, Blomqvist, P (2003). Cancer incidence among patients with ankylosing spondylitis in Sweden 1965-95: a population based cohort study. Ann Rheum Dis 62: 1185-1188 [Abstract] [Full Text]  


Copyright © 2009 by the American Society for Microbiology.   For an alternate route to Journals.ASM.org, visit: http://intl-journals.asm.org | More Info»