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Journal of Clinical Microbiology, February 2001, p. 445-453, Vol. 39, No. 2
Institut fuer Mikrobiologie und Tierseuchen,
Tieraerztliche Hochschule Hannover, Hannover,
Germany,1 and Department of
Bacteriology, Institute for Animal Science and Health, Lelystad, The
Netherlands2
Received 14 July 2000/Returned for modification 29 September
2000/Accepted 7 November 2000
We evaluated the genetic diversity of Streptococcus
suis isolates of different serotypes by macrorestriction analysis
and elucidated possible relationships between the genetic background, expression of potential virulence traits, and source of isolation. Virulence traits included expression of serotype-specific
polysaccharides, muramidase-released protein (MRP), extracellular
protein factor (EF), hemolysin activity, and adherence to epithelial
cells. Macrorestriction analysis of streptococcal DNA digested with
restriction enzymes SmaI and ApaI allowed
differentiation of single isolates that could be assigned to four major
clusters, named A1, A2, B1, and B2. Comparison of the genotypic and
phenotypic features of the isolates with their source of isolation
showed that (i) the S. suis population examined, which
originated mainly from German pigs, exhibited a genetic diversity and
phenotypic patterns comparable to those found for isolates from other
European countries; (ii) certain phenotypic features, such as the
presence of capsular antigens of serotypes 2, 1, and 9, expression of
MRP and EF, and hemolysin activity (and in particular, combinations of
these features), were strongly associated with the clinical background
of meningitis and septicemia; and (iii) isolates from pigs with
meningitis and septicemia showed a significantly higher degree of
genetic homogeneity compared to that for isolates from pigs with
pneumonia and healthy pigs. Since the former isolates are considered
highly virulent, this supports the theory of a clonal relationship
among highly virulent strains.
0095-1137/01/$04.00+0 DOI: 10.1128/JCM.39.2.445-453.2001
Copyright © 2001, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.
Relatedness of Streptococcus suis
Isolates of Various Serotypes and Clinical Backgrounds as Evaluated by
Macrorestriction Analysis and Expression of Potential Virulence
Traits
*
Corresponding author. Mailing address: Institut fuer
Mikrobiologie und Tierseuchen, Tieraerztliche Hochschule Hannover,
Bischofsholer Damm 15, 30171 Hannover, Germany. Phone:
49-511 9537362. Fax: 49-511 9537697. E-mail:
pvalenti{at}micro.tiho-hannover.de.
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