Genotypic and phenotypic diversity of Ralstonia pickettii and Ralstonia insidiosa isolates from clinical and environmental sources including High-purity Water. Diversity in Ralstonia pickettii

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p><it>Ralstonia pickettii </it>is a nosocomial infectious agent and a significant industrial contaminant. It has been found in many different environments including clinical situations, soil and industrial High Purity Water. This study compares the phenotypic and genotypic diversity of a selection of strains of <it>Ralstonia </it>collected from a variety of sources.</p> <p>Results</p> <p><it>Ralstonia </it>isolates (fifty-nine) from clinical, industrial and environmental origins were compared genotypically using i) Species-specific-PCR, ii) PCR and sequencing of the 16<it>S-</it>23<it>S </it>rRNA Interspatial region (ISR) iii) the <it>fliC </it>gene genes, iv) RAPD and BOX-PCR and v) phenotypically using biochemical testing. The species specific-PCR identified fifteen out of fifty-nine designated <it>R. pickettii </it>isolates as actually being the closely related species <it>R. insidiosa</it>. PCR-ribotyping of the 16<it>S-</it>23<it>S </it>rRNA ISR indicated few major differences between the isolates. Analysis of all isolates demonstrated different banding patterns for both the RAPD and BOX primers however these were found not to vary significantly.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p><it>R. pickettii </it>species isolated from wide geographic and environmental sources appear to be reasonably homogenous based on genotypic and phenotypic characteristics. <it>R. insidiosa </it>can at present only be distinguished from <it>R. pickettii </it>using species specific PCR. <it>R. pickettii </it>and <it>R. insidiosa </it>isolates do not differ significantly phenotypically or genotypically based on environmental or geographical origin.</p

Novel Tn4371-ICE like element in Ralstonia pickettii and Genome mining for comparative elements

peer-reviewedBackground: Integrative Conjugative Elements (ICEs) are important factors in the plasticity of microbial genomes. An element related to the ICE Tn4371 was discovered during a bioinformatic search of the Ralstonia pickettii 12J genome. This element was analysed and further searches carried out for additional elements. A PCR method was designed to detect and characterise new elements of this type based on this scaffold and a culture collection of fifty-eight Ralstonia pickettii and Ralstonia insidiosa strains were analysed for the presence of the element. Results: Comparative sequence analysis of bacterial genomes has revealed the presence of a number of uncharacterised Tn4371-like ICEs in the genomes of several beta and gamma Proteobacteria. These elements vary in size, GC content, putative function and have a mosaic-like structure of plasmid- and phage-like sequences which is typical of Tn4371-like ICEs. These elements were found after a through search of the GenBank database. The elements, which are found in Ralstonia, Delftia, Acidovorax, Bordetella, Comamonas, Acidovorax, Congregibacter, Shewanella, Pseudomonas Stenotrophomonas, Thioalkalivibrio sp. HL-EbGR7, Polaromonas, Burkholderia and Diaphorobacter sp. share a common scaffold. A PCR method was designed (based on the Tn4371-like element detected in the Ralstonia pickettii 12J genome) to detect and characterise new elements of this type. Conclusion: All elements found in this study possess a common scaffold of core genes but contain different accessory genes. A new uniform nomenclature is suggested for ICEs of the Tn4371 family. Two novel Tn4371-like ICE were discovered and characterised, using the novel PCR method described in two different isolates of Ralstonia pickettii from laboratory purified water.PUBLISHEDpeer-reviewe

Evaluation of the Complex Nomenclature of the Clinically and Veterinary Significant Pathogen Salmonella

Salmonella encompasses a vast and highly related population of clinically and veterinary significant pathogens. The genus is responsible for an array of diseases such as typhoid fever and salmonellosis (a variety of illnesses including gastroenteritis), which cause public health issues globally. Even with the global recognition of Salmonella as a significant human and veterinary pathogen, the highly complex and evolving nomenclature system of Salmonella is problematic for clinicians, veterinarians, and microbiologists to comprehend. The present paper offers a review of the ever developing nomenclature for this bacterial species

The Dairy Industry: Process, Monitoring, Standards, and Quality

Sampling and analysis occur along the milk processing train: from collection at farm level, to intake at the diary plant, the processing steps, and the end products. Milk has a short shelf life; however, products such as milk powders have allowed a global industry to be developed. Quality control tests are vital to support activities for hygiene and food standards to meet regulatory and customer demands. Multiples of chemical and microbiological contamination tests are undertaken. Hazard analysis testing strategies are necessary, but some tests may be redundant; it is therefore vital to identify product optimization quality control strategies. The time taken to undergo testing and turnaround time are rarely measured. The dairy industry is a traditional industry with a low margin commodity. Industry 4.0 vision for dairy manufacturing is to introduce the aspects of operational excellence and implementation of information and communications technologies. The dairy industries’ reply to Industry 4.0 is represented predominantly by proactive maintenance and optimization of production and logistical chains, such as robotic milking machines and processing and packaging line automation reinforced by sensors for rapid chemical and microbial analysis with improved and real-time data management. This chapter reviews the processing trains with suggestions for improved optimization

The antibiotic susceptibility of water-based bacteria Ralstonia pickettii and Ralstonia insidiosa

Ralstonia pickettii and Ralstonia insidiosa are waterborne bacteria that can survive and grow in various water sources that are emerging pathogens in hospital settings. Not much is known about the antibiotic resistance of these bacteria. Previous reports of antimicrobial susceptibility have been largely limited to a few clinical stains with no accounting for genotypic or phenotypic diversity or that these species could vary from the set breakpoints. E-tests and disc diffusion tests were carried out to compare the antimicrobial susceptibilities to twelve different antibiotics of sixty-eight different isolates of R. pickettii (fifty-three) and R. insidiosa (fifteen) from varying environments, which have previously been well characterised both phenotypically and genetically. The majority of the R. pickettii and R. insidiosa isolates showed susceptibility to most of the antibiotics tested in this study. The most effective were found to be the quinolones and sulphamethoxazole/trimethoprim. Antibiotic susceptibility was also found not vary between environmental niches for R. pickettii and R. insidiosa isolates