The complete genome sequence and comparative genome analysis of the high pathogenicity Yersinia enterocolitica strain 8081

The human enteropathogen, Yersinia enterocolitica, is a significant link in the range of Yersinia pathologies extending from mild gastroenteritis to bubonic plague. Comparison at the genomic level is a key step in our understanding of the genetic basis for this pathogenicity spectrum. Here we report the genome of Y. enterocolitica strain 8081 (serotype 0:8; biotype 1B) and extensive microarray data relating to the genetic diversity of the Y. enterocolitica species. Our analysis reveals that the genome of Y. enterocolitica strain 8081 is a patchwork of horizontally acquired genetic loci, including a plasticity zone of 199 kb containing an extraordinarily high density of virulence genes. Microarray analysis has provided insights into species-specific Y. enterocolitica gene functions and the intraspecies differences between the high, low, and nonpathogenic Y. enterocolitica biotypes. Through comparative genome sequence analysis we provide new information on the evolution of the Yersinia. We identify numerous loci that represent ancestral clusters of genes potentially important in enteric survival and pathogenesis, which have been lost or are in the process of being lost, in the other sequenced Yersinia lineages. Our analysis also highlights large metabolic operons in Y. enterocolitica that are absent in the related enteropathogen, Yersinia pseudotuberculosis, indicating major differences in niche and nutrients used within the mammalian gut. These include clusters directing, the production of hydrogenases, tetrathionate respiration, cobalamin synthesis, and propanediol utilisation. Along with ancestral gene clusters, the genome of Y. enterocolitica has revealed species-specific and enteropathogen-specific loci. This has provided important insights into the pathology of this bacterium and, more broadly, into the evolution of the genus. Moreover, wider investigations looking at the patterns of gene loss and gain in the Yersinia have highlighted common themes in the genome evolution of other human enteropathogens

Epidemiology of reported Yersinia enterocolitica infections in Germany, 2001-2008

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Yersiniosis is the third most common zoonotic bacterial disease in Germany and the European Union. Sequelae of <it>Yersinia enterocolitica </it>infections, such as reactive arthritis, have been reported. Consumption of pork and its products, especially eaten raw or undercooked, is an important risk factor of yersiniosis. Infection with <it>Y. enterocolitica </it>is notifiable through the national surveillance system for infectious diseases in Germany and several thousands of cases are being reported each year. We present recent data on the epidemiology of reported yersiniosis in Germany.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Surveillance data on yersiniosis, accessed through the national level database (SurvNet), were analyzed with regard to time trends, demographical and geographical distribution, serotypes, and hospitalization, for the time period 2001-2008.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A total of 47,627 cases of yersiniosis were reported. The mean annual incidence of yersiniosis was 7.2/100,000 population. A downward trend in the number of reportable cases has occurred since 2002. Almost all <it>Y. enterocolitica </it>infections were reported as single cases, i.e., with no apparent links to other cases. The number of reported infections showed substantially less seasonal variation than in other zoonotic enteric diseases. The incidence was highest in children under five years (58/100,000 population), in particular in one-year-old children (108/100,000 population). Almost 97% of infections were acquired domestically. High incidences occurred in the eastern German federal states Thuringia, Saxony, and Saxony-Anhalt. Differences in incidences across federal states were driven primarily by incidence differences in children under five years. Hospitalization was reported for 17% of cases, the proportion being highest among teenagers. Almost 90% of <it>Y. enterocolitica </it>strains were diagnosed as serotype O:3, which is the serotype most frequently isolated from pigs.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Yersiniosis is a zoonotic foodborne disease of relevance to public health in Germany because of its high incidence and risk for sequelae. The incidence of reported yersiniosis in Germany varies markedly from state to state, mainly due to incidence difference among young children. More research efforts should be directed towards the elucidation of risk factors of yersiniosis in this age group.</p

Nonvalue of cold enrichment of stools for isolation of Yersinia enterocolitica serotypes 3 and 9 from patients.

During an 8-year period 14,092 fecal specimens and 1,428 excised appendixes were examined for the presence of Yersinia enterocolitica, with different combinations of direct plating media and enrichment techniques. The combination of direct plating on SS agar and 2 days of enrichment in a modified Rappaport broth at room temperature resulted in the isolation of 100% of serotype 3 and 9 strains. Such strains were recovered from 3.7% of our fecal specimens. Cold enrichment in phosphate buffer further increased the isolation rate, but the additional isolates all belonged to biotype 1. Evidence is presented that biotype 1 strains, at least in Belgium, are not pathogenic for humans. There was a significant affinity of serotype 9 strains for patients suffering from an "appendicular syndrome.

Yersinia enterocolitica: its isolation by cold enrichment from patients and healthy subjects.

Routine culture and cold enrichment were compared in a prospective study on the isolation of Yersinia enterocolitica from patients with intestinal disease. Healthy controls were examined with the cold enrichment method only. Y enterocolitica was isolated from 5.9% of 1635 patient stools, 3.4% of 206 appendices, and 4.0% of 555 control stools. Serotypes 0:3 and 0:9 were eight times more prevalent in patients than in controls. Other serotypes were twice as prevalent in controls than in patients. Cold enrichment did not significantly increase the recovery of serotypes 0:3 and 0:9 in acute enteritis, but it was responsible for all isolates of the other serotypes. Evidence is presented that the other serotypes are not pathogenic. In patient stools, Y enterocolitica was demonstrated less frequently than Salmonella (9.1%), and more often than Campylobacter jejuni (1.8%) and Shigella (0.1%)

Total and toxic arsenic levels in North Sea fish

Levels of arsenic contamination in muscle and liver tissue of 25 sea fish and 4 shellfish species from the North Sea were determined. Analyses were done by both ICP-MS and HG-AFS to distinguish between nontoxic and toxic fractions of As. Highest total As concentrations were found in lemon sole, dogfish, ray, and witch. Average total As concentrations in these fish species were higher than 20 mg kg-1 WW. The same species as well as the other flatfishes contained the highest amounts of toxic As (> 0.1 mg kg-1 WW). Toxic fractions (AsTox/AsT%) above 2% were found in the following six species: seabass, ling, john dory, pouting, dab, and brill. No preferential concentration in the liver compared to the muscle was observed. In a worst-case scenario (when fish has been dried or smoked and the toxic As level is high; for example 0.5 mg kg-1 WW), the As content of North Sea marine food may reach harmful levels. A normalization reflecting the toxic potential of sea fish was made. Shark and ray and most flatfish species have positive (high) normalized AsTox values. By ANOVA testing we compared the individual AsT concentrations of samples of the same species (intraspecies variability). Significant differences for some fish species were observed; significantly higher AsT concentrations were found in dogfish from the French coast versus the western North Sea and in common sole from the Bay of the Seine, in the north of France, versus the western North Sea

In vitro susceptibilities of 176 clinical isolates of Streptococcus pneumoniae to 11 beta-lactams, erythromycin, and tetracycline36667

One hundred seventy six consecutive, non-duplicate pneumococcal isolates from clinical specimens collected from November 1994 through February 1995 in nine general hospitals throughout Belgium were tested for their in vitro susceptibilities to penicillin, ampicillin, amoxycillin with and without clavulanate, cefaclor, cefuroxime, cefonicid, cefprozil, cefpodoxime, cefotaxime, imipenem, tetracycline, and erythromycin by means of the NCCLS microdilution test. The overall rate of decreased susceptibility to penicillin was 12.5%, including 6.3% of intermediately and 6.3% of fully resistant isolates. Penicillin, ampicillin amoxycillin, amoxycillin/clavulanate, cefuroxime, cefotaxime and imipenem had the highest activity on a weight basis (MIC50 &lt; or = 0.008 microgram/ml), followed by cefpodoxime and erythromycin (MIC50 of 0.015 microgram/ml), cefprozil and tetracycline (MIC50 of 0.12 microgram/ml), and eventually, cefaclor and cefonicid (MIC50 of 0.5 microgram/ml). Aggregate rates of susceptible plus intermediately resistant isolates at NCCLS-recommended breakpoints, i.e. overall percentages of isolates likely to respond to increased antibiotic doses in vivo (except for meningitis), were 100.0% for imipenem and cefotaxime, 98.9% for amoxycillin with and without clavulanate, 93.8% for penicillin, and 90.9% for cefuroxime. Overall rates of susceptibility to erythromycin and tetracycline amounted to 78.4% and 72.7%, respectively. MIC values of all beta-lactams increased with those of penicillin. Ampicillin was equally active as penicillin against isolates with reduced susceptibility to the latter (MIC90 of 2 micrograms/ml); imipenem, cefotaxime, and amoxycillin with and without clavulanate however, were more active (MIC90 3, 1, and 1 doubling dilution, respectively, below that of penicillin), while cefpodoxime, cefuroxime, cefprozil, cefonicid, and cefaclor on the other hand, were less active (MIC90, 1, 1, 2, 5, and 5 doubling dilutions, respectively, above that of penicillin). In conclusion, the present data confirm that pneumococcal resistance to penicillin has increased in Belgium, suggest that resistance to erythromycin may have stabilised, and reveal an unexpectedly high rate of resistance to tetracycline. Imipenem was the most active antibiotic tested overall, and amoxycillin with or without clavulanate the most active oral antibiotic, with activity almost similar to that of cefotaxime</p