Rapid tests for the detection of the Mycobacterium abscessus subsp bolletii strain responsible for an epidemic of surgical-site infections in Brazil

Author(s)

Matsumoto, Cristianne Kayoko ^[1] ; Chimara, Erica ^[2] ; Ramos, Jesus Pais ^[3] ; Dias Campos, Carlos Eduardo ^[3] ; de Souza Caldas, Paulo Cesar ^[3] ; Batista Lima, Karla Valeria ^[4] ; Lopes, Maria Luiza ^[4] ; Duarte, Rafael Silva ^[5] ; Leao, Sylvia Cardoso ^[1]

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Fed Sao Paulo, Dept Microbiol Imunol & Parasitol, Escola Paulista Med, Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[2] Adolfo Lutz Inst, Nucleo TB & Micobacterioses, Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[3] Fiocruz MS, Ctr Referencia Prof Helio Fraga, Escola Nacl Saude Publ, Rio De Janeiro, RJ - Brazil

^[4] Inst Evandro Chagas, Belem, PA - Brazil

^[5] Univ Fed Rio de Janeiro, Inst Microbiol Prof Paulo de Goes, Rio De Janeiro, RJ - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: Memórias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz; v. 107, n. 8, p. 969+, DEC 2012.
• Web of Science Citations: 4

Abstract

A single strain of Mycobacterium abscessus subsp. bolletii, characterised by a particular rpoB sequevar and two highly related pulsed field gel electrophoresis patterns has been responsible for a nationwide outbreak of surgical infections in Brazil since 2004. In this study, we developed molecular tests based on polymerase chain reaction restriction-enzyme analysis (PRA) and sequencing for the rapid identification of this strain. Sequences of 15 DNA regions conserved in mycobacteria were retrieved from GenBank or sequenced and analysed in silico. Single nucleotide polymorphisms specific to the epidemic strain and located in enzyme recognition sites were detected in rpoB, the 3' region of the 16S rDNA and gyrB. The three tests that were developed, i.e., PRA-rpoB, PRA-16S and gyrB sequence analysis, showed 100%, 100% and 92.31% sensitivity and 93.06%, 90.28% and 100% specificity, respectively, for the discrimination of the surgical strain from other M. abscessus subsp. bolletii isolates, including 116 isolates from 95 patients, one environmental isolate and two type strains. The results of the three tests were stable, as shown by results obtained for different isolates from the same patient. In conclusion, due to the clinical and epidemiological importance of this strain, these tests could be implemented in reference laboratories for the rapid preliminary diagnosis and epidemiological surveillance of this epidemic strain. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 08/01451-8 - Molecular caracterization of rapidly growing micobacteria associated or not to outbreaks in laparoscopic surgeries for the development of a quick identification test
• Grantee: Cristianne Kayoko Matsumoto
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate