Plasmid composition and virulence-associated factors of Yersinia pestis isolates from a plague outbreak at the Paraíba State, Brazil

Revista do Instituto de Medicina Tropical de São Paulo

Nilma Cintra Leal²  Alzira Maria Paiva De Almeida²  Luís Carlos De Souza Ferreira¹ 

[1] ,Fundação Oswaldo Cruz Centro de Pesquisas Aggeu Magalhães Recife Pernambuco ,Brazil

关键词: Yersinia pestis;    plasmids;    virulence-associated factors;   

DOI  :  10.1590/S0036-46651989000500001

来源: SciELO

【 摘 要 】

Pathogenic Yersinia pestis isolates were collected during a plague outbreak at the Paraiba State in 1986. The Y. pestis isolates were investigated for the presence of virulence-associated factors and plasmid content. All strains analysed were proficient in the expression of the VW and fraction 1 antigens, pigment adsorption and pesticin-fibronolysin-coagulase production. A similar plasmid profile composed by four plasmid with molecular weight of 60, 44, 14.9, and 6.4 Megadaltons (MD) was found in all strains. DNA cleavage with EcoRI restriction enzyme further demonstrated the uniform plasmid content of the Y. pestis isolates. Seven additional Y. pestis strains, previously isolated in the same region but in an endemic state, showed the same plasmid fingerprint. The lack of any detectable difference between epidemic and endemic isolates as well as the value of plasmid fingerprints in epidemiology of Y. pestis is discussed.

【 授权许可】

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