Plasmid profile in oral Fusobacterium nucleatum from humans and Cebus apella monkeys

Abstract

Fusobacterium nucleatum is a strict anaerobe and is indigenous of the human oral cavity. This organism is commonly recovered from different monomicrobial and mixed infections in humans and animals. In this study, the plasmid profile, the plasmid stability and the penicillin-resistance association in oral F. nucleatum isolated from periodontal patients, healthy subjects and Cebus apella monkeys were evaluated. Forty-five F. nucleatum strains from patients, 38 from healthy subjects and seven from C. apella were identified and analyzed. Plasmid extraction was performed in all the isolated strains. These elements were found in 26.7% strains from patients and one strain from C. apella. Strains from healthy subjects did not show any plasmid. Most of strains showed two plasmid bands ranging from 4 to 16 Kb, but digestions with endonucleases showed that they belonged to a single plasmid. The plasmid profile was similar and stable in human and monkey strains. Also, plasmids were classified into three groups according to size. Two strains were positive to beta-lactamase production and no plasmid DNA-hybridization with a beta-lactamase gene probe was observed, suggesting a chromosomal resistance.

Secondary Mapping of Lymphatic Filariasis in Haiti-Definition of Transmission Foci in Low-Prevalence Settings

“…Due to the low percentage of ICT positive persons in each commune and the logistic difficulty of night blood surveys, microfilaria levels were not assessed. While generally highly specific, the ICT is not considered the most accurate test for LF infection because of problems with test interpretation in the field [14]. Testing using Og4C3 ELISA provides a quantitative measure of circulating antigens and is generally accepted as being a more sensitive test of antigenemia; however, due to financial and logistical considerations, the ICT was used for all participants in the study.…”

Genetic and Biochemical Characterization of FUS-1 (OXA-85), a Narrow-Spectrum Class D β-Lactamase fromFusobacterium nucleatumsubsp.polymorphum

“…In the past, it has been usually considered susceptible to penicillins (8). However, this view has been contradicted by a few studies which reported the production of a ␤-lactamase with penicillinase activity in F. nucleatum, although the nature of the ␤-lactamase-encoding gene(s) was not investigated (2,15,20,29,37). ␤-Lactamase-mediated penicillin resistance in F. nucleatum isolates from the oral cavity frequently occurs in childhood or in patients who have previously received antimicrobial therapy (25,26,38).…”

Mobilization and prevalence of a fusobacterial plasmid

“…Our panel of strains included oral isolates, but approximately 82% of the strains were non-oral and included isolates from sinus, respiratory, abdominal, genitourinary tract, soft tissue, blood and brain infections. One bacterial strain in common to all these studies was F. nucleatum ATCC 10953, and we were able to detect a plasmid from this strain (Haake et al, 2000; Karpathy et al, 2007) whereas the previously published studies did not (McKay et al, 1995; Paula et al, 2003). We repeated our attempts to isolate plasmid DNA from the strains identified solely by hybridization with the pFN1- rlx probe, but without success.…”

“…Previously published studies on the detection of F. nucleatum plasmids reported higher prevalences, at 18% (McKay et al, 1995) or 27% (Paula et al, 2003) of the strains examined. A number of variables may account for these differences, including the inherently distinctive microbial populations isolated in different geographic regions.…”