Multilocus sequence typing (MLST), porA and flaA typing of Campylobacter jejuni isolated from cats attending a veterinary clinic

Abstract

ObjectiveCampylobacter is a major cause of gastroenteritis in humans and pet ownership is a risk factor for infection. To study the occurrence, species distribution and sequence-based types of Campylobacter spp. in pet cats, 82 faecal samples were collected from cats in New Zealand. The PCR positive samples of Campylobacter jejuni were characterized by multilocus sequence typing (MLST), major outer membrane protein gene (porA) and flagellin A gene (flaA) sequence typing.ResultsSeven faecal samples were tested positive for Campylobacter spp. (9%, or 4–17% at 95% confidence interval), of which six were identified as C. jejuni, and one was C. upsaliensis. The six C. jejuni isolates were characterised by MLST; four belonged to ST-45 clonal complex and two of the isolates could not be typed. Two flaA-SVR types were identified: three samples were flaA-SVR type 8 and one belonged to 239. By combining all data, three isolates were indistinguishable with allelic combinations of ST-45, flaA-SVR 8, porA 44, although no epidemiological connection between these isolates could be established. To conclude, healthy cats can carry C. jejuni, whose detected genetic diversity is limited. The isolated sequence type ST-45 is frequently reported in human illnesses.

Investigation of MALDI-TOF Mass Spectrometry for Assessing the Molecular Diversity of Campylobacter jejuni and Comparison with MLST and cgMLST: A Luxembourg One-Health Study

“…The only known protein matching this molecular weight was the flagellin subunit protein FlaA. Combination of MLST with the major outer membrane protein gene (porA) and/or with flagellin A gene (flaA), called extended MLST, has been widely described in the literature, for the typing of C. jejuni, underlining one more time the close similarity between genomics and proteomics methods [9,[63][64][65]. Nevertheless, flaA is an accessory gene, giving more flexibility to bacteria for environmental adaptation.…”