An Expanded Multilocus Sequence Typing Scheme for Propionibacterium acnes: Investigation of ‘Pathogenic’, ‘Commensal’ and Antibiotic Resistant Strains

作者：Andrew McDowell, Emma Barnard, István Nagy, Anna Gao, Shuta Tomida, Huiying Li, E. Anne Eady, Jonathan H. Cove, Carl Erik Nord, Sheila Patrick · 发表于：PLoS ONE · 年份：2012 · DOI：10.1371/journal.pone.0041480 · 被引用次数：237 · 研究领域：Acne and Rosacea Treatments and Effects、Streptococcal Infections and Treatments、Bacterial Identification and Susceptibility Testing

The Gram-positive bacterium Propionibacterium acnes is a member of the normal human skin microbiota and is associated with various infections and clinical conditions. There is tentative evidence to suggest that certain lineages may be associated with disease and others with health. We recently described a multilocus sequence typing scheme (MLST) for P. acnes based on seven housekeeping genes (http://pubmlst.org/pacnes). We now describe an expanded eight gene version based on six housekeeping genes and two 'putative virulence' genes (eMLST) that provides improved high resolution typing (91eSTs from 285 isolates), and generates phylogenies congruent with those based on whole genome analysis. When compared with the nine gene MLST scheme developed at the University of Bath, UK, and utilised by researchers at Aarhus University, Denmark, the eMLST method offers greater resolution. Using the scheme, we examined 208 isolates from disparate clinical sources, and 77 isolates from healthy skin. Acne was predominately associated with type IA(1) clonal complexes CC1, CC3 and CC4; with eST1 and eST3 lineages being highly represented. In contrast, type IA(2) strains were recovered at a rate similar to type IB and II organisms. Ophthalmic infections were predominately associated with type IA(1) and IA(2) strains, while type IB and II were more frequently recovered from soft tissue and retrieved medical devices. Strains with rRNA mutations conferring resistance to antibiotics used in acne tre...